VOi 



XIV. IVO. 31. 



AND HORTICULTURAL REGISTER, 



163 



and til'! corn planted in rows 3 feet apart each way, 

 and hoed twice or three times. Plaster or ashes is 

 iisnally applied before the corn is np. 'I"he tops 

 are cut, iind the corn picked in the field. The 

 Canada is the usual variety raised, and produces 

 forty bushels. 



O'lts — Of the common kind are raised after corn 

 or potatrios. The seed is first .«own, two ploiijjh- 

 ini/s am nivon, and the tjrnss seed covered with a 

 bush. 'I'hoy produce rf5 bushels, and are cut when 

 twcthirds chnnifcd. 



Hi/e — Is raised upon fallows of pasture land. 

 The land is broken up, cross ploutihed and the seed 

 ploutrhed in. It is thought better by Mr W. to 

 cover liiu seed with the bush, as the plough tfene- 

 rally buries it loo deep. The grain is cut with a 

 cradle and put into shock stacks. 



Pumpkins — Are raised only with corn. 



Turnips. — A small quantity only are usually sown 

 for family use — so also of buckwheat. 



Manure. — This accrues in the ordinary way in 

 the yard. No estimate of the usual quantity could 

 be obtained. It is applied principally to the mead- 

 ows, and occasionally to plough land, and is used 

 freely when at all. None is purchased. 



Two tons of plaster are annually used on mead- 

 ows anil pastures, and on corn and potatoes. Ash- 

 es are liinlily esteemed. All which can be obtained 

 are purchased, and with those made are applied to 

 the farm. 



jVcaduivs. — These, amounting to over thirtv 

 acres, are principally natural, but prepared and 

 leveled with great care and at great expense in 

 the reifioval of stones and rocks. They are ma- 

 nured as the grasses become thin, and produce 

 one and a half tons per acre. Before the lower 

 leaves turn, the grass is cut. It is spread and put 

 in heaps, and the ne.xt day is opened, turned and 

 carted. When grass seed is sown, four quarts of 

 herd's grass and two of clover is the usual quantity. 



Pastures. — These are all natural e.xcept a small 

 proportion which have been sown with grass after 

 fallow for rye. Not more than twentyfive acres in 

 the whole are arable, and that only to a man born 

 among rocks. 



fl'oodland — Of this, including the rocks, there 

 are over sixty acres. It is all depastured. 



Water — The farm is admirably watered by more 

 than fifty springs and several streams. By means 

 of a conduit, the purest spring water is carried to 

 the door and to the different barns. 



Driiins.— On this farm there are five covered 

 drains, built by Mr \V. These have been found of 

 incalculable advantage, and have changed what 

 was formerly marshes into prime niowino- land. 



Lrdior. — One man through the year at $]i)0, and 

 other labor equal to one man the third part of the 

 year, is employed, in addition to the great amount 

 of work performed by i^ir W. lumself. 



Stock. — Two yokes of oxen, 7 cows, and 21 

 calves, yearlings, and two year olds, all a cross of 

 the native and Devon breeds, and very fine, and 

 raised on the farm, constitute the present stock. 

 ' Hogs. — Eight are usually fattened with apples 

 and the slops from the dairy. Yearling.? usually 

 weigh from 300 to .'WO; spring pigs 2.')0 lbs. 



Slietp. — The flock has been much reduced, and 

 now only 5') Merinos are kept, producing 3 lbs. 

 each of wool. No Iambs are sold. 



Horses.- — -One only is kept for family use. 



PnuUrtj. — Chickens are raised for family use 

 but not for sale, as they are believed to "cost 

 double what they fetch." 



Bees. — Your committee were gratified to find 

 that the good idd practice among farmers of keep- 

 ing bees, might still be advantageously pursued. 

 Indeed, it is a matter of surprise that every person 

 residing in the country does not possess at least 

 one swarm. So little altentien is requisite, and 

 under ordinary care the return is so immediate and 

 so large upon the firit cost, that it might reasona- 

 bly bo supposed that all would at least secure the 

 luxury of honey for their families, if indeed they 

 did not seek for profit. 



Mr \\ ooster's swarms in his yard, and his bu- 

 reau hive in his chamber, all indicated a liberal re- 

 turn for his outlay and care. 



Receipts. — These were hastily estimated as fol- 

 lows, viz : 



Oats, $35 



Rve, .50 



Stock, J25 



Pork, 50 



Wool, 35 



Wood, 75 



Butter and cheese, say 100 



$470 



Of the butter and cheese no account has been 

 kept, and no accurate estimate could be obtained. 

 The average sale of wool in previous years is $140. 



MR GAYLORd's farm. 



The next farm in order as visited by your com- 

 mittee was that of Mr William Gaylord, of Middle- 

 bury, containing 5'2 acres, and lying in a compact 

 and nearly square form, in the north-west part of 

 the town. 



Soil. — The soil is principally a gravelly loam, 

 filled with stones and retentive of moisture. 



Buildings. — These, except the barn, are in rea- 

 sonable repair. The barn, and buildings, and fix- 

 tures around it, have been too much overlooked to 

 indicate a first rate farmer in their owner. 



Cultivation. — The cultivation of the farm is un- 

 commonly good. Little brush and few weeds are 

 to be seen. A very considerable portion of the 

 land has been greatly improved. In fact, much of 

 it has been raised from poor ston'^y pasture to 

 smooth and rich mowing ground. 



Fences. — When Mr Gaylord, six years since, 

 entered upon the farm, the fences were poor and 

 principally of rails. Now, many of them are of 

 stone, well laid and of surpassing size, all collected 

 and laid by Mr G. with his own hands. 



Rotation. — One leading object has been the im- 

 provement of the land by the cultivation of clover 

 and the use of plaster. For this purpose short ro- 

 tations have been adopted. The only course of 

 crops now pursued is, after grass, corn and pota- 

 toes with manure, followed by oats and grass seed. 



Corn. — The Dutton variety is preferred. '! he 

 manure being spread on grass land, with reference 

 to the quantity on hand, and the ground to be tilled, 

 the land is ploughed clean with a deep furrow. 

 About the middle of May the corn is planted, three 

 feet apart each way, four kernels in the hill, the 

 seed being soaked and rolled in, plaster. It is 

 ploughed one way only and hoed three times, and 

 yields 50 bushels per acre. The tops are general- 

 ly cut and the corn picked in the field, although 

 occasionally it is cut at the bottom and stacked. 



Potatoes — Are cultivated in all respects as corn, 

 (e.tcept that (hey are hoed but twice,) with an ave- 

 rage product of 200 bushels. The English whites 



only are raised. They are planted in the early 

 part of May, with from 12 to 15 bushels of seed, 

 without cutting, and are dug in the early part of 

 October. 



Oats. — These are sown after corn and potatoes. 

 The land is ploughed twice, and the seed, two and 

 a half bushels, is covered with the harrow. They 

 are cut when two. thirds changed, and produce .50 

 bushels to the acre. 



Rye — Is raised only after fallow of pasture land. 

 The ground is ploughed three or four times accord- 

 ing to its tilth, and the seed (one and a quarter 

 bushels) harrowed in. The crop, averaging 20 

 bushels, is cut with the sickle, lies one day and is 

 then put into shock stacks. 



Pumpkins — Are raised with corn only. 

 Roots. — White turnips and ruta baga are raised. 

 The land is ploughed four or five times, and the 

 seed sown broadcast with plaster. Half an acre 

 last year produced 3.50 bushels. 



Manure. — Pains is taken to collect materials for 

 this indispensable article. About 100 single loads 

 are annually made, and small quantities aie pur- 

 chased when it can be obtained. 



One ton of plaster is applied to meadows, pas- 

 ture, and plough land. Two bushels are sown on 

 mowing land each alternate year. 



A few ashes are bought. They are sown broad- 

 cast, 50 bushels to the acre, upon meadow and 

 plough land. 



A single load of shell lime was )irocured last 

 year. No effect has been perceived from its use. 

 Meadows. — About ten acres are in meadow, 

 nearly all of which is cultivated, and produces an 

 estimated average of two and a half tons per acre. 

 It is manured only with plaster and ashes, and 

 ploughed at the expiration of six years. 'Ihe grass 

 is cut in the early part of the day in July, tedded 

 and put into winrow. The second day it is opened, 

 turned, and carted. For mowing land, four quarts 

 of clover and ei'iht of herd's grass seed is sown. 



Pa^/itrfs.— These are principally natural and are 

 good. A part which have been cultivated are ex- 

 cellent. These are permitted to remain in grass 

 until the manure is exhausted. 



Woodland. — Twenty acres are in wood and lie 

 open to the common. 



Water. — The farm is tolerably watered by springs 

 which are seldom dry ; a small stream through the 

 centre and a large pond on the western margin. 



Stock. — This consists of one yoke of oxen and 

 five cows. None are r.iised on the farm. Ten to 

 fifteen liead of young cattle are usually wintered 

 with an advance in value of about .$100. 



Hogs. — Three fall shoats, of the common breed, 

 are fattened and are made to weigh from 300 to 

 350 pounds. 



Sheep. — Twentyfive are kept, and average four 

 and a half pounds of wool. 



Horses. — One is considered necessary for family 

 use. 



Poult'Xj. — Chickens only are bred for the use of 

 the family. 



Ijuljor — .-Ml the work upon the farm, including 

 the laying of the heavy stone walls, is performed 

 by Mr Gaylord himself, with the aid of a small boy 

 taken by him to bring up, and a few days work 

 hired in haying and harvest. 



Receipts. — These, as given your committee by 

 Mr Gaylord, amounted to $358, as follows: profit 

 on stock wintered, $100; pork sold, $50; wool, 

 $.58: butter and cheese, $150. 



[To be continued.) 



