Introductory, 



By the Author. 



We do not write this little book about OUR FARMING with any 

 Desire to brag or tell what we have done, in a boastful way. In 

 fact, we have not done anything wonderful. It was thought best 

 that it should be written in the first person largely, that is, that 

 we should tell just what we had done, that it should be a con- 

 nected history of our farming. Quite likely the writer will, how- 

 ever, branch off into preaching a little now and then. A tendency 

 this way was inherited, and a man who has found a good thing 

 naturally likes to exhort others to try the same path. The Author 

 has been writing more or less for the leading agricultural weeklies 

 for the last ten years. He began with The Country Gentleman ten 

 years ago last fall. The Ohio Farmer introduced him to its read- 

 ers soon after, and then followed The N. Y. Weekly Tribune, 

 Rural New Yorker^ Practical Farmer^ Farm Journal and The 

 National Stockman. At present all his time is devoted to writing 

 for The Practical Farmer. During these ten years, of course, 

 there is hardly any part of his farming that has not been written 

 about. The substance of this book can be found scattered through 

 the thousand articles or more that have been written for the press, 

 but in this book they will be found in a more convenient form for 

 reference and with the latest improvements in every line. Agri- 

 culture does not stand still. We are learning and advancing 

 every year. In these pages you will find the best I know now. 

 Undoubtedly within five years I would like to change some 

 things. But if I waited five years before writing this, the same 

 would be true then. I shall try extremely hard not to say any- 

 thing in this work that will mislead, and to make every little 

 matter as plain as possible. To some it may seem unnecessarily 

 simple and full on every little point. They must remember that 

 there are thousands not so well posted as they are, and these are 

 the ones who need help. It may interest you to know how much 

 care a writer takes to have his articles just right. Every letter 

 that goes from the author's pen is carefully read over twice. The 

 first reading is to see if everything is exactly true. This may 

 seem curious to you. Do you ever write anything ' that is not 

 true, you may ask ? Not intentionally, but I am full of enthu- 

 siasm for my calling, and when a little excited over a subject 

 might paint a picture a little too brightly. I would be more than 



