FARMING IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 



15 



season of 1854, with 1120 sheep, 510 of which were 

 ewes, 275 lambs, 268 wethers and 67 biielcs. 

 "The receipts of this year show: 



100 fed wethers, sold in March last to the batcher $507.00 



8 pells 7.55 



45 lambs sold B. R. H-, at 32.50 112.00 



36Si lbs. wool sold Wheeler, at 3a 13S1 .50 



153 grass wethers, sold butcher, including 3 bucks. 470.00 



120 store sheep for sale, say $2 240.00 



Add 403 lambs lambs, unsold increase of 1854, at $2.60. 1007.00 



Amounting to the sum of S37J5.50 



Deduct the expense of keeping on 1120 sheep, at $1.15 

 per head, and extra 550 for feeding wether..*, less S^O 

 the expense of pasturage saved 1308.00 



Showing a net, for 1854, of $2417.50 



Or a net of $2.15 per head. 



"The average weight of fleece tliis year being 3 lbs. 

 10 oz. 



The net receipts for three years foot $5613.80 



From which deduct capital invested $3301.90 



And the amount credited for lambs 2062.79 5364.60 



And it will leave us a balance of 249.20 



And 1094 select sheep on hand, paid for, (better than 

 cash at $3 per head,) amounting to 3282.00 



[For the Genesee Parmer.] 

 FAEKnfG IN EASTERN FENNSYIVANIA. 



Eastern Pennsylvania is perhaps richer in com- 

 bined agricultural and mineral resources than any 

 other section on the Atlantic Slope. The fertility of 

 the southern portion has long been celebrated, while 

 the coal and iron mines of the middle and northern 

 portions are almost unequaled on the face of the 

 giobe. Agriculture, however, in Eastern Pennsylva- 

 nia, constitutes the most important interest, although 

 the tourist would come to a dififerent conclusion from 

 the man/ manufactories which he finds on every side 

 as he passes through the country. In truth, nature 

 Beems to have afforded such facilities for manufacto- 

 ries as to cause the manufacturing interest sooner or 

 later to transcend all others; but the fertility of the 

 soil, and the more certain gains of agriculture, have 

 thus far made the agricultural the predominating in- 

 terest 



The soil is generally good, although varying in its 

 adaptation to the raising of particular crops with its 

 situation. The Blue Ridge, commencing near Belvi- 

 dere, in New Jersey, and extending in a south-westerly 

 direction, separates this section into two parts, whose 

 geological features are quite different South of the 

 Ridge we find the limestone formation which tra- 

 verses a large section of South-eastern Pennsylvaniaj 

 while north of it lies slate, marl and sandstone for- 

 mations; hence it will be seen that the former is bet- 

 ter adapted to wheat and cereal crops generally, 

 while grass, potatoes, oats and the hardier grains 

 seem better adapted to the other section. The soil 

 ki both sections has been much improved by the per- 



severing labor of its owners; especially in the south- 

 eastern section the country resembles a garden. 

 Farms are generally not large, but they are thorough- 

 ly tilled, and probably are as fruitful and profitable 

 as any in the Union. Where there is access to large 

 towns or cities, more attention is paid to the raising 

 of poultry, vegetables, and floral and horticultural 

 products; but in the interior the attention of farmers 

 is principally turned to dairying — to the production 

 of the ordinary grass and cereal crops. The vege- 

 table and horticultural departments are too much 

 neglected; one reason is, probably, that farmers are 

 not generally aware that as much profit can be made 

 from one as from the other. Let them learn this, 

 and the cultivated tastes and scientific principles re- 

 quired for their successful cultivation will soon fol- 

 low. 



Their systems of rotation in crops vary with cir- 

 cumstances. A common system is to fallow succes- 

 sive crops of corn with oats, and after oats to seed 

 wheat about the first of September. In February 

 or March clover seed is sown, so that after the wheat 

 is cut the field is seeded down; after this it is mown 

 or pastured. Of course it is unimportant what system 

 of rotatioii is adopted, provided the land is not ex- 

 hausted by too frequent repetitions, or by working it 

 too much without proper care in dressing and manu- 

 ring. 



Fruit, as is too common in other States, is too 

 much neglected. To be sure, there is scarcely a farm 

 without its apple orchard, and a few cherry, poach 

 and plum trees; but too little attention is given to 

 selecting the best fruit and to grafting and thorough 

 cultivation. Apples — natural, not grafted fruit — are 

 most extensively cultivated, on account of their use 

 in household aSairs : cider and apple butter are ne- 

 cessaries of life, especially. Apple butter is made by 

 boihng apples and cider together from 5 to 7 or 8 

 hours; in that time it begins to thicken, and when 

 reduced to the required consistency is taken from the 

 fire and placed in earthen pots for winter consump- 

 tion. In former times, and perhaps now to some ex- 

 tent, boiling apple butter is, like our old Yankee 

 apple-paring and husking bees, made the occasion of 

 family gatherings among the young people of both 

 sexes in a community. 



Improved systems of farming are but lightly es- 

 teemed by Pennsylvania farmers generally, especially 

 by the German class. Manual labor is their reliance, 

 with but little aid from science. This is partially the 

 result of old prejudices against innovation and radi- 

 calism of every sort, which ia the marked characte^ 



