THE GENESEE FARMER. 



21S 



STOCK FOR A HTJNDEED ACRE FAEM.^ 



"How much Stock and what kinds are desirable on One Hun- 

 -dred Acres, including Timber Lot, managed in llie usual way of 

 Grain-Growing aud Stock-Kaising combined?" 



The science of Agriculture is very similar to the 

 science of Medicine. It is necessaxy for the phy- 

 sician to understand the temperament and constitu- 

 tion of the patient, as well as the nature of the 

 disease, in order to prescribe beneficially ; so, in 

 order to tell accurately what kinds of stock and 

 how much are desirable and profitable on a farm of 

 one hundred acres, it would be very necessary first 

 to know the nature and capacity of the soil. It 

 depends on all these circumstances, as well as the 

 locality and the number in the family, or, in other 

 words, the amount of labor to be laid out on the 

 farm. It is an undisputed fact, that one hundred 

 a.cres of land in some sections and localities, will 

 produce double the quantity of hay and grain that 

 one hundred acres will in other sections. As a 

 general rule, there ought to be kept on all farms, 

 of whatever size, sufilcient stock to consume all 

 the fodder raised on the farm, in order to retain 

 the manure ; for if you starve your farm, very soon 

 your farm will starve you. 



The first and most necessary of all stock is a good 

 team. One good substantial pair of work horses, 

 with economical management, will do all the neces- 

 sary work on a hundred acre farm. The next most 

 necessary and profitable stock are the cows. Now 

 the number of cows most profitable on a hundred 

 acre farm, would depend on the number of females 

 in the family; for to be under the necessity of 

 hiring and boarding an extra female domestic, in 

 order to add a few cows to a dairy, would be nei- 

 ther desirable nor profitable. Therefore, I think 

 six good cows and fifty good breeding ewes the 

 most profitable stock that can be kept on a hun- 

 dred acre farm. If the forage of the farm will 

 more than keep weU the above named stock, add a 

 sufilcient munber of young cattle. 



The profit of the stock to be kept on any farm 

 depends very much on the location aud nature of 

 the soil. If the location of the farm is such that 

 the milk from the dairy can be sold readily by the 

 quart, undoubtedly all the cows the farm could 

 support would be the most profitable stock that 

 could be kept. On the other hand, if the farm lay 

 remote from market, where female help is scarce 

 and difficult to be hired, it would be best to keep 

 sheep and growing young cattle, and only so many 

 cows as were necessary to make the butter and 

 cheese for the use of the family. 



Grem liitier, May, 185S. J. M. VARNEY. 



One hundred acres, properly divided, will con- 

 tain twenty-five acres each, of meadow, plow land, 

 pasture, and wood land. The twenty-five acres of 

 meadow, if in decent condition, will cut forty tons 

 of hay at least ; and the twenty -five acres of pas- 

 ture would keep ax least twenty head of cattle, or 

 should be made so that they will. The twenty-five 

 acres of plow land will be suflScient, when other 

 things are connected with grain-growing. The 



twenty-five acres of wood land some might think 

 too much ; but I think not, all things considered. 



Now let us see what stock, and how much, we 

 can keep on the farm divided as above. 1. Every 

 farmer who owns one hundred acres of land should 

 have a good pair of horses, to do the necessary 

 road traveling, and assist in the labors of the farm. 

 2. A good pair of oxen, as there is much work on 

 a farm that is best performed by an ox-team, and it 

 is quite convenient, when oxen are high, to have a 

 pair to turn oft". 3. At least ten sheep should be 

 kept, to su})ply the family with wool and mutton; 

 and they will, besides, be quite an article of profit 

 to the owner. 4. Keep at least eight cows, to sup- 

 ply the family of the farmer with milk, butter, 

 cheese, &c., and to raise calves to take the places 

 of the older cows and oxen that will be sold ; the 

 sour milk, whey, &c., will raise the uecessaay num- 

 ber of hogs for family use, and possibly some to 

 sell ; and besides what butter, miUv, &c., the family 

 will use, and what milk is fed to the young calves, 

 there will be considerable butter or cheese for sale. 

 5. Young stock, as calves, yearlings, &c., as can be 

 kept besides the other stock, and not have to buy 

 hay. Young stock, if well kept and cared for, are 

 profitable ; they should be both steers and heifers, 

 to supply the place of what may be sold, and every 

 farmer who owns as much as one hundred acres 

 should calculate to have some cows and a yoke of 

 oxen to sell, every year, with younger ones to fill 

 their places, of his own raising. 6. As many hogs 

 as can be kept on the milk and slops of the dairy, 

 and can be fattened without buying materials: four 

 or more could be easily kept and fattened. 



In my opinion, stock-raising and grain-growing 

 are the chief means for money-making with the 

 farmer, and he should so manage as to have at all 

 times something to sell : when cattle are high, some 

 to sell, with more of his own to take their places, 

 — not sell and buy again, for it reduces the profits ; 

 when grain or pork is high, some ready for market, 

 — and farming will be found profitable. b. 



BUILDINGS AND FIXTTJEES FOR A FARM OF ONE 

 HUNDRED ACRES. 



* Only two Essays have been received on this importaot sub- 

 ject The committee are unable to determine which is best, and 

 award a premium to each of them. The subject requires fltill 

 "fortber discussion. 



" What Buildings and Fixtures are required for farming, profit- 

 ably, one hundred acres, including timber lot, managed in Ibe 

 usual way of grain-growing and stock-raising combined?" 



There is required a pleasant and commodious 

 dwelling, with parlor, dining-room, sleeping-rooms, 

 closets, kitchen, cheese-room, pantiy, wood-house, 

 cellar, cistern, and well, — all constructed in accord- 

 ance with the best improved taste and judgment of 

 the proprietor. Also, a barn 42 by 52 feet, elevated 

 two feet from the ground on tlie upper side, having 

 on one side of the barn floor stalls for horses, each 

 4J- by 14 feet; an apartment joining, for a cistern, 

 at the further end of the stalls, 6 by 14 feet ; and 

 joining that, a granary, 10 by 14 feet; on the oppo- 

 site side of the floor, a corn-crib, 14 by 20 feet; a 

 mow for hay, 14 by 32 feet, and hay or Hungarian 

 grass on the scalfolds ; and a floor 14 feet in width. 

 The horses should stand on a ground floor, on the 

 upper side of the barn. Tlie earth that is taken 

 out for a cistern should be used for that purpose, 

 and be covered with an abundance of sand to with- 

 in a foot of the sills of the barn. The floor of the 

 granary need be only one foot and a half from the 

 ground, and may be let down below the sills of the 



