THE GENESEE FAEMER. 



21T 



manure — that " philosopher's stone" of the farmer, 

 which, if it does not turn everything into gold^ at 

 least turns his labor into the food which sustains 

 his stock and himseU'. 



Shelter from the inclement storms of winter is 

 not all that is required in our climate. Notwith- 

 standmg the ]Ti*actice and ad^dce of the Hon. A, B. 

 DiCKiNsoisr, and too many others, to "cut down all 

 those beautiful shade trees in your fields," the pi'ac- 

 tice can but be looked upon by the mass of farmers 

 as iariarom, and based upon a false deduction from 

 supposed causes, so far as animals are concerned. 

 No one can doubt the utility, nay, the importance, 

 of shelter from the scorching rays of the sun, 

 during our hot, unclouded summers, especially for 

 milch cows. If you cannot avail yourself of those 

 beautiful shelters, so admirably adapted to the pur- 

 pose by nature — which, while affording a grateful 

 protection, permit a free passage of pure, fresh air 

 — supply the defect artificially, by the erection of 

 sheds. n. 



Fredcmia, K Y., May, 1S53. 



KEEPING CATTLE IN SHEDS THE WHOLE YEAE. 



"Would it be an Advantage to Farmers, possessing old, im- 

 proved Farms, to keep their Cattle and Horses stabled or yarded 

 during the whole year V" 



It certainly would, so far as profit is concerned. 

 On old, improved, rich lands, it would be policy in 

 the farmer to stable or yard his cattle and horses 

 during the whole year ; but T should prefer yarding 

 in the summer season, as more air and room for 

 exercise would be allowed, — both of which would 

 be conducive to the health of the animals. Good 

 sheds, however, should be provided around the 

 yard for shelter from heat and storm, a very neces- 

 sary provision for the comfort of the stock. My 

 reasons for preferring yarding to pasturing are 

 these : it leaves the pasture land for plow land or 

 meadow ; it leaves the manure where it can be pro- 

 cured the most readily and applied the most easily, 

 where and when the most needed, instead of being 

 scattered around the pasture where but little benefit 

 is derived from it. 



But if stabled or yarded they must be fed. This 

 some might think would more than overbalance the 

 advantages to be derived; but it will not. One- 

 third the ground will do for the same stock yarded, 

 that would answer for them if allowed the nm of 

 the pasture. For feeding, I should prefer green 

 corn fodder or clover. Perhaps a few early turnips 

 would be good, and millet, oats, and Chinese sugar 

 cane cut green, would be suitable ; but corn or clo- 

 ver, I am inclined to think, would be the main re- 

 liance. One acre of land in good condition, sown 

 to corn, and cut and fed from the time it begins to 

 tassel until it begins to glaze, will keep six head of 

 cattle during the time, and perhaps more, — say two 

 months; while it would have taken six acres of 

 pasture to keep them the same length of time, — 

 Clover on rich ground may be cut three times in 

 the course of the summer, and in favorable seasons 

 may be cut quite early ; an acre of good clover will 

 keep from four to six head four months of the sum- 

 mer. I should feed clover and green corn almost 

 wholly in summer, changing from one to the other 

 as often as was desirable. Hay and grain would 

 have to be fed in the spring before green feed grew, 



but it would be a small item in comparison of the 

 advantage. 



I said one-third fhe ground, if sown to some crop 

 to be fed green, would keep the same stock that the 

 whole would if pastured — and I am certain it would, 

 from what I have seen of green feeding — which 

 leaves the other two-thirds for other uses. Now it 

 is hardly possible to suppose that two-thirds of the 

 former pasture ground will not pay for sowing and 

 feeding the other one-third, — saying nothing of the 

 large quantity of excellent manure ready for appli- 

 cation to the poorest parts of the farm, and having 

 the cattle always handy and in place. 



On other than old improved farms, where the 

 pasture is of necessity as valuable for tillage as the 

 other parts of the farm, the plan of yarding would 

 not answer ; for the pasture is generally the rough- 

 est, poorest part of the farm, and that ivhich could 

 not be applied as profitably to other purposes. On 

 such lands, the cattle must be allowed to get their 

 own living in summer. p. b. 



WOULD IT BE PRUDENT FOR FARMERS TO ADOPT 

 THE TEN HOUR SYSTEMS* 



"Were the question put to the mechanic, or the 

 day laborer, you would immediately get the answer, 

 " Yes, ten hours are enough to labor out of twenty- 

 four." Well, we agree to that, in part. Ten hours 

 labor is enough for one day ; but the farmer can 

 not always work by this rule, — consequently, it 

 would be better not to adopt it. Adopt the rule^ 

 and you must fix the hours, — say from seven to 

 twelve, and from one to six : these, I believe, are 

 the most common hours now adopted. By this 

 regulation, you lay by the best part of the day, and 

 work yourself and team through the heat of the 

 day. Fix it on later and earlier hours, and you will 

 again meet with objections as grave in hay and 

 grain harvest, when you often need to labor the 

 whole day and part of the night, or lose a part of 

 your crop. 



I knew a man who hired some hands from the 

 city, to harvest. He commenced about their regu- 

 lar time to commence work; the field was some 

 distance from the house; they took a long noon 

 and an early supper, and when the whistle sounded, 

 some were in the field, some were climbing the 

 fence, and some were on the road from supper to 

 work ; but at the first sound all started for home, 

 and the farmer was left alone to take care of his 

 hay. The next morning they were all on the 

 ground, ready for work, but they were informed 

 by the farmer that he did not need such hands. 

 Served them right. 



When the farmer's busy season comes on, he must 

 work early and late, and pay his hands accordingly ; 

 work all good weather, and lay by while it is too 

 wet. In fact, he must let circumstances dictate 

 the hours for labor, and pay his liands according to 

 the time they are at work. I think no other rule 

 can be adopted, that will suit the diversified cir- 

 cumstances of farmers so well as this. 

 Neiccastle, Lawrenae Co., Pa. WM. RENO. 



*A great many essays have been received on this subjeet*— 

 Every 0116 of the tcriters ansioer i/ie question in the negative. 

 After considerable hesitation, the committee awarded the premi- 

 um to the above article, which is evidently written by a practical^ 

 common-sense farmer. 



