[269] 



The importance of the matter will be a sufficient excuse for a brief 

 digression upon the sowing of rye in the fall. The advantage of it is 

 three fold, especially on fields that have been cultivated this year, and 

 are to be followed by cultivation the next. First, a large amount of ex- 

 cellent feed is obtained; secondly, it very effectually prevents the wash- 

 ings to which our fields are so disastrously subjected by winter rains . 

 thirdly, when turned under in the spring it is a valuable fertilizer. Its 

 rapid decomposition furnishes heat and assimilable food to the plant at a 

 time when they are particularly needed. Either one of these advantages 

 is sufficient to repay the cost ; the three combined make it one of our 

 most valuable crops. In fact, as things now are, it is an essential of good 

 farming; and it is a happy omen for the agriculture of our State that the 

 practice is rapidly extending. 



Though not a necessity in our climate, 



ROOTS 



are an important adjunct in the wintering of sheep. No other crop will 

 furnish an equal amount of wholesome food to the acre. In this manner, 

 also, a variety of food is furnished as essential to sheep as to man. It is 

 well known that the agriculture of England has been brought to its 

 present high standard, and is kept advancing, chiefly by means of sheep, 

 largely supported on turnips. In our climate, as there, the crop can be 

 left on the ground during the winter and harvested by the animals them- 

 selves. An acre of good ground will yield from 400 to 600 bushels ; more 

 than equal to fifty bushels of corn, and raised at less expense. Another 

 important root crop, too much neglected, is the sweet potato. On fair soil 

 productive varieties will yield from 250 to 400 bushels to the acre, equal 

 for feeding purposes to from 60 to 100 bushels of corn; and they can be 

 kept without difficulty till Christmas. The expense of raising them is 

 some more than that of raising an equal area of corn, but less than that 

 of raising their equivalent in feeding qualities. Besides, they are but 

 little exhaustive to the soil. My own practice is to raise sweet potatoes 

 for early feeding and turnips for late. They are moreover an'excellent 

 feed for horses, milch cows and hogs. A feed of them two or three times 

 a week greatly promotes the thrift of these animals. 



It is a prevalent belief that sheep need no protection from the weather. 

 No idea is more erroneous. Thev will suffer less from the dry cold of 

 Minnesota than from the chilling rains of Tennessee. Their fleeces be- 

 come saturated with dampness, and the animal heat is rapidly abstracted 

 by evaporation. It is the very best of economy for the saving of food, 

 for the growth of soft and heavy fleeces, for the health of the sheep, and 

 for the preservation and thrift of the lambs, that ample and comfortable 



SHELTER 



should be provided. The saving of feed and life, and the extra produce, 

 will amount to full twenty-five per cent. Then there is to the humane 



