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KEW ENGLAND FARINIER. 



March 



my barn, affordinjj sufficient room to stable 

 twenty-five head of cattle. Through the cen- 

 tre is an alley four feet in width and four 

 inches below the rest, of the floor, — the floor 

 of the whole being water tight. On each side 

 of this alley are the stalls just deep enough 

 for the cattle to stand upon and let the drop- 

 pings fall in the alley. In front of the^e 

 stalls are alleys for passage and feeding. In 

 one end of this basement is a room ten feet 

 wide and as long as the width of tbe barn, viz, 

 36 feet, so arranged as to be tilled from the 

 above. This is the store room for the muck. 

 In the opposite end is a cellar for the manure 

 about three feet lower than the stable floor. 

 I'he cows are put in at night and fed there 

 then, and the next morning, after which they 

 are let into the yard, when pleasant. Before 

 putting up the cows I take a handcart and 

 cover the alley between the two rows of cows 

 about two inches deep with the dry muck 

 from the cellar, and in the morning this and 

 the droppings are all taken up together and 

 drawn to the manure cellar and dumped in. 

 1 also cover the yard from three to five inches 

 deep every fail ; also put it in the hog pen, hen 

 house, and keep a large pile of at the back of 

 the house to receive the slops, wash water, &c. 



Before I commenced using muck I made 

 from seventy-five to one hundred loads of ma- 

 nure. Now with the same stock I make from 

 four to five hundred loads yearly, and raise 

 about five times as much grain and hay from 

 the same land. 



Do you v/onder that I have muck on the 

 biain? In the course of my experience I 

 have come to the conclusion that on any land 

 that is dry enough not to need underdraining 

 muck applied in any shape is equally as good 

 as barnj ard manure, although when applied 

 clear its eflPect is not as quick as that of ma- 

 nure, but is more lasting. When composted 

 after my plan, I think it is better than clear 

 manure, as it is not quite so stimulating, but 

 more lasting in its effect, producing rather 

 less straw but more and heavier grain. I 

 have made some experiments the past season 

 with muck prepared in difierent ways, the 

 results of which were quite interesting to me, 

 but as vour readers may not have the malady 

 ascribed to m\ self, it might not interest them, 

 so I will omit it tbis time. u. 



Oak Hitl, N. Y., Jan., 1870. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 ARE FAKKLBSS' CLUBS PBOPITABLB? 

 The subject for discussion at a late meeting 

 of the Springfield, Vt., Farmers' Club was a 

 resolution "that it is not profitable to continue 

 the Farmers' Club." C. Horace Hubbard, 

 Esq., was appointed to open the discussion in 

 the affiimative. Though one of the most ac- 

 tive members of the Club, he urged several in- 

 genious objections to its meetings which were 

 well calculated to open the case. He spoke oi 



the distance members had to travel, of late 

 hours, danger of eating too many apples, &c. 



Mr. J. R. Walker regarded it as desirable 

 for farmers to understand their business as it 

 is for men in other pursuits. And where can 

 we better learn the best methods of cultivat- 

 ing and marketing our crops than at the "Far- 

 mers' Club?" Here we spend a little time 

 statedly in social, informal conversation, where 

 any question may be asked and answered with- 

 out restraint. In addition to the information 

 thus gained, our social natures are improved, 

 which, alone, is worth all that the Club costs us. 



At the time this Club was formed, Oct. 20, 

 1862, there was no organization of the kind 

 in the State. It was an experiment, an inno- 

 vation ; and but little interest was shown in it, 

 except by the few who organized it. They 

 pledged themselves to sustain its meetings and 

 respond to the appointments of the President. 

 Meetings have been held once in two weeks 

 during the winter months, where the most im- 

 portant questions of agriculture and horticul- 

 ture have been thoroughly discussed. Essays 

 of much merit have been read. Some of these 

 have been fine specimens of literature, and have 

 received much public commendation. We have 

 had lectures by Rev. J. W. Chickering, Rev. 

 Asa Mann, H. H. Merriam, Esq., Hon. John 

 Gregory, L. T. Tucker and Dr. Boynton. 

 And yet the question is raised, "Does the 

 Club pay ?" 



1 have attended its meetings pretty con- 

 stantly since its formation, and never, without 

 returning to my home feeling that I was a wiser 

 and a better man. 



Mr. H. M. Arms spoke at length, in favor of 

 continuing the Club, citing several instances 

 where great improvements in stock,* and farm 

 management had been made, which were clearly 

 traceable to the influence of the Club. He 

 thought farmers, as a class, were more re- 

 spected now than formerly. Improving their 

 minds and posting themselves in their profes- 

 sion gave them self-respect, and they were re- 

 spected by others. The mental culture de- 

 rived from a continued application of the mind 

 to any question was elevating and profitable. 

 He said he was but a boy when the Club was 

 formed, had attended most of its meetings, and 

 felt amply repaid for so doing. 



Mr. J. B. Whipple believed the Club had 

 been the means of doing a vast amount of 

 good ; that through its discussions the far- 

 mers had been stimulated to improve their 

 stock, whereby thousands of dollars had been 

 put in the pockets of stock raisers. It was no 

 longer a question whether herdsgrass or timo- 

 thy should be cut in its early blossom, or when 

 the seed is ripe. 



Mr. John Hall spoke briefly of the improved 

 appearance of our stock as compared with it 

 ten years ago, and believed it profitable to 

 continue the meetings of the Club. News. 



Springfield, Vt., Jan. 11, 1870. 



