232 
WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
to germinate at the earliest moment, and when the rootlets are 
well fastened in the earth they make a vigorous effort to stand 
their ground, and will generally succeed. 
The clover sod—turned over in the fall if possible—is to be 
thoroughly prepared in the spring and planted to corn. This 
will give a third of the farm in corn, which is none too much. 
Corn is the sheet anchor of our western agriculture. Prosper¬ 
ity hovers around a full crib. It is food for man and beast 
alike, and blesses everything ; it is not exhaustive to the soil; 
it can be worked at seasons when wages are moderate ; it af¬ 
fords winter fodder of the best quality, if properly secured— 
an acre of stalks being equal to a ton or more of hay for feed¬ 
ing purposes—it is the most profitable crop we raise. Not an 
ear of it must be sold from the farm—unless to supply some 
unfortunate neighbor with seed—but all must be fed out where 
it is grown, and sold in the form of beef, pork or mutton, and 
the manure made, sacredly returned to the land which pro¬ 
duced it. 
The corn stubble should be plowed in the fall and prepared 
for small grain. Preference must be given to the kinds most 
favorable to clover. Wheat and barley are better in this respect 
than oats ; and fall rye is preferable to either. I have sown 
clover in the fall with winter wheat and had it in bloom at 
harvest, yielding a far better crop than that portion of the 
same field sown in March. I would recommend a trial of this 
method, for if it succeeds, a better crop will be secured ; if it 
fails the ground can be resown in March. Its success will 
probably depend much upon the accidents of the season. 
The management of the manure is an important matter on 
any farm. It must be carefully husbanded and great pains 
taken to increase the amount and quality. 
It may be applied as a top dressing to the clover or used on 
the corn ground, but in no case should it be buried at the bot¬ 
tom of a deep furrow. If used on the corn ground it should 
be harrowed or cultivated in, so as to be available to the roots 
nearest the surface, as they are the most active feeders of the 
plant. The greatest benefit would probably be derived from 
