1867. 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



321 



For the New England Farmer. 

 FAKM OF EBENEZER EICHAEDSON". 



Having been very much pleased by what I 

 saw and heard during a late visit to the town 

 of Pepperell, and especially to the I'arm of 

 Ebenezer Richardson, I think the readers of 

 the Farmer will thank me for a brief notice 

 of this town, of this farm, and of this farmer. 



Pepperell is naturally one of the most beau- 

 tiful towns in Middlesex county, Mass. It is 

 situated on the Nashua river, and on the 

 Wocester and Nashua railroad, thirty-seven 

 miles north-west of Boston. The surface 

 consists of large swells, and the soil is good. 

 Among its beautiful estates ai'e those of the 

 Historian Prescott, now occupied by his son, 

 Mr. Farrar, Mr. Griffin, Mr. Belcher, Mr. 

 George T. Bancroft, and others. 



But as an illustration of practical and prof- 

 itable fanning, — of what may be done with 

 our "worn out" New England farms by young 

 men with no other means than health, industry, 

 and an agricultural education — I propose to 

 confine my remarks at this time to the farm of 

 Mr. Ebenezer Richardson, which consists of 

 some 200 acres, and which he purchased 

 about forty years ago. 



It was previousljr owned by Mr. David 

 Shedd, who kept for a time about 40 head of 

 cattle. After his death the farm was occupied 

 by his widow, one son and two grandsons, and 

 by poor management was run down so low as 

 barely to yield enough to keep three cows, one 

 yoke of oxen and a horse. Among the causes 

 of the decline in the farming interests of this 

 town was the introduction of the coopering bu- 

 siness, which stripped the town of its best timber 

 and engaged the attention of its most active citi- 

 zens, especially of its young men, who seemed 

 to prefer this business to out-door work. 

 As this fever subsided, instead of turning their 

 attention to agriculture the young men were 

 disposed to seek their fortune in manufactur- 

 ing, trade, &c. Mr. Richardson, however, 

 preferred farming, and for fifteen years worked 

 on the farm about eighj:. months a year ; going 

 to school or teaching during the winter months, 

 but never receiving, in either capacity, over 

 thirteen dollars per month. 



Mr. Richardson purchased the place subject 

 to the encumbrance of the "widow's thirds," 

 four years before he occupied the house, 

 though he cut the hay and managed the farm 

 with a view to its future improvement, so far 

 as he could while working out most of these 

 four years. On coming into full possession 

 he began with four cow's and one pair of 

 oxen, in addition to the six head previously 

 kept by the widow. 



For the purpose of increasing his manure 

 heap, he kept a good number of swine, and 

 increased his stock of cattle as far as he could, 

 until he was able to keep forty head, — the 

 largest number he has ever owned — usually 



keeping about thirty, with from eight to twen- 

 ty-eight swine. 



He has tried the Durham, Dutch, Jersey 

 and native, and gives the preference to the 

 Durhams and their grades with the native 

 stock. He has always raised his own cows ; 

 believing this the cheapest way of securing 

 those of superior quality for his purpose, which 

 is mainly butter making. 



A peat meadow of about 24 acres has been 

 thoroughly reclaimed. Originally it was so 

 soft that a man would be lucky to cross it and 

 not sink up to his waist. The grass was 

 "cotton top," interspersed with flags, such 

 as are used in coopering, and some cranberry 

 vines. The quality of the mud was such that 

 if a load of gravel was carted on in the winter, 

 herdsgrass would spring up the next year, 

 wherever it was spread. On draining this 

 swamp it settled three feet. Twelve acres of 

 it have grown up to wood ; before it was drain- 

 ed the pines would grow to the height of a 

 man's shoulder, and then fall down. Twelve 

 acres have been cultivated, and year before 

 last a portion of this produced corn at the rate 

 of about 75 bushels to the acre. In the 

 process of reclaiming this meadow there were 

 on three or four acres about 40 cords to the 

 acre of ash, pine and maple logs dug out, — 

 some of which measured 2 ft. in diameter. 

 The hard wood logs were much decayed. 

 The roots, stumps and logs at the surface 

 were completely rotten. At the depth of four 

 feet the peat is red and hard. Among the 

 curiosities found were perfect leaves of birch, 

 ash and cranberry vines, and one perfect 

 cranberry h-is been preserved that was found 

 four feet fi om the surface. 



The hay annually cut on this farm is about 

 70 tons and all of good quality, none being 

 poor meadow. 



There are two and a half acres of peach 

 trees in one orchard, five years old ; all of 

 which are now in fine condition, and promise 

 to bear abundantly. There are also six acres 

 more set among apple trees in another orch^ 

 ard. All the peach trees on this farm are 

 seedlings, — being a large yellow rare ripe, 

 called the Pepperell peach. Nearly all the 

 apple trees of the seveial fine orchards on the 

 farm were raised from the seed by Mr. Rich- 

 ardson. There are cherries, pears and other 

 small fruits and grapes. 



The buildings on this farm are now com- 

 fortable and convenient, and have been built 

 and refitted by Mr. Richardson at an expense 

 equal to the original purchase money of the 

 farm. He has three barns — 56 by 40, 40 by 28, 

 40 by 30 — a corn barn, apple house, and cart 

 house, with cellars under all. 



A State premium of $100 ; a first county 

 premium of $25, and a second of $20, by the 

 Middlesex Agricultural Society, have been 

 awarded to Mr, Richardson ; besides a first 

 premium of $25 on Reclaimed Peat Meadows, 



