256 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 
provement of their farms. The price of land in Westport and Greenwich is affected by 
proximity to New York, and its value for residences and country places is often more 
than for strictly aggicultural uses. An extract from the concluding part of the report 
of the Connecticut State Agricultural Society shows somewhat the relative rank of our 
farmers, especially in stock raising: 
“A word in behalf of Connecticut agriculture. Is it worthy of State patronage? 
Can we do anything at farming in Connecticut? At the New England fair held last 
September, at Manchester, New Hampshire, Connecticut received the sweepstakes 
and herd premiums in the four leading breeds, Devons, Short-horns, Ayrshires, and Jer- 
seys, with a large share of the first premiums in each of these classes. The competi- 
tion was close, for there never was gathered a better show of cattle in New England. 
This is the rank we hold with our cattle. From the report of the Fairfield County 
Agricultural Society I find that Mr. T. B. Wakeman, of Westport, received a net profit 
of $2,500 from three acres of grapes. Colonel Thomas A. Mead, of Greenwich, had 824 
bushels of shelled corn per acre, on a field of ten acres, one single acre yielding 106 
bushelsof shelled corn. Mr. Arthur Sherwood, of Westport, raised 300 bushels of potatoes 
en one acre, and Mr. Elisha Gray, of Westport, had on one acre 800 bushels of onions. ~ 
This for a dryseason. Last year Messrs. 8. M.and D. Wells, of Wethersfield, raised 1,000 
bushels of onions per acre, which sold on the field for $1 25 per bushel. Why need 
we be ashamed of Connecticut agriculture, when we have such examples for our en- 
couragement?” i br 
Westport is situated on the Sound, about 40 miles from New York, with which it has 
direct communication both by water and railroad. High culture with, high manuripg 
has resulted in vastly increased productivenéss. Onions, potatoés, hay, and frnit form 
the principal articles of sale from the farms. About sixteen years since the farmers 
here began the application of leached ashes, which practice has so increased that now, 
in an area of six miles square, 70,000 bushels of ashes are annually used. These are 
bronght in canal boats from Canada, and cost twenty cents per bushel. In addition 
to this the same territory uses about 80 tons of bone-dust and twenty tons of super- 
phosphate. Many single acres are shown from which the gross product, either in 
onions or fruit, has exceeded $1,000 per acre, while the general product of farm crops of 
all kinds is very large. As examples I give the product of three farms. That of Mr. 
F. D. Wakeman, Westport, containing 60 acres, valued at $24,000, is devoted mostly to 
fruit. The products sold in 1870 were: , 
Grapes, 3 acres, (mostly Concords and Hartford Prolifics,) 30,000 Ibs-.-..---.-. $2, 500 
4} acres potatoes, sold 400 bushels. .............----------- ---- 20 ---+------- 500 
Strawberries, raised in part between the grape vines, 2,500 quarts--.----------. 500 
Carranis and Gurranh bushes: .—- -.- <-. --o<2 cece ee=-s----= gece ce res oneness 500 
Apples, pears, and other fruits, wine and cider, and grain.......--.~.-.------- 2, 100 
ay) TONE, Bb POU... 2-6 ak owes Sone pee woes chee Seween sene=s oooh SaeeeEe 600 
tle s wee cae ncn a a ise wate ne ncn e a sects ssew ences eeeasesona\--= ses =U 800 
7,500 
Mr. Wakeman keeps fifteen or more breeding sows, selling the pigs. The grain 
needed for them, besides the refuse of the farm, is mostly raised. This year he had five 
acres of wheat, yielding 30 bushels per acre; a part sold for seed at $2 25 per bushel. 
No account is taken of what is consumed in the family or used for necessary teams, 
and by the cows furnishing milk and butter. 
There was an outlay of $100 for fruit-boxes, and $1,600 for labor..-..-.-.--.-. $1, 700 
AONE LOUO DUShelsashes Per Year---- .--2-. -2- ccs aoe wc- wee cr eee a === =e eee 200 
Inperesp on farm and tools, at six per cont...---.... .... <0. 22.22 ee =e 1,500 
HeEen HO OiOlNOXPONSOS: 2-2 socal seb eeee corn cacc's cae doce een eee 600 
4, 000 
Deducting this from the gross sales, we have $3,500 remaining. The value of the 
proprietor’s owa labor and supervision must be deducted from this, except so far as it 
is met by his own support and that of his family, mostly derived from the farm. 
Mr. H. B. Wakeman, of Westport, gives “a fair estimate of income and expenses for 
the past year” of his farm of 60 acres, valued at $24,000. He received for strawberries 
52,500; raspberries, $200; currants, $900; grapes, mostly Concord, $1,200; pears, $150; 
quinces, $100; early rose potatoes, $500; onions, $500; strawberry plants, $150; cur- 
rant bushes and cuttings, $600; hay, $150; pigs, $50; total, $7,000. In addition to 
this he made 750 gallons of wine, 225 bushels of corn, 70 bushels wheat, 20 bushels rye. 
ats corn, wheat, aud rye are consumed. Quite a sum is realized from butter and eggs 
sold. 
The expenses for help were $1,700, (mostly German and Swede, which is about one- 
third cheaper than Irish;) one ton superphosphate, $60; one ton bone-dust, $35; 
