Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-04-08

his syste m---Mr. Sordswotd's teDentry---Ayer
sion to granting leases---Agricultural horses---A
merican plough Laborer's--Genesee flals---Pric
of land--Mililia General.
MAY, lS4l.
IARRrvEp at Genesee about nine o'clock il
the evening Of tho Goth, having found The coun
try as l came along, continuation OF the en-
chanting scenery / had previously Passe'
through.
Next morning | called on Mr.. Wordsworth
one of the largest if not the most extensive
| landowner in the State of New ork, to WHOM
| | had brought letter Of Introduction. HI
lives in fine house exactly resembling tina
fan English squire, pictulesquely situated OF
rising ground, and commanding views SINH
lar in character and not surpassed In beauty BY
prospects from Richmond Hill or Windsor
Castle. His family consists of TWO sons ant
daughter, one of the former married and resi-
ding about mile off; the other son and The
young lady living with their father.
When called the family were from home
but in few hours Colonel Wordsworth, the
younger son, visited me, in most open and
kind manner pressingly invited me 10 take up
my residence at his fathers house, an invita-
ton which | accepted.
found the elder Mr.. Wordsworth the very
beau ideal of fine old English gentleman;
tall and graceful in person, and manners cour-
teous, affable, and hospiiable. 10 all the young
ladies of the States, to whom il had hitherto
been my good fortune to be introduced, | had
remarked an amiable complaisance, which |
regret TO say stranger rarely meets with on
a first introduction 10 my fair countrywomen,
who 10 their reception Of strangers, are from
a1n bah To false and
repulsive dignity; while an American lady on a
similar occasion displays, with high polish, a
irankness and cordiait'y eS"e.neiy ereaifal 10
ones feelings, and leading him at once TO fan
cy himself among old friends. Suoh, on my
introduction 10 Miss Wordsworth, were the
qualities found her in an emlnent degree to
possess. and with them uniting great beauty and
accomplishments.
Mr.. Wordsworih's property comprises about
forty miles Of country, the richness and pic
,uresque appearance Of which IL is impossible
in adequate terms TO describe. Of this prop.
erly Colonel Wordsworth occupies lG00 acres,
1000 of which, in the Genesee flats. are alu-
vial meadow land equal 10 any in the wales OF
Aylesbury and Buckingham. This portion OF
land he keeps in old pasture, laid out IN divis-
! ions of from 60 TO 100 acres each. The re-
mainder of The farm is upland and under TO-
ta,ion of crops, affording the first specimen OF
anything approaching 10 systematic husbandry
! had seen since entered the States.
| His stock comprehsnds 400 cattle, steers,
I heifers and bulls. and about 1000 sheep OF the
Merino breed, and could not but regret seeing
| land so valuable covered with stock OF so lnte-
rior description.
| The red breed of cattle which had seen all
over the State of New York, Colonel Words
worth informs ME are considered 10 be Devons.
| If so they are much degenera,ed, being OF d.
minuiive size, coarse and evidently bad feeders,
averaging not more than from 25 TO 80 stones.
Colonel Wordsw crth's young stock are
partly bred by himself, or brought IN at one
year old for about 25,, head; they seemed
starved and stunied in their growth, all rs
miserable in appearance as The worst stock in
the bleak sides of our Grampian hills, and yet
where depasiuring land of quality equal io
wha, with Us in Scotland might bring rent
of 45 per acre.
| He has two or three Durham bulls fol- cross
ing. but they are SO low 10 condition and SO
/ disfigured- as if sca!ded With hot
water---that il is impossible TO judge OF Their
properties. He also crosses with hali-bred
/ bulls. and the consequence is heterogeneous
mixture which il would puzzel Wetherell TO
analye.
/ His system is to sell bis cattle in the fall,
when they are three or four years old, al the
New York market distant 300 miles, where
they fetch price equal TO SO to 4.l0 a
head.
! He raises no green crops, with the exception
of few acres Of potatoes and mangrel wDr-
eel. Tnrnips he says cannot be raised with
them. being all cut of with the fly; but
! TO the cultivation of that root could discover
here no physical impediment which might
not be overcome By skilIful management.
He mows annually about 500 acres Of his
meadow land, and the hay made from it is the
sole dependence of his stock throughout the
winter. But his farm buildings are not at all
adequate TO The requirements OF such farm,
and his stock in winter is fodcring in the open
fields, where the animals must well nigh siarve,
their being neither hedge nor shelter Of any
kind 10 mitigate the severity of the cold. This
practice, in which the Colonel is no; singular,
but on The contrary is very general one. may
well accoun, for their miserable appearance,
ss il is not easy otherwise TO explain why cat.
tie fed on good meadow hay, should at the
end Of winter be found in such a condition: and
this too happens in country where timber
is drug, and novels might be ron up in every
direction at liiIle expense.
His flock as mentioned are all MeTiuoes,
or so styled, and their value consists chief
iIy in their wool, lille account being had Of
ihs carcass which at three or four years old
brings only from S.. los. The weight Of
fleece is , lbs. which sells al Is. Of or money
perpound. each sheep thus yielding for wool
l7s. per snnnm.
Colonel Wordsworth ha, also dairy 81