FARMERS' REGISTER 



41 



nfbraiation I have, and which could be obtained 

 i'com others. 



Jiye is extensively raised. We sow the latter 

 pan of August and first ol" September, one to one 

 and a hall'bushel per acre, in ourcorn fields; plough 

 it in with the shovel-plough or cultivator. II' the 

 season be favorable the greater part of the fall 

 will produce good grazing for calves and young 

 colts, and at times sustaining them through the 

 winter with the aid of a small quantity of fodder 

 or oats. It is not, however, until the month of 

 March and April, that we receive the greatest ad- 

 vantage from it. At this season stock is generally 

 in great want of green food, and they are fre- 

 quently sustained from the 10th March to the 20th 

 April, without detriment to the succedding crop of 

 rye. Stock of any description which may have 

 access to a good rye field in the spring, will gene- 

 rally i(nprove rapidly in their condition, and places 

 them in fine health to go upon our blue grass pas- 

 tures. When the grain is ripe or nearly so, a large 

 portion of our rye fields are led down by our hogs. 

 Occasionally cattle, horses and mules are turned 

 in with the hog?-'. It is not considered a produc- 

 tive crop, li-om 12 to 15 busiiels per acre being a 

 fair average crop upon lands producing forty bush- 

 els of corn per acre. No manure or topdressing is 

 ever used. 



The grazing in the fall and spring we consider 

 pays well for the seed and sowing. Some of our 

 best larmers sow it instead of clover, for the pur- 

 pose of renewing iheir exhausted lands; when 

 fed off' by hogs, the immense quantity of straw 

 and manure left on the ground, leaves it in fine 

 condition lor the succeeding crop. 



Blue Grass Pastures — They are not of spon- 

 taneous growth — tio regular system is considered 

 necessary in making them. In our open fields, 

 the usual practice is to saw timothy, clover and 

 blue grass seeds mixed. Two or three good crops 

 of hay may he taken before the blue grass gets 

 well set. In our woodlands the seed is scattered 

 promiscuously with a portion of timothy and clo- 

 ver seed. It is equally as advantageous and fre- 

 quently practised to feed our hay upon the open 

 grounds in the winter and spring, when we want 

 to make grass. The stock will ihen tread in the 

 seed, and we most always succeed in having it 

 will set. After it is well set, it can never be ex- 

 hausted by grazing. Briers will destroy it when 

 neglected, by excluding it from the sun and air. 

 It requires from two to three acres to fatten a bul- 

 lock, and if good will keep him 8 or 9 months in 

 the year. 



Mules are raised by our farmers from their 

 work mares. Few mares one kept exclusively 

 for the breeding of mules. In the fidl when the 

 colts are ready to wean they are generally sold by 

 (hose who breed them to those who leed them, 

 until the fall after they are two years old, when 

 they are then considered ready for market, and 

 either drove on account of the feeder, or they 

 pass into the hands of others who drive to the 

 southern markets. South Carolina, Georgia, Ala- 

 bama and Mississippi, constitute our principal 

 markets. 



Not many have been retained amongst our far- 

 mers lor agricultural purposes. They comman- 

 ding a more ready and higher price our farmers 

 prefer selling them and retaining their horses. 

 Very great objections have been made to the breed- 

 VoL. VIII-6 



ing of mules from the uncertainty of getting colts. 

 Three out of five would be considered a lull pro- 

 portion — possibly much olthe difliculiy arises Irom 

 mares not being regularly sent, being work mares 

 farmers may not be so particular in sending them at 

 the proper time. Our fetock of mules have greatly 

 improved in a few years frequenily having thetn 

 15 to 16 hands high ; this improvement has been 

 accomplished by better keeping, more care in the 

 selection of the mares, and still more by a proper 

 selection of the jacks. When sold in the liill af- 

 ter two years old, the fair average price might be 

 considered from 55 or ^70 — when three years old. 

 they frequently command from ^'80 to $100 ; not 

 many, however, are retained until they are three. 



Sheep receive but little attention Irom our farm- 

 ers — a cross upon the common sheep with the 

 merino prevails in Kentucky. I know of no full 

 blood South-down — we may, however, have a 

 'iQw. The large New Leicester sheep have 

 been iniroituced here within the last seven years; 

 their great size and aptitude to liitien, have caused 

 them to be highly prized by thofie who have 

 them. 



No country can be better adapted for sheep 

 than this ; with care they are subject to but lew 

 diseases. We want nothing better lor them, sum- 

 mer and winter, then our blue grass pastures. In 

 wet cold weather the weaker animals do better 

 with open sheds, and fled with oats or clover hay. 

 Our rye fields in the spring for ewes and lam'ha 

 are invaluable. Farmers have occasionally fed 

 them through the winter for the Louisville, Cin- 

 cinnati and New-Orleans markets; they generally 

 pay well in spring. Dogs are our greatest ene- 

 my in raising sheep ; until we can have some, 

 laws or regulations upon the subject, Utile can 

 be done safely. 



Hogs are more generally and extensively raised 

 for market than for any other stock ; it is one suited 

 to the capacity and business of most all larmers. 

 Connected with the fi?eding of cattle they are in- 

 dispensable: it is through them that much of the 

 profit is derived. The corn that passes through 

 two large bullocks will fatten three hogs without 

 any ot'ier food during the winter. 



We have multiplied our breeds of hogs rapidly 

 within a k\v years. The Berkshire, Bedford and 

 Irish hogs are the three favorites ; each have 

 their advocates. They all fiitten kindly and come 

 to early maturity. A pair has been introduced 

 from New- York called the Leicestershire, im- 

 ported into that state a few years since. They 

 appear to be similar to the Irish hog and those im- 

 ported by IT* D. Shepherd, of Baltimore. We 

 also have a few called the Rhinoceros ; they 

 resemble the Berkshire in color, but not in f()rm; 

 they are great fiivorites with those who have them. 

 With care and judirment in breeding, our present 

 stock will answer all the purposes requisite for early 

 maturity, aptitude to liitten, and capacity to tra- 

 vel to market. 



Hemp is an important article with us; it is 

 sowed the last of April and first of May, re- 

 quires tiie best ground, anii that to be well pre- 

 pared before sowing. Our blue grass pastures 

 or old meadows broke up in the fall, well ploughed 

 and harrowed in the spring, hiive been considered 

 our best ground for hemp. The average quantity 

 of seed used in sowing is 1^ to 1^ bushel per 

 acre. The ordinary qtiantity raised per acre ii'' 



