bring into exercise its digestive faculties fully, without taking so much as to clog and impair its functions eventually. For this reason, a mixture of leas nutritive materials is desirable; and one of our most successful feeders of pork has assured us, that he always mixed oats with his corn, in the proportion of one-fourth, previous to grinding, and thinks he should find a profit in exchanging corn for oats, bushel for bushel, rather than feed the former to his pigs clear. The cob, possessing nutriment in itself, makes about the requisite mixture with the grain, and hence is of great value for the purpose of feeding.
In any district where Indian com is extensively grown, a miller would find it for his interest to attach a cob-cracker to his machinery, as the farmers would find themselves well repaid by the great saving and superiority of the meal so made, for feeding.
SEEDING.
Of all the practices constituting good husbandry, none are more replete with beneficial effects, and which better repay the outlay, than that of seeding. It has become an established practice with good farmers to seed frequently with clover and timothy.
The natural grasses yield less of quantity and nutriment than either clover or timothy, and some others of more recent introduction.
Independent of this, its fertilizing properties to the soil must be considered. Whereas, grounds not seeded, by being loo much exposed, soon become of so compact a nature as to render them in a degree impervious to either heat or moisture, without which they cannot be capable of the least productiveness.
Autumn is deemed the best time for sowing timothy, and the spring for clover.
ALTERNATE CROPS.
The summer and winter food must have a due proportion to each other, and the fields of grain are not to exceed the fields of meliorating crops,–these preserve the soil, as well as produce crops; but grain reduces the soil in producing the crops. Aim at income from live stock, which improves, rather than from grain, which impoverishes your land.
SAVING CLOVER SEED.
The difficulties of saving the seed are imaginary; the process is simple and easy. After the clover field has been cut or grazed, let the second crop come on.
The second crop produces more seed than the first, and hence the economy of first cutting or grazing the field; though from that cut for hay, a careful husbandman might easily save sufficient seed for his own use. Mow when about two-thirds of the heads have turned brown, because, if cut sooner, too many seeds are unripe, and if later, too many shatter out of the beads in cradling and handling.
POTATOES.
Potatoes in general afford from one-fifth to one-seventh of their weight of dry starch.
One-fourth part of the weight of the potatoe at least may be considered as nutritive matter.
The best potatoes are heavier than the inferior varieties.
The American Farmer says: For some seasons past, I have only planted the top eyes, and I have the best crop and the driest potatoes in the country. After the top is cut off, the remainder beeps better and longer fit for use. If housekeepers in towns were to preserve the cuttings of the tops of their potatoes, there would be sufficient to plant all the country, without the cost of a cent for seed!
Preserving Potatoes.–Potatoes should be dug during dry weather. They should be exposed as short a time as possible to the light, as it always injures their quality for whatever use they are intended. They should be kept in a state similar to that before they are dug,–that is, secure from air and light, with a slight degree of moisture to prevent withering, and a temperature so low as to keep them from vegetating. The difference in the quality caused by good and bad keeping is very rarely appreciated.
In planting, have a good supply of rich earth around; but elevate the hills as little as possible after planting, in order to leave the tubers to grow at the depth which they choose for themselves. Besides, a more even surface is better adapted to obtain a supply of moisture, by admitting the rain, &c. The distance of the hills should be governed by the spice occupied by the tops; for much of the nutriment of vegetables is taken from the air, and the tops should therefore be allowed to expand.
STOCK.
Treat Domestic Animals kindly and tenderly.
Domestic animals of all kinds, from a horse down to a chicken, should be treated with gentleness and mildness; men or boys who are rash and bad-tempered, ought not to be permitted to have charge of them or to interfere with their management. Animals that are kept in constant fear of suffering never thrive well, and they often become vicious and intractable by unkind and cruel treatment.
Keep Stock in good condition.
An animal may be kept short of food in the latter part of the fall or first of winter, at a small saving of food, but at a loss in the condition of the animal. It is like salting a hog with a pound of salt–a saving of salt but loss of bacon. One dollar saved by short keeping of animals, will be a loss of five dollars. It will cost more through the winter, and the profit from the animals, either in growth or milk, will be lost.
Provide comfortable sheds and stables. Remember that a want of comfort is always a waste of flesh. Give a sufficiency of food and drink, with great regularity. A meal ten minutes later than the usual time causes the animal to fret, and fretting lessens flesh. Most animals will drink several times a day, and should therefore have it as often as they want it. They should have plenty of clean litter as often as needed. With such management there will be an almost incredible saving of food.
Tight stables should always be ventilated. The breath and manure from animals always causes impure air.
