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THE TRAVELLER. — NO. 3. 
THE TRAVELLER.— No. 3. 
Leaving Wilmington, Deleware, in a southerly 
direction, we cross Christiana Creek, which is 
navigable for vessels of goodly size, some of 
which I noticed unloading lime here, and at the 
villages of Newport and Christiana, above, as 
within a few years the use of this great improver 
of the soil has become of vast importance to 
this state. The flats along this stream are 
broad, partially-reclaimed marshes, and es- 
teemed very valuable. The face of the country, 
south of the creek, exhibits no rocks and hills 
of any magnitude, most of the land on the 
whole peninsula being less than 100 feet eleva- 
tion above tide water, and much of it not a 
fourth of that. The largest part of the soil is 
sandy loam, originally fertile, easily cultivated, 
and easily worn out, which has been done in 
numerous instances most effectually, until some 
of the old proprietors, unable to live longer upon 
" the skinning system," have given place to men 
of more enlightened minds; and now it may be 
said with truth that no county in the United 
States can show a larger proportion of good 
farms, nor a better and more improving system 
of agriculture, nor a more enlightened commu- 
nity than New-Castle county. 
Hedges. — There is probably more land fenced 
with hedges, principally of New-Castle thorn, 
in this county, than any other in the United 
States. If kept well trimmed, at a great ex- 
pense of labor, it certainly makes a very hand- 
some fence, and against cattle and sheep, is 
somewhat of a barrier. That is to say, if your 
stock is in a good clover field, such as abound 
there in great luxuriance, they will not go 
through the hedge unless they are a very mis- 
chievous breed. Major John Jones, a very 
shrewd farmer, says that " hedge is a good fence 
with five rails and posts upon one side, and five 
boards and posts, or a good ditch on the other, 
to keep the hogs and cattle off", until it gets 
grown, say five or six years, as browsing spoils 
the young plants. After that, you may take 
away the fence on the field side, if you are 
careful never to turn any stock into the field." 
To this extravagant notion of Major Jones must 
every impartial observer come at last ; for if 
the thorns are neglected a few years, they grow 
into a row of trees absolutely worthless, as a 
fence, and even with most careful trimming, they 
die and form gaps or thin spots, through which 
cattle push their way whenever they desire. As 
a fence against swine, nobody pretends it is good 
for anything. 
Devon Cattle. — One of the handsomest herds 
of this valuable breed of cattle in Delaware, or 
perhaps south of New York, is owned by Mr. 
C. P. Holcomb, whose farm is near New Castle, 
and is well worthy a visit from any one curious 
to see how much science and intelligence has 
the advantage over mere bodily strength in the 
renovation of a worn-out soil. Mr. H. retired a 
few years ago, on account of bad health, from 
the Philadelphia bar, and purchased this farm, 
which long years of constant cropping and shal- 
low plowing had so impoverished, that such a 
herd of cattle as now fatten upon these rich 
pastures, would then have starved to death. 
The principal source of fertility and improve- 
ment has been sought after in the soil, a few 
inches below where the former occupant had 
never looked. To this has been added lime, 
which has given the most luxuriant return of 
wheat, clover, Timothy, and Indian corn, until 
now, a stranger who views the crops, stock, 
barns, and general condition of the place, can 
hardly comprehend that a few years ago, it 
was barely able to support a few scrub cattle 
and feed the laborers that were striving to glean 
a scanty support from the old impoverished 
fields. 
Major Holcomb gives the average of his cows 
during summer, at 16 quarts of milk a-day, and 
that averages one pound of butter. One cow 
averaged 22 quarts, which made two pounds of 
butter a-day for some weeks ; but this indicates 
an unusual richness of milk, as well as large 
quantity. The common estimate of quantity of 
milk required upon a general average, among 
cows, to make a pound of butter, is 15 quarts; 
but I am of opinion that 18 quarts would be 
nearer the truth. Major H. estimates his cows 
to average 5 quarts a-day through the year, 
which will give 114 pounds of butter per annum 
to the cow, although that is below the average 
of some herds. I believe it is much above the 
general average of the United States. 
Major H. has some working oxen so large and 
handsome that they might be exhibited in some 
places further south, as natural curiosities ; and 
in comparison with the " piney-woods oxen," of 
North Carolina and some other states I could 
name, they would pass for a newly-discovered 
breed of horned elephants. He sells all his 
choice male calves for breeders, at moderate 
prices, and is thus disseminating the good qual- 
ities of this stock, and greatly benefitting his 
agricultural brethren, at the same time he is 
reaping his reward in a fair profit upon invest- 
ments and liberal expenditures in improve- 
ments of stock, crops, and soil. 
Major Holcomb raised 500 bushels of potatoes, 
upon two acres of clayey-loam soil, well ma- 
nured and deep plowed; but does not consider 
it as an extraordinary crop, nor more than may 
be made upon any suitable soil, by a judicious 
system of cultivation. One man in the county 
made 500 bushels upon one acre. He dropped 
them in every furrow, one foot apart, and then 
covered the ground about a foot deep with straw. 
The manner of carrying on farming, adopted 
by Major Holcomb, obviates a common objec- 
tion of city gentlemen against engaging in the 
business, on account of the inconvenience of 
having farm laborers around the mansion house. 
He hires a farmer and wife, who reside at the 
farm house, taking charge of the dairy and pro- 
viding for all the laborers, without any other 
trouble^ to the proprietor than the general super- 
intendance, which he gives the whole business. 
If it should be objected that this will consume 
all the profits, I will undertake to prove to the 
contrary by an exhibit that will show a very 
handsome per centage gained upon the capital 
invested. 
