47 



besides an unknown quantity of stones gathered immediately from 

 the fields. 



The dio'ging of these drains has cost from one to three dollars 

 per rod. Of the expense of filling in and covering, I have kept 

 no exact account. I have no doubt that tile-draining would be 

 cheaper on many farms, but when I commenced the work, tbere 

 were over twelve hundred rods of heavy walls on my farm. The 

 cultivated land was divided into seventeen lots, of from one to 

 three acres each. So I think I may charge a large share of the 

 cost of draining to the removal of useless — worse than useless — 

 walls. Were all the walls removed which really are not needed, 

 it would add more than an acre of arable land to my farm. For 

 I consider that a wall occupies, or overshadows about five feet of 

 land through its whole length, and more than that in the corners 

 of the lot. 



There is a cellar under my barn, thirty-six feet by fifty-eight, 

 dug in 1848, at which time I might date the most of my improve- 

 ments. 



I now keep from six to ten cows, one yoke of oxen, tAvo horses 

 and six hogs, and make from two hundred and fifty to three hun- 

 dred loads of manure annually, which is all Avorked over by the 

 hogs. I do not think the raising of pork, on any large scale, would 

 be profitable, were it not for the manure which is made. 



I have tried special fertihzers to some extent, but without much 

 benefit, — except wood ashes, of which I have used large quanti- 

 ties. They have cost eight cents per bushel at the beach, and 

 were drawn eight miles. But since other farmers, living nearer, 

 have discovered their value, the price has advanced, so that I 

 cannot now afford to use them. I believe farmers in this part of 

 the County can make their own manure cheaper than they can 

 buy it. 



My cattle are all stabled during the night through the year. In 

 the season when fed with green crops, of which I raise a large 

 supply, they are stabled nearly three-fourths of the time. The 

 cows are milked at half past five every afternoon, and at about 

 the same time every morning, through the year. Pursuing this 

 course, I must, of course, use a large quantity of absorbing mate- 

 rial in the hog pens, and cart out manure frequently. Usually it 

 is all removed four or five times, instead of once a year, as 

 formerly. 



In the condition of my pastures, I could keep only three or 

 four cows, but by raising green corn, and feeding, in connection 

 with it, hay and grain, I have kept double the number, and, at 

 the same time, have enlarged my manure heap, and increased the 

 capabilities of the farm. I plant corn for fodder in drills eighteen 

 niches apart, and use less seed in the row than is common with 

 other farmers. I spread all the manure and plant with an 



