172 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



TO THE EDITOR OF THE SEW ESCLAr.D lARMKR. 



Having seen in No. 10 of your paper, a re- 

 quest for some information respectin'j the clieap- 

 cst and best nioiie of clearinc^ heav}' timbered 

 new lands — I send you the followinjf : From lona; 

 experience and strict observation, 1 am of opi- 

 nion that the generality of people involve Ibem- 

 selves in more Llian twice the hibor and ex- 

 pense necessary for the waHt of prudent care and 

 attention in falling their timber. Most farmers 

 when they begin in the woods, are in a hurry to 

 have some land cleared ; they hire their chop- 

 j)ing done by the job, and such chopper", so 

 hired, are only interested in doing it as fast as 

 possible. 'J'hey generally cut the smallest tim- 

 ber first, fall the trees promiscuously in all di- 

 rections the way they will go wilh the least 

 chopping, and the largest trees the last. Then 

 after it has lain a year to drv and tlie fire been 

 through it, to burn the small brush, the logs lay 

 in all directions ; the smaller fast under the 

 larger, and it will then be twice the labor to 

 clear it oil, (hat it would be if nothing had been 

 done, provided they would follow the following 

 directions. 



1st. Take a view of all the large trees, 

 and see which way they ma}' be felled, for 

 the greatest number of smaller trees to be fell- 

 ed along side, or on them. Alter felling the 

 large trees, only lop down the limbs ; but 

 all such as are felled near them, should be cut in 

 suitable lengths for two men to roll aud pile 

 about the large trees, by which means they may 

 be nearly all burnt up without cutting into 

 lengths or the expense of a strong team to draw 

 them together. 



2d. Fell all the other trees parallel and cut 

 them into suitable lengths that they may be read- 

 ily rolled together without a team, always cut- 

 ting the largest trees first that the smallest may 

 be loose on the top to feed the fires. 



3d. On hill sides fell all the timber in a lev- 

 el direction, then the logs vvill roll together, and 

 if the trees are felled down hill, all the logs must 

 be turned round before <hey can be rolled, and 

 there will be stumps in the way. 



'Ith. By following these directions two men 

 may readily heap and burn most of the timber 

 without requiring any teams, and perhaps the 

 brands and remains of the log-heaps may all be 

 wanted to burn up the old fallen trees. After 

 proceeding, as directed, tiic ground will be clear 

 for a team and sled to draw the remains of the 

 heaps where they may be wanted, round the 

 old logs. Never attempt to either chop or 

 draw a large heavy log until the size and weight 

 is reduced by lire. 



The more tire-heaps there are made on the 

 clearing, the better, particularly about the old 

 logs, where there is rotten wood. 



The best time of the year to fell the timber, 

 in great measure, depends on the seasons' being 

 wet or dry. Most people prefer having the 

 timber fillcn in the month of June, when the 

 leaves are of full size. Then by spreadiiig the 

 iimbs and brush over the ground (i'or it should 

 never be heaped) if there is a very dry time 

 the next May, tire may be turned through it, and 

 will burn the leaves, limbs, and top of the 

 ground so that a very good crop of Indian corn 

 and pumpkins may be raised amongst the logs 

 by hoeing ; after those crops come off, the land 

 may he' cleared and sowed late with rye and 

 timothy grass, or with oats and timothy in the 



spring. If what they call a good burn, cannot 

 be had in May, keep the (ire out until it can be 

 had in some very dry time in July or A\igust ; 

 then clear it otT and sow either wheat or rye 

 and timothy, harrowing several times, both be- 

 fore and after sowing, for after the lire has 

 been over the ground, the sod of timothy should 

 be introduced as soon as the other crops will 

 admit, to prevent the briars, elders, tire-cher- 

 ries, &.C. from s|)ringing up from such seeds as 

 were not consumed by the tire. 



The timothy should stand some 4 or 6 years, 

 either for mowing or pasture, until the small 

 roofs are rotten, then it may be ploughed, and 

 the best mode that 1 have observed, is to plough 

 it very shallow in the fall ; in the spring, cross 

 plough it deeper, harrow it well and it will pro- 

 duce a first rate crop of Indian corn and pota- 

 toes, and the next season produce the largest 

 and best crops of flax that I have ever seen and 

 be in order to cultivate ^vith any kinds of grain 

 or to lay down again with grass. 



These directions are to be understood as re- 

 lating to what is generally called Beech iMnds — 

 and the chopping may be done any time in the 

 winter, when the snow is not too deep to cut low 

 slumps, as the leaves are then on the ground, 

 fiy leaving the brush spread abroad, I have 

 known such winter choppings to burn as well in 

 a dry time in August as that which had been 

 chopped the summer before. 



SAMUEL PRESTON. 



Stockport, Pa. Dec. 11, 1822. 



Report of the C'ommittcc of the UilUhoroiigh (.V./f.) 

 Agricidtural Society, on Agricultural Products. 



The committee, appointed to view, on the 

 ground, field products of competitors, have i)er- 

 formed the duties of their oflice agreeably to 

 their instructions. Of eleven, »vho were chos- 

 en aS a Viewing Committee, only seven attend- 

 ed to the business of their appointment, viz. Pe- 

 ter Woodbury, William Riddle, Ezra Abbot, Por- 

 ter Kimball, Phillip Brown, Joseph Cochran, 

 Esqrs. and Humphrey Moore. They began 

 their rout on the 29lh Jul}', and completed if 

 on the first of August. They beg leave to make 

 the following Report of their doings. j 



They commenced tlieir business by viewing 

 the crops and farm of Dr. Thomas Eaton, ol' 

 Francestovvn. The products of his fields wcre^ 

 all good. But his most distinguishing crop ^va- 

 Wheat, of which he had four and a half acres, 

 and, fcr the present jear, was excellent. The 1 

 Committee aivarded him the first premium for his 

 Wheat Cnor. His Potatoes, growing on I J a- 

 cres of ground, were well cultivated, and appear- 

 ed very promising. For these he was consid- 

 ered to be entitled to the second premium. 

 His Indian Corn and French Turnips were vi;- 

 ry luxuriant ; but upon comparison with the 

 same kind of crops of other competitors, they 

 were not esteemed deserving an award. 



Tlie farm of Dr. Eaton, containing 280 acres 

 of land, is made up of hills and valleys, and is 

 generally of a warm, free soil. It is well pro- 

 portioned in respect to woodland, pasturage, 

 mowing, orcharding, and tillage. Order and Ju- 

 dicious management marked every department 

 of his Agricultural business. Every thing ap- 

 peared to be done wilh calculation and for 

 profit. The extent and conveniences of his 

 barns, out-houses, and the order of his house, 

 shew how delightful may be the situation of a 



farmer. He consumes the whole of his crof 

 in hi> family and in his stock ; and, sometime 

 in addition makes considerable purchases ft 

 consumption. That this method should conth 

 ually add to the fertility of a farm, is not doub 

 ed; but whether it will give the greatest nci 

 profit lor any given course of years, is submitte 

 to Agriculturalists who love to make exper 

 meiis, and also love to make calculations. 



The Committee next viewed the crops ( 

 Messrs. Folsom and Whittle, of Deering. TheJ 

 Oats, growing on 21 acres of ground, were ger 

 erally very heavy, and were considered worth 

 of the premium offered for the best crop of tha 

 species of grain. Their Potatoes, \^ acre 

 looked very well, but did not excel. Thei 

 Wheat, ol which there were four acres, was ve 

 ry good, and would have received a premiurr 

 had not other fields, in conqietition, been bctte 

 Their farm contained about 100 acres of goo 

 land. The soil was strong; but from its clos 

 texture, it appeared to be better adapted geC 

 erally to grass than to grain. The Commute" 

 were a little surprised to see, on such a goo 

 and extensive farm, keeping 40 head of cattk- 

 and 70 sheep, only 2J- acres of Indian Corn, c 

 no more than ordinary luxuriance. But th 

 groat article of this farm and the source c 

 wealth to its owners were stock ; which gav 

 evid'mce of the superior quality of the breet 

 and the excellence of their keeping. The farr 

 was well managed, and distinguished for som 

 of its well built and permanent fences. 



Tke farm of Mr. William Whittle, of Weare 

 conliiins about 200 acres of land of various qua) 

 ities. His Wheat crop, covering four acres c 

 ground, appeared very well. It has suffere 

 from the early drought. On comparison, it coul 

 not command a premium. Seven acres of hi 

 ground were planted with Indian Corn. Th 

 field was a pine plain; the soil very light; th 

 manuring small. Considering these circumstat 

 ces the crop commanded attention. The thir 

 premium on Indian Corn was awarded to him 

 His farm generally appeared to be under 

 profifabte process of cultivation. 



Mr. Peter M'Neil, of New-Boston, has a fanii 

 generally hard and uneven. By industry 1h 

 makes it fruitful and profitable. He offered u 

 acre of Wheat for examination. The crop wa 

 very good, and it was esteemed worthy of tbi 

 second premium. 



Mr. Jacob Hooper, Jr. of New-Boston, ofler 

 ed several crops for examination. They wen 

 all good, but none was entitled to a premiuD 

 excepting his Flax, for which the first awan 

 was made. 



His farm, of 200 acres, lies principally on i 

 beautiful hill, whose ascent is easy, and nhosi 

 soil, thougHi not of the richest quality, was verj 

 feasible. His fields were laid out with accura' 

 cy and cultivated with the greatest care. The' 

 fences were exceedingly well built, and of tbi 

 most durable materials. Not a bush infestcj 

 the walls, or headlands; nor a weed of a finger'r 

 length encumbered his fields. Not a squirrel 

 or a mouse, could find rubbish enough for I 

 luricing place, from which they m.ght sallj 

 forth to make their depredations upon tbt 

 crops. Ceres might here plant her throne, 

 and rejoice at her success, that she hac 

 found one spot on earth where her laws werf 

 strictly obeyed. The barn, the granary, 

 and the work shop were in perfect ordfer. The 



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