FARMERS' REGISTER. 



541 



The farm was not fully stocked, beinjr unwilling 

 in the spring to pay the hiuh prices (iernatiLlec] (or 

 neat cattle. I. A. Gakdinkr, Tenant. 



In reply to your inquiry, what experiments in 

 flffricuiturehavc you made? we reply, ihaton this 

 Jhrni wc have made many : some successfiil and 

 some otherwise. We will give you as brief a de- 

 tail as possible of some of them. We irrigate a- 

 bout twenty-five acres of upland, mostly the slop- 

 ing sides of hills. The water used is from sprin<xs 

 itiat rise on the farm, on the highest land. We 

 formed a reservoir by the erection of a dam, and 

 are thereJorc enabled to retain nearly all the wa- 

 ter that collects in the day and run it on to the 

 meadows in the night, preventing the irrass from 

 being scorched or wilted as it would be if put on 

 in the heat of the day. We carry a portion of this 

 water to our barn yards, to our hog pens, and also 

 to our dairy iiouse, where we have put in a water 

 wheel for the purpose solely of aiding the dairy 

 maid in the process of mak'ing butler, and find a 

 very considerable labor saved. We intended to 

 have used the water power in churning ihe milk 

 daily, instead of the cream, in the manner practis- 

 ed by some of the western fiirmers. We tried the 

 experiment, and found no dilliculiy in the process, 

 and the butter was excellent, but the quantity fell 

 short so materially that we abandoned it. 



We tried the experiment recommended by some 

 Pennsylvania farmers, that ofsetting the milk part- 

 ly under ground, and letting the water constantly 

 run round ihe pans of milk by setting them into ex- 

 cavated shelves. We found that the milk would 

 keep sweet longer and the cream was equally as 

 good, if not belter. But here again we found a di- 

 minution : so much cream would not rise on the 

 milk. We therefore continue tlie old mode. 



This experiment convinces us, that a milk room 

 should stand separate and apart from any other 

 building, he ofgood size and height, well ventilat- 

 ed, and shaded with forest trees, and be used sole- 

 ly lor that purpose. 



We have tried the experirnent of flooding land. 

 We built a dam on a small river that runs throuirh 

 the farm, on the sides of which are what is termed 

 interval or river meadows, (about thirty acres,) and 

 by flowing back we cover the whole extent, and 

 keep them flowed from November to April, when 

 we draw it oil and find slime and mud deposited on 

 the surface that enriches it, and our crops of grass 

 have increased thereby both in quantity and quali- 

 ty. We cart sea weed a distance of from lour to 

 six miles, and we think we find our account in it 

 when properly used. It should be spread in hog 

 pens or yards, small in extent, and coarse sand, 

 (the best is found on the shores,) mixed with or 

 spread over it, which will be by this preparation 

 converted into fine compost by the swine being 

 yarded upon it. We derive another advantage in 

 pulling the sea and rock week into our hog yards ; 

 they will leed considerably on it, and it serves to 

 make them healthy and prepares them (or fat- 

 tening. 



We use considerable impure salt in our compost- 

 ing. We purchase the sweepings of the vessels' 

 holds, in which it is imported, and consider it a 

 cheap, valuable material (or the purpose. 



Some of our neighboring farmers, cart salt water 

 from the sea shore, a distance of several miles, and 

 think it better than to let their teams bo idle. This 



they spread on beds of loam, and it is thereby very 

 soon convened into a black mould. 



We salt our river meado.v hay, putting from two 

 to three pecks o( fine Liverpool salt to the ton, and 

 we think we are thrice paid (or so doing; firstly, 

 in the time saved in curintr the hay ; secondly, in 

 its increased value; and thirdly, in the saliincj of 

 the cattle which are led on it. Eesiiies we find 

 that low meadow hay, when salted, will not deteri- 

 orate if kept several years, and we believe it im- 

 proves by being kept two years. 



We had dug some peat for (lie!, and used it to 

 some advantage ; but until we heard the sugges- 

 tions you made of the possibility that our worrrout 

 soils might by the aid of peat be restored, we had 

 not tried it to any extent as a manure. We have 

 since opened a bed on the (arm and dug out about 

 100 loads, at an expense of about 15 cents per load, 

 with which we mixed ten tons of animal manure 

 and six casks of Harris rock lime, which cost in 

 Providence, 81 2-5 per cask. The frost pulverized 

 it, and we (bund it this spring in a good state for 

 spreading on our meadows, and to use on our corn 

 and potato fields. On the meadows we have al- 

 ready ample evidence of its utility. 



We have experimented with menhaden fish. 

 For the first and second year they appeared to be 

 a benefit, but afterwards we fbtind the land less 

 productive than it was before the fish was put on, 

 and indeed in some places almost barren. 



We are of opinion that fish operates on the land 

 like the tree use of ardent spirits on the system of 

 the laborer, who, while the excitement is on, is en- 

 abled to do more work ; hut when it is gone is left 

 in a torpid and enfeebled stale. 



REPORT OF THE ROTCTI FARM, N. PROVIDEIVCE, 

 [r. I.] LEASED AKD CULTiyATED BY MR. 

 ADAM AKTHONY. 



From ttie same. 

 I have great satisfaction, says Dr. Jackson, in 

 laying before the citizens ol Rhode Island, the very 

 lucid and detailed report of JMr. Adam Anthony, 

 who is one of the most intelligent and successful 

 farmers in the state. JMr. Anthony cultivates a 

 firm leased of i\lr. William Rotch, oCNewBedlbrd. 

 The larm is siiuated two miles north of ihe city of 

 Providence, and the soil is naturally poor, light 

 and sandy, with some patches of thin swamp, 

 having a light covering of black peat. A laige 

 portion of this farm was originally almost barren, 

 or supported only a thin (orcst of pine trees. By 

 chemical analysis of the natural soil, it was found 

 to be an ancient granite diluvium, charged with 

 decomposed vegetable matters, in an acid state. 

 Hence the theory of his improvements by means 

 of ashes, containing alkaline matter and lime. 



Memoranda famished by Mr. Anthony. 

 Farm consists of 

 Ploughed land 30 acres, valued at ^141 per acre. 

 Pasture 26 ' ' 70 ' 



Mowing 18 ' ' 150 ' 



Wood 30 ' ' 40 ' 



Crops. 



Corn, 268 bushel? — 64 1-2 bu. per acre : soi', 

 sand and sandy loam : manure, 7 cords per acre. 



