GARDEN-TRUCK FARMS. 315 



FEEDING ON SMALL FARMS. 



There are many small farms in the Eastern and Middle 

 States, near cities and villages, on which grain and garden 

 truck are raised almost constantly; and the' question often 

 arises, " How shall this system be continued without a 

 ruinous outlay for commercial fertilizers, or the absolute 

 exhaustion of the soil ? " Those farmers of this descrip- 

 tion who have been fortunate enough to obtain manure 

 cheaply from the city or town have continued to raise good 

 crops for a long series of years, whilst others, not so suc- 

 cessful in obtaining manure, have seen the soil constantly 

 growing less and less in production, year by year, and yet 

 appear never to have discovered the great resource they 

 may have at their own doors for constant renewal of the 

 fertility of their lands. There is usually a large amount of 

 straw and various kinds of coarse fodder produced upon 

 such farms, which might furnish that part of the ration 

 for feeding cattle; and by purchasing freely of grain, bran, 

 oil-cake, corn-starch feed, malt sprouts, cotton-seed meal, 

 or any of the various kinds of cattle-foods, manure, in 

 large quantity, may be made upon each of these farms, the 

 growth in beef paying the cost of purchased food, leaving 

 the fertilizer free. 



By having well-arranged stables, each of these garden 

 farmers may keep one or two head of cattle to each acre ; 

 and, under this management, everything raised not even 

 excepting weeds will be saved, and turned into active ma- 

 nure for his crops. With warm stables, a large part of the 

 feeding may be done in fall and winter, when the crops do 

 not require attention, and the labor will be little felt. 



Young and thrifty steers are always to be found at the 

 cattle-markets in cities; and, when these are fattened, a 

 market for the beef will usually be found at the village or 

 market town. 



