1868. 



NEW ENGLAND FARTHER. 



181 



well as bulk. A little investigation will con- 

 vince that it is poor economy to depend upon 

 poor feed, or upon good feed in insufficient 

 quantity, — and that if we are seeking for pro- 

 fit, we must use good fodder and feed liberally. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 PAYING FOR A FARM. 



ONE farmer's "STOHT." 



The call of "C. B. R." for information, 

 awakens emotions of sympathy and feeling in at 

 least one farmer. Having twice paid not only 

 the "two-thirds" of the cost of a farm from the 

 land, but having done about the same as to 

 pay the other third also, I always feel much 

 interest in the those young farmers, who, with 

 limited means, are trying to get or pay for a 

 good farm. Hence I am always ready to do 

 or say what I can to encourage all such in 

 their laudable undertakings. Although thg 

 best results of reading, observation and expe- 

 rience combined, would be much better than 

 the simple "story" of "how I did it;" yet I 

 infer from the remarks of "C. B. R." that the 

 story is what he wants. This story is nothing 

 very extraordinary ; many have done as well, 

 and some better, but if any good will result, 

 it shall be told. 



Something over twenty years ago, I found 

 myself in a certain county in Western New 

 York, destitute of means, — I had not even a 

 cow or pig, but had to work out for a living. 

 Having never worked out, and not having had 

 much expei'ience in farm work, I could do but 

 little, at tirst, more than to keep along, and to 

 live comfortably. But I soon learned how to 

 do better, and began to save a little money. 

 Taking land to plant on shares was a great 

 help. By taking from eight to ten acres, and 

 working out when not at work for myself, I 

 could save about $100 a year. In this way I 

 saved over $300, and bought a small place. 

 There were thirty-one acres in this place, 

 which cost $930, — $330 paid down, running 

 in debt for the rest. This place in due time 

 was paid for, and then sold for $1550. Then 

 bought a larger farm for $3750 ; paying what 

 money I had, and, as before, running in debt 

 for the balance. Finished paying for this 

 place October 1, 1864; all having been done 

 on the farm, except a little over $600, my 

 share of the property left by my father. But 

 this was not received until it could make no 

 other difference than a question of time. The 

 farm was paid for a little sooner than it other- 

 wise might have been, although this may be 

 offset, in part, by over $400 expended on 

 fai-m buildings during the time. 



But how was it done ? By industry, econo- 

 my, and good, but not the very best manage- 

 ment. One important point in my manage- 

 ment was such a change of crops as to avoid 

 as much as possible those that had been previ- 

 ously grown, and to depend mostly on crops 



that had seldom been raised on the land. 

 Thus, the first place had been kept growing 

 wheat until the crop was very light, and the 

 land was said to be run down. Indeed, I was 

 frequently told the place would not support 

 me ; that the land was worn out, — with much 

 more to the same import. The land had been 

 let out many years to neighboring farmers, 

 and all the crops grown upon it taken off and 

 nothing returned, and so it did look bad. But 

 the year before I bought, it was well seeded 

 to clover ; and as it seldom, if ever, had been 

 in clover, the seed took well, — probably all 

 the better from being sown with oats that were 

 so light as to yield only thirteen bushels per 

 acre. This gave me a good clover lay to start 

 with ; and clover and corn were made my main 

 dependence. With a good dressing of plaster 

 on the clover, and plaster and ashes, and what 

 manure I could make, on the corn, with 

 thorough cultivation, these crops were gener- 

 ally good. A good clover lay was plowed for 

 corn, which was followed the next spring with 

 barley or oats, and the land again seeded to 

 clover. This clover was mowed about the 

 first of July, and the second crop saved for 

 seed. The second year it was mowed, or pas- 

 tured, as needed. Some of the best pieces 

 were planted two years in succession, — the 

 object being to have, each year, about all the 

 corn I could tend with my own labor. 



Another point in my management, which 

 was not a little help on this place, was the use 

 of oxen. My practice was to buy a good pair 

 in the fall, winter them on corn fodder and 

 roots, or a little grain, and after the spring's 

 work was done, to sell them. By keeping 

 them in good condition, I was always able to 

 sell for from $20 to $30 more than they cost. 

 This went far, at that time, towards paying 

 for keeping, giving me a team to do my work 

 at very little expense ; besides it saved keep- 

 ing them on pasture during the summer, which 

 was no small item on a small place. And 

 then, as I had no difficulty in getting a team 

 to draw in my crops, by changing work with 

 farmers, I had very little use for a team in the 

 summer. In the fall I again had oxen, — the 

 last few years I kept a horse, which I found 

 very convenient, but not indispensable. 



And then to good crops and good manage- 

 ment, we added good economy. A great 

 secret in the management of a small place, 

 that many find it hard to understand, is that 

 an industrious man will do all the work him- 

 self; consequently there is very little expense 

 or outgo in his farming. In using oxen, the 

 necessary implements and tools need not be 

 numerous nor costly ; nor need there be much 

 expense to keep them in order. With such 

 management and such economy, nearly all, 

 besides expense of living, may be saved. We 

 found no difficulty in living comfortably and 

 saving $200 a year on this place. 



The other farm was larger, but less than 

 100 acres. Much the same course of farming 



