CROPS IN THE EARLY DAYS 



dollar I ever earned. I worked for a man in haying 

 time a week for my board and earned that half dollar; 

 we worked, I tell ye. We'd get up'n the morning, say at 

 half past two, or soon's we c'u'd see, 'n' mow till five (I 

 spread). Then I'd get up the cows and the women 'n' 

 I'd milk the cows, 'n' we'd have breakfast. 'N' then 

 we'd go at it ag'in, mowin' as hard's ever we c'u'd till 

 ten. Then all hands, women 'n' all, would turn in 'n' 

 rake and get in. I 'member that five men got in thirteen 

 loads one day. It'd bother a mowing machine some to 

 do that." 



One means of enlarging the hay crop that was in use 

 on many farms sixty to eighty years ago was by irriga- 

 tion. Whenever a brook could be turned from its 

 course and carried along some slope and then be turned 

 over the grass fields, it was commonly done and the hay 

 crop thus greatly improved. On many farms through- 

 out the county may be found old irrigation ditches that 

 have long been abandoned. In the first report of the 

 State Board of Agriculture in 1866 will be found series 

 of letters on what was then being done with irrigation 

 in agriculture, and some of the best results are reported 

 from Litchfield County. 



Although the potato was a plant of American origin, 

 it was not known to the natives of the North at the time 

 this country was settled. It was introduced into Eng- 

 land and on the European continent from our southern 



[39] 



