LONG ISLAND FARMING. 
279 
of Connecticut, in full view, dotted with villages 
and farm houses, and almost at our feet, we have 
the Sound with its bright waves sparkling in the 
sun-beams, and whitened by sails of the innumera¬ 
ble craft that plow its waters. Casting the eye to 
the southward, over Centre Island, we see the 
pleasant village of Syosset (formerly Oyster Bay), 
with its white houses, peering out amidst green 
trees and verdant fields, contrasting beautifully with 
the high and densely-wooded hills, which rise di¬ 
rectly behind it. Turning the eye still more to the 
south we see Cold Spring Bay, a beautiful sheet of 
water, and catch a glimpse of a little village, bear¬ 
ing the same name, lying snugly ensconced among 
the green hills by which it is surrounded. 
Lloyd’s Neck is divided into four farms, the soil 
of which varies from a strong loam to a bright sand. 
It is heaviest at the west end of the Neck, and as 
you proceed to the eastward it becomes lighter; but 
the principal portion of that cultivated, is a rich, 
dark, sandy loam, with far less gravel in it than 
any land on the main island. The soil is naturally 
rich and fertile, which is evident from the rapid 
growth of timber it contains. It is estimated that a 
thousand cords of wood have been sold a year from 
it since the revolutionary war, when it was entirely 
stripped of its trees by the British army. The 
amount of woodland does not exceed 4,890 acres. 
The most westerly farm is the largest, and is 
generally thought to be the best. It contains about 
1,200 acres, 500 of which are under cultivation. 
It was very highly*improved under the excellent 
management of its late owner, J. N. Lloyd, Esq., 
since whose death it has been cultivated by Mr. 
Brewster Conklin. The rotation of crops pursued 
by him, is the same as that practised on Long Island 
generally, which may be described as follows :— 
1 . Indian Corn .—This is generally raised by 
plowing up sod-land in the spring, harrowing down 
smoothly, and then checking it off into hills four 
feet apart by means of a heavy sled, drawn by two 
horses. The manure is fine, well rotted, and is put 
into the hills. As soon as the corn is up, so that 
the rows can be well seen, the plows are started, 
throwing the dirt from the corn, and running as 
deep as they can be made to go with a good 
strong horse. The plowings are repeated three or 
four times previous to the commencement of hay¬ 
time, throwing the earth at each time towards the 
corn. The number of acres cultivated per annum 
varies from fifty-five to sixty, each of which yields 
fifty or sixty bushels. The stalks are usually 
topped and the corn husked from the hills. 
2 . Oats .—These are sowed without anjr manure 
and yield about thirty-five to forty bushels per acre. 
3 . Wheat.— As soon as the oat-crop is taken off, 
the land is plowed, carefully turning under the 
stubble, and manured at the rate of twenty or thirty 
loads to the acre. Barn-yard manure is applied as 
far as it will go, and the deficit is made up by sta¬ 
ble-manure from the city of New York. Leached 
ashes are sometimes used; but when applied too 
often they cease to benefit the land as they formerly 
did. (a) Timothy-seed is sown with the wheat in 
the fall, and clover in the spring. The average 
yield of the wheat is about twenty bushels to the 
acre. 
4 . Grass and Hay .—The land is kept in Timothy ‘ 
and clover, being mowed or pastured three or four 
years, and then planted again w r ith Indian com. 
The cattle and sheep on this, as well as on the 
other farms of the Neck, are only common breeds 
of the country, but they are kept in fine condition, 
with good pasture in summer, and ample food and 
shelter in winter. 
The next farm east, is not quite so large, and the 
soil is rather more light. It has been rented and 
cultivated about thirty years, by Mr. Conklin 
Gould, having been much improved under his man¬ 
agement. His system of cultivation is nearly the 
same as that of Mr. Conklin; but his grain-crops 
are not quite so heavy. 
The next farm in order, towards the east, is 
much smaller, containing about 200 acres, a little 
more than half of which is under cultivation, be¬ 
longs to Dr. A. H. Stevens, of New York, and is 
cultivated by Mr. James Yelson. The soil is simi¬ 
lar in quality to the eastern part of Mr. Gould’s 
farm, to which it joins. The system of cropping is 
the same as that of the other two farms. It has 
been highly improved by the purchase of large 
quantities of ashes and stable-manure, and probably 
yields fully equal to either of the others. 
The easternmost farm of all is owned and culti¬ 
vated by Mr. Samuel Denton, and contains 800 
acres, about 200 of which, are under cultivation. 
Its soil is lighter than that of the other farms, and 
was formerly considered very poor; but, from the 
free use of ashes and New York stable-manure, 
with the. good management of Mr. Denton, it has 
been rendered quite productive, though not equal to 
the other farms. 
To each of the above farms there is attached a 
quantity of salt-marsh, from which considerable 
quantities of salt hay and s'edge are annually mowed, 
that answer the double purpose of salt and food 
for the stock. Some sea-weed is also obtained 
from the shores, w T hich makes excellent litter for 
the cattle and hogs, and helps to swell the manure- 
heap. 
Mr. Gould keeps a seine and catches a considera¬ 
ble quantity of fish, which make most excellent 
manure. They are frequently applied by plowing 
in, to the growing corn ; and no finer turnips can 
be raised than by plowing under in the month of 
June, a coat of fish just from the water, and letting 
them lie and decompose until the time of sowing 
the seed. Many fanners, who use fish for manure, 
think they have a tendency to produce sorrel; but 
of this I am not certain. 
Lloyd’s Neck has long been considered as the 
place of model farming, and to approve and prac¬ 
tise the farming of “ Lloyd's Neck ” has long been 
considered as good authority enough for pursuing 
any system or the treatment of any crop ; but some 
of our neighbors of the Neck are disputing the 
palm with them, and deservedly so, if they have 
not so good a soil. In another communication I 
intend to say something on this point. 
G. P. Lewis. 
Huntington , June 29th, 1847. 
(a) Our readers will bear in mind that quick-lime 
or wood-ashes constantly applied to land will de¬ 
prive it of its humus or vegetable matter and render 
it improductive, unless it be annually supplied with 
muck, barn-yard, or street manure. 
