STOCK — SHEEP — FEEDING. 669 



crops. Nor do I believe that any system can long be followed 

 profitably that does not by rotation, somewhere return to the 

 soil the elements of plant growth removed in the crops. But 

 for this purpose the air and subsoil may be drawn on for a part 

 of the supply, if an intelligent course be pursued. 



STOCK. 



I have on the farm sixty head of fine thorough-bred Short- 

 Horns, for breeding purposes, though most of them are excel- 

 lent milkers, and mature early, making superior beef. My 

 experience leads me to decide in favor of the Short-Horn as 

 the average farmer's cattle to fill the whole bill on the farm. 

 About sixty high grade Short-Horns are also kept for milk and 

 beef. 



SHEEP. 



I have six to eight hundred sheep. Merinos, and a cross of 

 the Merino and Cotswold. The latter commands the highest 

 price for fine combing wool. Before my Short-Horns were put 

 on the farm, I only kept about two sheep to the acre. 



WHAT MAKES THE FARM PRODUCTIVE. 



Sheep, cattle, clover, and underdraining have all combined 

 to produce the result given, for so long a time, with such uni- 

 form good success. Lands which in a wet season were forbid- 

 ding and unprofitable, I have now made inviting, productive, 

 and profitable. 



FEEDING. 



I purchase wheat bran and feed to stock. The phosphates 

 of the wheat, which are almost entirely contained in the bran, 

 are thus returned to the farm and stock. I feed some oil cake 

 with good results. It not only lays on flesh fast, and makes a 

 rich manure, but it promotes the good digestion of the stock, 

 and enables them to utilize the nutriment in their food to the 

 best advantage. The full benefit of oil cake is but little 

 understood by most American farmers, and our English breth- 

 ren are allowed to obtain most of this product from America, 

 to the detriment of our own agriculture, and stock growing 

 and feeding. It is surprising to see how much more stock the 



