402 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



JUNE 28 18'r. 



I 



f.irmci-s ill Vii-fiiniii. His estate at Mount Vernon 

 consisted of 10,(100 acres of land in one body, 

 equal lo about 15 square miles. It was divide.! 

 into farms of onuveiiient size, at tlie distance of 

 2, 3, 4 and 5 miles from his mansion liouse. — 

 These farms he visited every day in (ileasant wea- 

 ther, and was constantly engaged in making ex- 

 periments for the im|irovement of agrirulnn-e. 



Some idea of the extent of his farming opera- 

 tions may be formed from the followiiig (acts. In 

 1787 he had 500 acres in grass — sciwe<l 6C0 bush- 

 els of oats — 700 acres with wheat, and prepared 

 as much more for corn, barley, potatoes, beans, 

 peas, &c., and 150 wi.th turnijis; his stock con- 

 sisted of 140 horses, 112 cows, 235 working oxen, 

 heifers and steers, and 500 sheep ; he constantly 

 employed 2J0 bauds, and ke|)t .24 ploughs going 

 during the whole year, when the earth and the 

 state of the weather would permit. In 1786, he 

 slaughtered 150 bogs, weighing 18.560, for the 

 use of his family, besides provisions for his ne- 

 groes. — Silk Cult. 



THE CROPS. 



From the Oswego Palladium : 

 The Prospects, Sfc. — There is no one thing, 

 uovv-a-days, when we are continually jiearing of 

 'bard times,' 'distress,' 'no money,' etc., that 

 gives us niore gratification than to learn, by our 

 exchange pai)ers,and by those who have travelh'd 

 the country, that there is in |irospecl, a bountiful 

 harvest. From Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, 

 Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, the informa- 

 tion bears the same joyful imporl. Although in 

 the north western portion of this Slate, the grains 

 are backward, in consequence of the long con- 

 tinuance of the ice in Lake Erie, still the beauti- 

 ful weather of sunshine and warm siimvers which 

 lias been experienced the past three weeks, has 

 given their growth an impetus which wsirrants all 

 to anticipatean excellent crop the comingil'.«rvest. 

 Wheat, which was very b.ickwaril a month since, 

 has improved wonderfully. Corn and oats pro- 

 mise well. Fruit, in the above Slates from all ap- 

 pearance, will be ahumlant. Grass looks fine ; 

 and in fact every thing that is forward enough to 

 bear inspection, wears the same aspect. When it is 

 recollected that there is, probably, one third more 

 seed in the ground, than there ever was before, in 

 this country, and al>out the same increased pro|ior- 

 tion of land iindei cultiv.ition, these facts cannot 

 but be received willi tl:anktiilness and pleasure, 

 by the producer as well as the consumer. 



From the Vernon (Oneida co.) Courier : 

 The Crops. — 'I'he wheat crop is coming for- 

 ward rapiilly, and the recent warm weather has 

 produced a very gratifying change in the pros- 

 pects of the farmer. We regret to learn, however, 

 that the worm is doing some damage lo Indian 

 corn in this section ; but to what extent we are 

 not informed. 



From the Onondaga Standard : 

 The Crops. — The Prospect. — Within the past 

 two weeks, the face of nature has put on a more 

 smiling aspect, and promises abundant returns to 

 the cultivators of the soil. The change extends 

 over the whole country, fiom every part of which 

 we see lively iiopes expressed of a plentiful har- 

 vest. 



From the Norwich (Chenango co.) Journal : 

 The Prospect. — The season basso far been fine, 



and the prospects of an abundant season, have 

 seldom been more favorable. Men may, there- 

 fore, once more discard their long faces, and wrin- 

 kle them into a laugh. 



From the Watertown (Jefferson co.) Eagle and 

 Standard : 

 The Weather — Superb — vegetation going ahead 

 with the well combined power of the elements. 

 Sol's rays, rain and pour, and mild-skies nights, 

 have effected wonders. 



From the Chenango Telegraph : 

 The Weather, and the Crops.— The first is fine — 

 capital — never better than for the last 3 weeks ; 

 and the second look well and promising in this 

 region. 



From tiie Newburgh Telegraph: 

 The Season. — The late rains have given a de- 

 lightful start to vegetation. The view of old 

 lintchess from the village, has improved since 

 Monday last, one half at least. Mountain, bill, 

 and jilain, ' stand dressed in lively green.' Far- 

 mers tell us that their crops now look more pro- 

 mising. Some who were so unwis-e as to plough 

 up their winter wheat and rye, have had occa- 

 sion to regret it, on seeing portions which es- 

 caped the plough, start up after the rains, and 

 grow vigorously, and of line deep-green healthy 

 color. 



From the Pittsfield (Mass.) Sun : 

 The crops in this section of the country, if pre- 

 sent appearances are not deceitful, will be most 

 abundant, and afTonl the husbandman a liberal 

 return for his laborious industry. From almost 

 every portion of this wide-spread Union, the pa- 

 pers speak of the bright and cheering prospects of 

 the farmer, and the great crops which will pnb- 

 ably be garnered. If these expectations are not 

 blighted, what an immense amount will be added 

 to the wealth of the nation by the approaching 

 harvest. 



From the Columbia (Pa.) Spy : 



Cheering We had some conversation a few 



days ago with a respectable and intelligent far- 

 mer, residing near Bainhriilge in this county, from 

 which we have learned that he has ninety acres 

 of land ill whe;it, and that from the present flour- 

 ishing appearance of his fields he confidently an- 

 ticipates a full crop. We wish him success, and 

 that his anticipations may be realized. 



The Minsrs' Journal at Pottsville says: 

 We aie pleased to learn from almost every 

 [lart of the country, that the wheat fields are in a 

 very flourishing condition, and bid fair to. yield a 

 good crop. 



The Harrisburg Reporter of Friday says : 

 Every thing now wears a most delightful grow- 

 ing appearance. The grain fields which a short 

 time ago, looked like a barren waste, now promise 

 an abundant harvest, and will, most unquestiona- 

 bly, in this section of the country, at least, turn 

 out the usual yield. 



The Lancaster Journal of Friday says: 

 The late rains have greatly improved the crops, 

 and on the whole, vegetation of every kind looks 

 well. 



The Cincinnati Gazette of the 6th inst. says : 

 For a few weeks past, the weather in this vi- 

 cinity has been very favorable for the crops of all 

 descriptions. The prospect, not only here, but 



from all points is, that average amounts may be 

 justly looked for. 



The Easton (Md.) Gazette of Saturday says : 



Our farmers say there is now a fair prospegt 

 for a crop of wheal in this county. " 1 



The Fayetville (N. C.) Observer says: 



We are gratified to be able to state that thd 

 wheat crop is in general highly promising. 

 A Kingston (U. C.) paper of June 3, says : 



The weather, for some time past, has been very 

 pleasant, and favorable to the progress of vegeta- 

 tion. A gentleman from the country informs tig 

 that the wheat crops in the back townships, are 

 looking uncommonly well. 



We are informed that the crops on the liay ((f 

 Quinte, look healthy and prosperous, notwilh. 

 standing the unusual severity of the spring. la 

 Sydney, Thurlow and Rawdon, to our informant's 

 observation, they were as promising as the crops 

 of other years,^-and in those townships, they do 

 not complain of any entire failure of growth, such 

 as we hear of from other quarters. 



On the average, a more abundant harvest thaj 

 the last is anticipated. i-i 



fFroni the Maine Farmer.! p 



CULTURE OP WIKTER "WHEAT. 



Mr Holmes: — I see by your most useful pa- 

 per, that you have roused an enquiry in Maiiie, 

 to learn the truth — a fact, that yon can raise your 

 own wheat and grind it too — fully believing this, 

 and not having had the ]ileasure of seeing a piecB 

 oi' winter wheat in my travels in Maine, I suppose 

 none is raised there. 



Thatyou may makean experiment, I will brief- 

 ly inform you of the method I have pursued of 

 late years with success — both on upland, and Con. 

 necticut river intervale lands — lands on which, it 

 has been believed as orthodox, for many years, 

 that wheat could not be raised — that if you at- 

 tempted to raise it, would winter kill, blast, smut, 

 and be of little value. 



The course I pursue, to raise good winter 

 wheat, is lo tr.ke a piece of grass land, [ilougb it, 

 and cultivate with potatoes or corn the first year, 

 and manure in the hill. After the crop is gati er- 

 eil, if corn, sfilit the hills with a plough and let it 

 lie through the winter. In the spriiig harrow.— 

 Cart on 15 loads raw, or unferiiiented manure, 

 from the stable, stye and barn yard, (mixed) and 

 plough it in, and set the land with tobacco plants, 

 (Any other hoed crop, perhaps, may answer as 

 well, provided you can get your lands cleared and 

 ready to plough by 10th to 20ih Sejft.) The next 

 day after the tobacco is taken from the ground, 

 plough, and sow two bushels early yellow Virgin' 

 ia bearded wheat to the acrfr, and harrow an 

 cross-harrow it well, — then sow four qts. Herds 

 or Timothy grass seed to the acre, and bush with 

 a fine light bush, (you may make it of white bir- 

 ches.) In November, spread 5 loads fine well rot- 

 ted manure evenly on each acre. In the spring, 

 say April, sow on 2 qts. more of herds grass, and 

 2 qts. red, and 2 qts. white clover seed, and a half 

 bushel Red top seed, and two bushels of Plaster 

 of Paris, mixed with ten bushels of ashes to the 

 acre. 



Prepare and have ready for sowing, the seed 

 wheat as soon as the land is ploughed, by steep, 

 ing in a fertilizing steep 24 hours — this steep made 

 with the draining of the barn yard, urine, salt aiiAi 



