their value for milch cows, for fattening^ cattle, and for swine.. 

 Their consumption conveniently precedes that of the Mangel 

 Wurtzel. 



With ample supplies of the Vegetables whose culture I have 

 mentioned and described, our present Stocks may be better fed, 

 their numbers enlarged, our coarse fodder be more advantage- 

 ously consumed, our manure increased, and pork and beef, and 

 the products of the dairy, probably doubled. The latter, in par- 

 ticular, are miserably deficient, from the want of juicy food for 

 cows, in continuance of the supply yielded by our common pas- 

 tures just at midsummer. Pumpkins and the roots, indeed, will 

 not be ready to keep up that supply : but oats and barley, and 

 above all Indian corn, may be sown and planted, to be cut 

 green, and carry along our cows to the last of September, when 

 pumpkins will begin to ripen. The consumption of these 

 green crops and roots, by producing vast additions to our ma- 

 nure, will enable us to enrich our fields, and to make annual ad- 

 ditions to the products of our farms. 



The immense importance of providing for cows a full supply 

 of food, and of food which they relish, to the extent of their ap- 

 petites, has been demonstrated by many examples of very large 

 products of milk, butter and cheese, from cows so supplied. 

 The following statement from a recent English pubhcation is 

 a further illustration of the fact : — "A farmer, some years since, 

 kept eighteen cows upon a Common^ and was often obliged to 

 buy butter for his family. The Common was inclosed [which 

 deprived the farmer of his pasture ;] and the same person sup- 

 plied his family am.ply. with milk and butter, from /our cows 

 •mell kept.'^^ 



III. ON INDIAN CORN AND AVINTER-GRAIN. 



The ancient, and to this day the general practice, in cultiva- 

 ting Indian corn, has been to plant it in squares, and in the 

 course of its growth to draw up earth about the stems of the 

 plants, forming hills ; under the idea of supporting them against 

 strong winds : but the necessity or utility of this practice has 

 long been doubted. I liave sometimes cultivated Indian corn 



