891 



which belong to them. Thorough summer fallowing is 

 the best eradicator of weeds ; but if any escape and spring 

 up, they should be carefully gathered and destroyed before 

 the seed ripens. 



Let no weed ripen its seed on your farm, if it can be 

 prevented. The thistle, johnswort, and similar pests, are 

 left so long in many cases before they are cut, that they 

 mature their seeds, and these do as much mischief as if 

 allowed to stand and ripen, while the labor of cutting them 

 is nearly lost. The best way to treat them is to rake and 

 burn them as soon as dry. This destroys their power of 

 mischief effectually. It is very bad policy to put weeds, 

 whether cut with your hay or grain, into your barn, as 

 the manure of the yard will be filled with seeds, ready to 

 spring up whenever and wherever it is applied to the soil. 

 There are thousands of farms in this country, the produc- 

 tive value of which, both in grain and grass, is lessened 

 full twenty-five per cent, in consequence of the vile weeds 

 with which they are infested. Sowing spring grains, 

 such as spring wheat, barley, or oats, has had a bad effect 

 in extending the growth <5f weeds, and in many places the 

 system must give way to summer fallowing, or cropping 

 will be impossible. 



FATTENING ANIMALS. 



There are some rules which may be advantageously 

 adopted in feeding animals, which, however obvious they 

 may be, are too often passed over, or neglected. Some 

 of these will be specified ; and 



1st. The preparation of Food. This should be so 

 prepared, that its nutritive properties may be all made 

 available to the use of the animal, and not only so, but 

 appropriated by the least possible expenditure of muscular 

 energy. The ox that is obliged to wander over an acre 

 to get the feod he should find n two er three square rods ; 



