FARMS. 77 



turkeys, a mixture of bronze from Worcester County, and the 

 Canada; a solid bird, in weight midway between tlicse two 

 breeds. Twenty ducks, a breed brought from England, whose 

 name 1 have been unable to ascertain. 



The buildings on the farm are — one barn 42 by 114, with 

 manure cellar and root cellar occupying all the space beneath. 

 In this barn the milch cows, oxen, one bull and the farm horses 

 are kept. Hay is stored in it in bays and mows, and on a 

 shifting mow over the drive-way, reaching from the mow- 

 beams to the ridge-pole. Another barn, 32 by 100, arranged 

 in a similar manner, where dry cows and young cattle are kept. 

 This barn has an L attached, 18 by 52, containing stalls and 

 boxes for breeding mares and colts, with a hay loft. This barn 

 and the L have cellars under them. There are, also, a corn- 

 house, 16 by 20, a cider-house, carriage-house, hen-house, hog- 

 stye, wood and cart sheds, and farm-house. All the barn 

 cellars are stone-walled on three sides, and closed in front with 

 boards ; three wide double doors admitting to each cellar. 



Water is brought to the farm-house, barnyard and largest 

 barn by a hydraulic ram. 



Manure. — All the manure used on the farm is made on the 

 premises, and last year amounted to about one thousand loads. 

 I use in composting, muck, sea-weed, clearings from salt marsh 

 ditches and sand. The turf or sod cut from salt marshes, 

 which is usually so tough as to defy all decay, may be disin- 

 tegrated by placing it in the barn-cellar in winter, wlien it is 

 frozen and covered with ice, burying it with manure, thus pre- 

 venting its thawing too soon, and forking it over when the 

 weather becomes warm. It then comes to pieces, mixes readily 

 with the manure, and forms an excellent compost. In working 

 sand into my manure I use it as bedding for my cattle and 

 horses not at work. It keeps them free from vermin, prevents 

 barn itch, makes a comfortable bed for them, absorbs all 

 ammonia, and keeps the buildings free from smell, and forms a 

 most valuable addition to the manure applied to my clay lands. 

 It is easily worked, and requires but little handling compared 

 to muck. It prevents manure from heating, and on this 

 account is most useful to combine with horse manure. It 

 cannot be recommended too highly to all who have heavy lands 

 to cultivate. 



