OF AGRICULTURE. 183 



is left in piles under the eaves of the barn. The rains 

 and sun makes it nice to handle. The cattle have to 

 go some distance for water, and this gives them 

 exercise. All of the cattle are not kept in the stable; 

 the fattening stock are kept in various fields, where 

 the hay is fed out to them from the stack. The 

 barn-yard is often occupied by cattle, and is covered 

 with their manure, where it lies until carted on* to 

 the land. In the shed, are the tools of the farm, 

 consisting of carts, plows not deep plows ; this 

 farmer thinks it best to have roots near the surface 

 of the soil, where they can have the benefit of the 

 sun's heat a harrow, hoes, rakes, etc. These tools 

 are all in - ood order ; and, unlike those of his less 

 prudent neighbor, they are protected from the 

 weather. The crops are cultivated with plow and 

 hoc, as they have been since the land was cleared, 

 and as they always will be, until this man dies. 



Here is a "practical farmer" of the present day. 

 Hard-working, out of debt, and economical of 

 dollars and cents, if not of soil and manures. He is 

 a better farmer than two-thirds of the three million 

 farmers in the coimiry. He is one o. the best farmes 

 in his county, there are but few better in the State. 

 He represents the better average class of his profes- 

 sion. With all this, he is, in matters relating to his 

 business, an unreading, unthinking man. He knows 

 nothing of the first principles of farming, and is 

 successful by the indulgence of nature, not because he 

 understands her, and is able to make the most of her 

 assjstance. 



This is an unpleasant fact, but it is one which 

 cannot be denied. We do not say this to disparage 



