No. 4. 



Premiums for the best managed Farms, 



109 



year, was half his time bed-ridden, and had 

 no overseer; but he knew, every day, what 

 was doing — where it was doing — how it was 

 doing — and why — yes, and that's the great 

 point, lohy that particular thing was being 

 done at that particular time. He made an 

 independent fortune with hay, as liis staple, 

 on a very hilly, stony farm, 16 miles from 

 Baltimore. 



I had lately, by special invitation, and 

 by the kind permission of my boss, the 

 satisfaction to dine, on Indian Hill, the 

 premium farm of Massachusetts, to the 

 proprietor of which the premium was 

 awarded, not only for the best managed 

 farm, but for the best specimen of under 

 draining, and the best system of keeping 

 farm accounts. Who might not be prouder 

 of such premiums than of military achieve- 

 ments, and sometimes negative service, 

 without achievements, for which our wise, 

 thoughtful, republican government, repre- 

 senting two-thirds farmers, awards the high- 

 est honours, the largest life salaries, hospi- 

 tals, pensions, <fc. 



The proprietor of that farm, wliere I met 

 some of the most accomplished agriculturists 

 of Massachusetts, is half the year absent in 

 the South. But he has things so set down 

 and systematised, that he is constantly and 

 exactly informed of what is going on. Every 

 man is numbered — and every job of work 

 to be done is numbered — and he knows, that 

 on a given day, number so and so, was at 

 work on job No. 7, or 3, or 2, as the case 

 may be. His people all rise at 5, A. M., by 

 the rijiging of a bell, as in a ship or a fac- 

 tory; and breakfast by candle light; he 

 taking his seat when at home, at the head 

 of their breakfast table, just to see that all 

 are there, and that all is right. After all 

 is fairly under way, he is ready for his own 

 family breakfast table, where, as well as 

 throughout the house, you find a neatness, 

 good order and abundance, corresponding 

 with, if not even excelling the out doors 

 management. In fact the neighbours do 

 hint that " two heads are better than one." 

 Certain' it is, that I never saw a more 

 unique, antique, venerable looking mansion 

 outside — nor one in which reigns a more 

 charming air of quiet, order, good manage- 

 ment, and domestic taste and harmony. 



To economise time, even the kindling is 

 in the kitchen "the overnight." The hash 

 is ready only to be "warmed up," and break- 

 fast, with cofJee, is all ready for the labour- 

 ers in tlie "twinkling of an eye," after the 

 bell rings at five. 



The labourers — willing, steady and con- 

 stant — are all white men, generally Scotch, 

 sometimes Irish, hired by the month. On 



that point, I refer to his answers to questions 

 propounded by the Society. When all ia 

 going on, as it goes every day, as smooth as 

 clock work, Mr. Poor, rich " in all the qual- 

 ities that give assurance of a man," is then 

 ready to take his family or his guest, as he 

 did me, in his coach and "four in hand," 

 and that in his own hand, of preference, 

 any where over delightful roads and a mag- 

 niricent country, at the rate of eight miles 

 an hour! I only mention it to show, that 

 " best management" does not imply continual 

 drudger)'. At Indian Plill larm, as on al- 

 most every farm in New England, there is 

 a place for everything, and everything is 

 in its place. You don't see a bridle on the 

 ground here, and a swingle-tree in another 

 place. Sheep skins eaten up by dogs, and 

 harness lying out in the weather — axes 

 scattered here and hoes everywhere — carts 

 broken, and doors and gates off the hinges — 

 negroes hunting here and there for the 

 spade, or for him that had it last, to know 

 where he left it. Galled horses with clogs 

 on their feet and yokes on their necks; and 

 oxen, as I this morning actually saw a yoke 

 in Washington, one pulling one way and the 

 other the other way, with all his might — 

 with a negro on each side, armed with a 

 bludgeon, to drive them from one side to the 

 other. There — in New England — one yoke 

 does at least as much as three do here. 

 They are all fat enough for beef the year 

 round, and are driven rather by sights, and 

 with very light whips, rather than by vio- 

 lence. One must go to New England, to 

 have an idea of the power, the docility, and 

 the great usefulness of a single yoke of 

 oxen. 



At Poughkeepsie, in the ploughing match, 

 there were seven single span of oxen, and 

 two of horses, started for the premium — 

 each managed by a ploughman, without a 

 driver — the prize was taken by a span of 

 oxen! The whip of the ploughman was 

 lighter than the beech switches, which I re- 

 member well, and to my great terror, were 

 kept standing in the corner of a log-cabin 

 school-house, in Calvert county, under the 

 dread government of the never to be forgot- 

 ten Robert Spicknall. 



How much I should have been gratified 

 could our committee, with the estimable and 

 efficient Recording Secretary of the Society, 

 have been with me to witness many things 

 that I s:iw on an almost literally flying visit 

 to Massachusetts and New York. I could 

 " spin a yam" worth hearing, out of it, if I 

 had time; one that might make the woof 

 and the web of an address, for which I see 

 " by the papers," I have been " set down" 

 for your next meeting — but close confine' 



