1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



181 



For the New England Fanner. 

 MOWING LANDS. 



Mr. Brown : — Since it is a cherished principle 

 with most farmers, that short articles upon prac- 

 tical ar^riculture are of the most general interest, 

 I am induced to give a few thoughts upon mow- 

 ing lands, and perhaps add some upon kindred 

 subjects. On most farms in New England, there 

 is a proportion of moist and dry soils. The usu- 

 al method of applying manures to dry soils by 

 plowing and thorough incorporation is, I think, 

 approvable. In the treatment of moist or wet 

 soils, quite a different practice should be pursued. 

 Since the hay crop is of more general value than 

 an)- other in New England, it is of the utmost 

 importance that we husband well our resources, 

 for its greater production. Dry soils I would re- 

 commend for pasturage, and wet or mnist for 

 mowing, reserving, however, so much of the dry 

 as is needed for cultivation. Wet soils, to be pre- 

 pared for manureal treatment and a high produc- 

 tive condition, should first be drained either by 

 open ditches, or by that better way, underdrain- 

 ing with tile, or stone. The latter method has 

 been fully treated by Henry F. FRENCH, who, 

 by theory and practice, has beautified and vivified 

 numy cold and desolate places in our own land ; 

 and who, by the way, as a traveller, has found in 

 Switzerland, Deity, where Bayard Taylor only 

 found Humanity. 



When the soil has been rid of its surplus wa- 

 ter, then level and smooth the surface by such 

 means as are most available. Now it is in a con- 

 dition for top dressing. My practice has been for 

 several past years to throw up swamp muck in 

 the early fall, in a sort of wind row, letting it re- 

 main until another fall, when it can be handled 

 most rapidly with a six tined manure-fork. I cart 

 this into my hog and barn-yard, and also barn- 

 cellar ; this is to remain still another year, when 

 the most of it becomes a highly concentrated ma- 

 nure, putting to shame, in its results, the specific 

 and patent manures, which are crowded upon the 

 public by false pretences. A portion of this ma- 

 nure I put into a heap near my corn field, and 

 cover with soil or sand, and the remainder is ap- 

 plied to my moist mowing fields as soon as may 

 be after the second cutting of grass has been com- 

 pleted. I wish usually to apply from twenty to 

 twenty-five loads of tM'enty bushels each to the 

 acre. This course, if systematically and pcrsist- 

 ingly adhered to, will produce two crops of grass 

 every year of the finest quality, containing most, 

 if not all, the elements of health and nutrition 

 needed by cattle, especially milch cows. 



I wish to add in this connexion, in view of the 

 vast resources which may be found in our moist 

 soils, that I regard the root culture of doubtful 

 expediency as extra food for stock. It is well 

 known that the main ingredient of all roots is 

 water, and it would seem cheaper and far more 

 sensible to furnish drink to cattle by the common 

 methods 0/ hydrostatics than by lacerated hands, 

 aching heads and broken backs. 



I wish to enter my protest against the ruinous 

 practice, of fall or spring feeding of our mowing 

 lands. When once made smooth, elastic, and po- 

 rous, no man can receive any adequate advantage, 

 by turning on to such a field a drove of cattle or 

 horses to race over and change this beautiful 

 field into a broken and jagged bed. 



All damp soils should be kept as light and po- 

 rous as possible, so that the rain may discharge 

 its ammonia into every fibi-e and tissue of it. 



Let our pastures be enlarged, and so supersede 

 the necessity of feeding our mowing lands, and 

 let the limits of our mowing fields be diminished, 

 so that labor and capital may be better expend- 

 ed, and my word for it, two blades of grass icill 

 grow where but one grew before in our mowing 

 lands, and our pastures, not over stocked, will 

 become rich and highly px-oductive by the fi'ee 

 working of vegetable laws. s. G. 



East Hardwick, Vt., Feb. 15, 1858. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 BEAL ESTATE IN BUTLAND CO., VT. 

 THE EFFECT OF THE MONEY PRESSURE ON IT. 



I know not how it may be in other sections of 

 Vermont, but in Rutland county farms have come 

 into market within the last three months, and 

 have been sold almost daily at prices varying 

 from twenty-five to forty per cent, less than at 

 any other period within the past ten years. The 

 question is often asked, why is it that so many of 

 our farmers are selling their farms at such re- 

 duced prices ? 



In no part of Vermont has land been valued as 

 high as in Rutland county, during the past twen- 

 ty years. Farmers have ascertained that not one 

 farm in fifty has or can be made to pay four per 

 cent, upon the assessed value thereof. Many of 

 us find ourselves much in the predicament of a 

 foot ir a small boot, and we are pretty well con- 

 vinced that he who is in debt, and paying six per 

 cent, interest, must remain in debt for a series of 

 years to come. In other words, we fully believe that 

 farming cannot be as good business for ten years 

 to come, as it has been for the last ten years. 

 What then ought those farmers to do who are 

 largely in debt ? AVhat is a safe course to pur- 

 sue ? I say, sell out and pay up ; and if we have 

 anything left buy smaller farms, or go West where 

 land is cheaper than in Rutland county. So say 

 a large portion of the farmers of this vicinity. 



I sec that not only the country papers, but the 

 city papers also, are crowded with advertisments 

 of "Fai'?ns for Sale." There are twenty such 

 notices now, Avhere there was one a year ago. Am 

 I wrong in believing that all kinds of property 

 are destined to be cheap for many years ? Am I 

 wrong in my conclusion that real estate here in 

 the East, as well as the West, has materially de- 

 preciated, and that it will have to remain so ? 



Castleton, Januai-y 12, 1858. L. s. 



Remarks. — This is the first complaint of the 

 kind that has come to our knowledge. The gen- 

 eral efl'ect is, when commercial business is em- 

 barrassed, and men recently engaged in it are 

 thrown out of employment, they yield to the 

 common desire of man, and seek the form. Such 

 has been the case in this region since the late re 

 vulsion ; farms are in quick demand, and at fair 

 prices. It is difficult for us to perceive how the 

 good people of Rutland county have sustained 

 themselves on farms where not one in fifty pays 

 four per c&ut. on their assessed valuation. A 



