248 THE CULTIVATOR. August 
GERMAN EBENEZER SOCIETY. 
A community of Germans, about six miles east of 
Buffalo, incorporated by the Legislature under the 
above name, having about four years since, purchased 
8,000 acres of wild land in one body, embracing a num¬ 
ber of water privileges, have made such improvements 
in agriculture and other matters, that I have thought a 
short sketch of them might not be uninteresting to the 
readers of the Cultivator. They have been known in 
Germany for one hundred and fifty years by the name 
of Separatists; and having sold out their interest and 
dissolved their community there, they have removed 
here to the number of 800 souls, and are expecting 
large additions from Germany during the present sea¬ 
son. They have already built up three compact villa¬ 
ges a mile or two apart, numbering about 100 large 
and commodious dwelling houses, some 30 or 40 barns, 
from 80 to 200 feet long, 4 saw mills, 1 flouring mill, 
1 oil mill, 1 large woolen factory, a calico-printing es¬ 
tablishment, a tannery, a large variety of mechanics’ 
shops, school houses, &c., &c.; and have large herds of 
horses, cattle and swine, and over 2,000 sheep. Their 
property is all held in common, somewhat like that of 
the Fourierites, or Shakers at New-Lebanon, but in 
many respects radically different from those communi¬ 
ties. They have invested money in various ways on their 
lands, and in this vicinity, to the amount of more than 
$1,000,000. Many individuals put into the common 
stock from $3,000, to $15,000 each; one put in $60,- 
000, and one $100,000. If they ever leave the com¬ 
munity, which they are permitted to do at any time if 
they choose, they can draw back the sum they put in, 
without interest. No one has yet left them from dis¬ 
satisfaction with their system. By mutual agreement, 
they can dissolve at any future time and divide the profits. 
They marry and are given in marriage, and each fami¬ 
ly lives separate, except that they, in most cases, eat 
some six or ten families together at a common table. 
The whole community is under the direction and superin¬ 
tendence of a set of trustees or elders, chosen annually 
by themselves, who buy and sell and manage every thing 
as they think will be best for the whole; and as they have 
all kinds of mechanics among themselves, they have little 
occasion to go abroad for help. All the children are kept 
at’school under competent teachers, and the older ones 
are instructed in the higher branches, and also in the 
English language. Besides being well supplied with 
books in their families, they all have free access to a 
large public library. 
Religion seems to be the governing and inspiring 
element in this community; each day’s labor is prece¬ 
ded by a season of devotional exercises in their several 
families, and after the close of labor at night, they as¬ 
semble by neighborhoods, and spend an hour in prayer 
and praise. The afternoon of Wednesday and Satur¬ 
day is devoted to religious improvement. The sabbath 
is strictly observed by an omission of all secular busi¬ 
ness, and by various religious exercises, both in their 
families and public assemblies. Thus far all has been 
characterized by perfect harmony and peace. 
In visiting this community, a stranger will not fail 
to be struck with the neatness, order, and perfection, 
with which all their farm operations are carried on; 
and the astonishing improvements they have made in 
so short a time,—mostly within three years; — for, 
besides the buildings they have erected, they have 
cleared between 3,000 and 4,000 acres of land, from 
which nearly every stump is thoroughly eradicated, 
planted about 25,000 fruit trees, and made many miles 
of durable fences. Their gardens, yards, and fields, 
display refined taste and the highest state of cultiva¬ 
tion; and from present appearances, they are destined 
to become immensely rich. In eating, they act on the 
principle, that to eat little and often, is better than 
overloading the stomach at long intervals. And they 
accordingly eat uniformly five times each day: viz, at 
5| A. M.,—9 ,—llij 3 P. M., and 7. All of a suita¬ 
ble age, both male and female, are required to labor 
at such business, as*either their taste, genius, or habits 
may require. And whenever from any cause, such as a 
change of weather, or the sudden ripening of a crop, 
an extra number of hands are needed, they can bring 
50 or a hundred into a field at once, with any required 
number of teams, and thus enjoy great advantages in 
cultivating and securing their crops. By a rather mi¬ 
nute division of labor, each man or set of men is re¬ 
quired to do one thing, and order and system are every 
where manifest, and nothing wasted. In a high sense, 
a place is provided for every thing, and every thing 
found in its place. In portions of machinery for their 
factory and mills, and in agricultural implements, they 
are cautious in adopting our more recent improvements, 
preferring to use those they brought with them from 
Germany. Still their cloth and other manufactured ar¬ 
ticles are made in the best manner, and their farm 
operations crowned with the highest success. 
Separate barns, spacious and well ventilated, are 
provided for horses, oxen, cows, yearlings, calves, and 
sheep, so that they are all sheltered in the most com¬ 
fortable manner through the winter, and the apart¬ 
ments for the sheep are thoroughly whitewashed four 
or five times a year. Thus they promote health and 
increase the weight and fineness of the fleece. The 
sheep are divided into parcels, and each is under the 
constant attendance of a shepherd and his dog during 
the day, in summer, and driven up every night and hur¬ 
dled; and the land thus manured by them during the 
night, is at the proper time sown to turneps. The cat¬ 
tle are also kept in separate classes, and each is under 
the constant attendance every day of its herdsman, and 
driven up to their yards at night. And then look at 
their series of barns, say 150 by 40 feet, standing in a 
line eight or ten rods apart, and the whole lower part 
fitted up exclusively, one for horses, another for oxen, 
another for cows, another for young cattle, another for 
calves, and another for sheep; another series standing 
in another line and filled, some with hay, others with 
wheat, others with oats, corn, barley, &e.; and then 
other ranges of buildings, enclosing hundreds of swine; 
and others still, to accommodate all the poultry belong¬ 
ing to the community. 
Every stable for horses and cattle, has trenehes to 
carry off all the liquid manure into tanks, to be thence 
conveyed to the growing crops of the farm; and indeed 
in all their barns and yards, the utmost attention is 
paid to making and preserving manure, and their lux¬ 
uriant crops bear ample testimony to its importance, 
and the skill with which it is applied. Even the priv¬ 
ies at their houses have their vaults extended some three 
feet back, and covered by a lid hung on hinges; and 
the night soil removed by long-handled dippers provi¬ 
ded for the purpose, is used most plentifully on their 
gardens. And such splendid heads of brittle lettuce, 
such cucumbers, cabbages, beans, peas and corn, as 
