FARMS. 121 



almshouse, since 1850, — not that I think of placing the same in 

 competition with many of the fine farms in the county, favored 

 with natural advantages and superior means of culture, — but to 

 show what can be done by persevering industry, on a soil most 

 repulsive and forbidding in its aspects for purposes of farming. 

 This farm, when purchased for the use of the town, contained 

 about two hundred acres, and was considered valuable chiefly 

 for the wood growing thereon. This, as I am informed, was 

 about fifty years since. Sufficient wood and timber was, in the 

 course of a few years, cut and sold to pay the original purchase. 

 The buildings on the farm were old and inconvenient. The 

 town poor, numbering about sixty, were transferred to the 

 farm, and were employed as best they might be. 



" Thus matters remained until 1844, when the town deter- 

 mined to remove the old buildings, and to erect new ones, better 

 fitted for the purpose. The amount appropriated and applied 

 to this object was twelve thousand dollars ; and the town has 

 since had the satisfaction of feeling that its poor are as well 

 provided for as their condition will admit. 



" Of the farm, about one hundred and forty acres still remain 

 to wood, and there is now a growth upon it of from fifteen to 

 twenty-five cords to the acre. There are from ten to twelve 

 acres of meadow and swamp land, which are used to furnish 

 materials for making manure, and coarse fodder for the stalls. 

 Some of the lands have been reclaimed by drainage and top- 

 dressing, so as to afford good crops of the best English hay. 

 The remaining lands under cultivation, are hard, gravelly fields, 

 kept in a productive condition by constant culture, and by a 

 liberal application of manure, made upon the farm. In making 

 the manure we have freely commanded the services of the hogs 

 — from fifty to eighty of which have been constantly kept on 

 the place, until their number was greatly diminished by the hog 

 cholera, so prevalent in many parts of the country during the 

 last season. In addition to the materials taken from the mead- 

 ows, we collect charcoal dust, saw dust, and the offal from 

 slaughter houses, all of which is thrown to the hogs. In this 

 way we have made annually about two hundred cords of 

 manure, well composted, and liberally applied to the land. We 

 usually plough our land in the autumn, covering the manure 

 deeply, and plough again in the spring, in order to mix and 



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