to haul his wood for fuel, cotton-seed, turnips, etc., for feed, and leaves for bedding, he can do full justice to one hundred head, old and young.  They will increase and thrive finely, with good grazing, and a full mess, twice a day, of swill prepared as follows:  Sound cotton-seed, with a gallon of corn-meal to the bushel, a quart of oak or hickory ashes, a handful of salt, and a good proportion of turnips or green food of any kind, even clover or peas; the whole thoroughly—­mind you, thoroughly cooked—­then thrown into a large trough, and there allowed to become sour before being fed.

Sheep may be under the charge of the stock-minder; from ten to twenty to the hand may be generally kept with advantage.

Sick animals require close and judicious attention.  Too frequently they are either left to get well or to die of themselves, or are bled and dosed with nauseous mixtures indiscriminately.  Study the subject of the diseases of animals during your leisure evenings, which you can do from some of the many excellent works on the subject. Think before you act.  When your animal has fever, nature would dictate that all stimulating articles of diet or medicine should be avoided.  Bleeding may be necessary to reduce the force of the circulation; purging, to remove irritating substances from the bowels; moist, light, and easily-digested food, that his weakened digestion may not be oppressed; cool drinks, to allay his thirst, and, to some extent, compensate for diminished secretions; rest and quiet, to prevent undue excitement in his system, and so on through the whole catalogue of diseases—­but do nothing without a reason.  Carry out this principle, and you will probably do much good—­hardly great harm; go upon any other, and your measures are more likely to be productive of injury than benefit.

The implements and tools require a good deal of looking after.  By keeping a memorandum of the distribution of any set of tools, they will be much more likely to be forthcoming at the end of the month.  Axes, hoes, and other small tools, of which every hand has his own, should have his number marked upon it with a steel punch.  The strict enforcement of one single rule will keep every thing straight:  “Have a place for every thing, and see that every thing is in its place.”

Few instances of good management will better please an employer than that of having all of the winter clothing spun and woven on the place.  By having a room devoted to that purpose, under charge of some one of the old women, where those who may be complaining a little, or convalescent after sickness, may be employed in some light work, and where all of the women may be sent in wet weather, more than enough of both cotton and woolen yarn can be spun for the supply of the place.

Of the principal staple crop of the plantation, whether cotton, sugar, or rice, we shall not here speak.