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DECEMBER, 



THRESHING. 



THE threshers must be kept constantly at work 

 throughout this month, that the cattle feeding on 

 straw may have a regular supply. Many farmers, 

 who keep large stocks of lean or dry cattle, are 

 attentive to threshing out their worst straw first, and 

 the hest last, proceeding upon the same gradation 

 through the winter, that every change of straw 

 may be for the better. This is a just conduct, and 

 cannot fail of having good effects on the cattle, 

 who, it is well known, often fall away in their 

 looks on a change of straw that is the least for the 

 worse. The wheat should, upon these principles, be 

 threshed first, as that makes the worst fodder ; next 

 the oats, then the barley, and lastly the barley or oats 

 that had much clover mown with them ; for, in wet 

 ms, the clover rises so high, that the straw is 

 almost as good as hay. There is but little trouble in 

 attending at harvest, to lay the corn so as you may 

 begin with what you please, and the advantages to 

 the straw-fed cattle certainly are great. 



The threshers should always he < from the 



labourers with some care : they should be honest, or 

 the farmer will suffer much, if he does not watch 

 them narrowly, as they have many opportunities of 

 stealing corn. 



A thresh- 



