PRACTICAL PAPERS—FARM MANAGEMENT. 
225 
mines this matter rather than any knowledge of the laws of 
nature. Without discussing the difference in the stomach and 
digestive organs of different animals there are certain facts 
that apply to all; they must have a sufficient quantity, at reg¬ 
ular intervals, and frequent changes in variety. Along with 
hay, straw, stalks and grain, roots should be given. The car¬ 
rot and beet produce more valuable food to the acre than any¬ 
thing else. Exact experiments have been made in Illinois 
with herdsgrass and carrots, by which it was proved that one 
acre of carrots is equal to five acres of herdsgrass in the 
support of animal life. An acre of corn, with the stalks, will 
keep a horse a year. One acre of corn, sown broadcast in 
June, will produce more green food in July, August and Sep¬ 
tember, than ten acres of herdsgrass. 
Horses require food as often as four times in twenty-four 
hours, but the amount given should be less than it is the custom 
to feed them. A larger amount than nature requires is forced 
through the animal by the muscular action of the stomach and 
bowels, and does no good, but is an injury. Horned cattle 
should have their food from good, rich pastures and well sup¬ 
plied mangers. Sheep should have as great a variety of food 
as any animal, and should never be permitted to run down in 
flesh, as this condition is destructive to the growth of the wool. 
Experience is everywhere teaching that most of the diseases of 
swine are the result of confining the animal to one kind of food ; 
on farms with a wooded pasture they suffer but little. Where 
there is no timber on the farm, good sized pastures are abso¬ 
lutely essential to the health of the hog. 
The farmer, who has derived any profit over and above his 
neighbors as the result of his ten years' trial of a plan, can, of 
course, improve upon it during a lifetime. Should he be dis¬ 
satisfied with, and want to exchange his vocation or his busi¬ 
ness, the education is not lost for future usefulness in any pur¬ 
suit, and he has the satisfaction of knowing just what he has 
been doing. 
15—Ag. Tr. 
