Litchfield enquirer., 1845-10-16
[COntinued from OsGr Iast.l
ON FARMS.


 of Watertown, lying about mile and quarter west of the center of the town, containing one hundred acres, separated by road running east and west having about seventy acres on the north, and thirty OH the south side, with an additional wood lot of few acres, lying at little distance from the main farm.
 Our visit was made on the 16th of September when the land was suffering from drought of nn- parallelled continuance and severity, which gave to the fields appearance of barTenness never be- fore witnessed in this section of the country, and which, it is believed, has deterred some from cul- tivatIng their farms, who would have entered, had their grounds been clothed with their usual green ness and fertility.
 It is; gratifying, that under such circumstances, and in such season, one among the many excel lent farmers in our county. has the assurance to bring his farm before your Society, and at the same time, 1t is to be regretted that others do not manifest their confidence in the same way, trust ing to your discretion and candor, to view things in their true aspect.
 MT. Hickox purchased and went into possession of the seventy acres lying north of the highway, seventeen years since; and his improvements were then commenced, and have been continued to the present time. This piece of land lies upon beautifully rounded hill, having gentle slope to the east, west and north, while to the south the descent is more rapid. .-
 At the southern base of the hill, and within twenty rods of his dwelling, is small but never failing stream of water His moving grounds, consisting of about twenty-five acres, are on this southern slope, and small interval along the stream, though but small portion lies permanent ly to meadow, most of it being occasionally culti- vated with the blow. The product the past sea- son has been about twenty five tons, or one ton to the acre-about half the usual yield. There are this side hill, several marshy places where wa- ter springs out in small quantities, sufficient how ever, to saturate the grounds below these are cut off, and carried away by underdrain in various in al to ftU roJ, length. The thirty acres on the south side were purchased eight years since, and here he has built his principal barn, and laid out, and fenced his grounds for garden, and for new dwelling house, which would have been erected, but for the remo- val by dea h. of an important member of his family | There has been harvested the past season, about four acres of rye, yielding one hundred shocks which will give, probably, bushel to the shock or twenty five bushels to the acre-ive acres of oats-twenty to twenty-five bushels to the acre. There four acres of corn, and one acre of po- ta,oes, not then harvested, which have evidently suffered much from drought.
 The orchard gives annual average yield of about one hundred bushels of choice winter fruit There are twelve peach trees in bearing, and about one hundred more coming on.
 The stock upon the farm consists of one horse- a yoke of oxen, three cows, and five smaller cat tle--in all ten neat catte-with one hundred and, thirteen sheep, and four fattening swine. There are three barns well built and in good repair of eight, four, and three years stantng-o one of good size with threshing floor, stables, &c with cow. houses and stables adjoining-the others s,nallers on the hill side, with southern exposure, ard uH- derground apartments for sheltering and feeding sheep.
 No extra efforts have been made to increase the- quantity or quality of manures That which ac- cumulates from the stables, the barn yard and rig stye, has been applied to he blowing and now. ing grounds, Tn proportions varying with the diff. ferent seasons; together with about one ard lalf tons of plaster per annum.
 But the principal improvements consist in strait enIng fences, and arranging in order the fields. clearing up hedge rows, digging and removing rocks and stones and laying them in lines of good and substantial wall about fifty rods of which, have been made yearly, chiefly by his and his sons labor; thus giving to fields which had a rough and iorbiddng aspect, an appearance of neatness and beauty.
 The farm has been the past year, and probably will continue to be managed and conducted bv the. son who has just passed the years of minority; Mir. Hickox having another farm, to which hIs attention is now prime ipally directed and although the improvements not so far perfected, as 10 render this model falm, yet should he pursue the system so successfully practised hitherto, as from his known habits of industry. we have the best as- surance that he will, he will never nc ed look to the praries of the West, for the comforts, the en- joyments, or the luXuries of life
 We have awarded 10 Mir. Hickox the second premium offered by the Society, to wit $s CO.,
 In behalf of the Committee.
 JOSEPH AMBLER, Chairman ON WORKING OXEN AND FAT CATTLE.
 The Committee on Working Oxen and Fat Cat tie, would report :-
 That there were nine pairs of Working Oxen entered for premiums, and exhibited.
 When we take into consideration the very im- portant place that this class of domestic animals occupy in our agricultural operations, and the ne- cessty of close and prudent training, order that their strength may be proftably applied 10 such operations. the object of the Society in this de- partment is made evident But we shall not be under the necessity of establishing an institution for the purpose of training them, so long as we find individuals so we'll qualified for that duty in different parts of the county The docility ofthe animals. and the skill of the drivers as shown, was highly gratifying to the Committee.
 There is to be taken into consideration, in de- termining the value of the OK, other qualities than those of work, as they pass so soon from the blow to the shambles.
 The Oxen exhibited. were in fine flesh, and con- sidering the season, they far excelled the expec- tations of your Committee
 We have awarded to Linus Gilbert the first pre-. mium, $4 CO.,
 To Edward Hickox, second 6o. $3 co. To Timothy Jerome, third do. $2 %. Your Committee would speak in terms of high commendaion of the other pairs owned severally by John A. Merriman, Erastus Baldwin, Jr., and Frederick Buel
 Of the class owned and raised by the exhibitor, there was hut one pair entered, that by Stephen Atwood, which were considered highly mertori- ous, to which is awarded the first premium, $s4 %.
 Of Fat Cattle, not one animal was entered for premium, and your Committee cannot but regret, that when there many cattle fattened in the County, there should be such reluctance on the