Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-05-19


the cellar together, by which arrangement,
the compost is most perfectly intermngled
The cellars at The time Of my visit, were
full to overlooking, and the workmen had
commenced carting out their contents
While doing this. more peat mud is added
II thought advisable; the intention being 70
use Two parts Of this material to one Of ma
nure. The compost is laid up in square,
compact heaps, well covered with peat or
loan, and mostly used when a year old il
being deemed Of importance that the gas
es shall be fully developed and absorbed by
the peat before it is applied TO the soil,
whereby all evaporation or waste is pre-
vented.
The pasturage is deficient for this large
stock Of cattle, the whole farm containing
but 100 acres; and it is therefore necessary
10 feed them through the summer mostly ia
The barn, and for this purpose, clover, corn,
early rye, &c, arc sown, TO cut aud feed
green. The cattle have, however, a small
pasture TO range upon few hours daily for
exercise. The manure heap is increased
greatly by this summer feeding, peat mud
being thrown into the trenches freely every
day.
Mr. Phinney had the misfortune to lose
his house and extensive piggery last sum-
mer by FIRE, aud he is not doing much Just
now in the way Of breeding aud rearing
hogs. Aher the new house is finished, he
will put up a new plggery, and resume this
important department Of his farming. lie
feels out Of his element about these days,
from being deprived OF the valuable assist.
ance, formerly rendered so cheerfully, by
his friends the excellent Mackays and Suf
folks, in manufacturing compost at the rate
Of eight TO ten loads each, annually. As it
is, however, a stranger walking over the
farm, wonders what is 10 be done with all
that manure, as he encounters at every turn
huge pile OF it. About a thousand loads
are made annually on the farm, besides an
occasional purchase in Boston, as for in-
stance 10 or 20 tons Of refuse salt fish
Of which he showed me bill just received
which is mixed through the heaps. There
are some thirty acres under the pillow, annu-
ally. upon which this amount Of manure is
+ spread.
FIELD CULTIVATION. The soil Of this
farm was, originally, thin loan. resting
, upon hard, gravelly subsoil Mr. Phinney
early became convinced Of the importance
Of securing and preserving the vegetable
matter OF the inverted sod, in order TO sup
ply, as speedily as possible. that which was
, most wanting in his soil-vegeiable sub
stance. II was the universal practice among
| farmers, when he commenced, to pillow
5 cross-plow, and harrow their sod lands, thus
: exposing the vegetable matter Of the turf tc
: the dissipating influence Of sun and wind
aud almost entirely losing its value. BY
this means a great part OF the object o
! blowing was entirely subYerted-whSt wa
! the surface before blowing was brought tc
/. surface again, and the lower stratum, which
q should, by one careful blowing, have beer
!. left on the surface to undergo the amelio
rating and fertilizing action Of the atmos
|. phere, was returned to its lifeless aud uu
!. fertile bed, receiving little or no benefit b.
|, the operation. Believing this TO be an er
!, ror in practice, he Instituted an accurat,
!, experiment 10 ascertain the amount Of pure
:, ly vegetable matter in an acre OF sward. Ian,
: Of very moderate fertility. This expert
r ment, although made some twenty year
=, ago, is still possessed Of so much interest
!, aud detailed with so much accuracy, an'
, is, withal, 50 perfect specimen OF wha
:, the details Of farming. for The press, shout
d be, that give below his own account Of it
- sin May, 1929, the field having laid tire
a years TO grass, and the crop Of hay so ligl
- as to be worth not more than the expens
IL Of making, with view OF sseertaining th
., quantity Of vegetable matter upon the SUI
!. face, took single foot square Of gree
~ sward, and after separating the roots an
!. tops Of the grasses from the loan and yes
y etable mould, it was found, on weighing, I
~ contain nine ounces Of clear vegetable sui
IN stance, giving, at that rate, over twelve an
a a quarter tons to the acre. This convince
me Of the importance Of taking some cour;
by which this valuable treasure might /
ie turned 10 good account. That a gre
'" part of this mass Of vegetable matter is e
e' posed to useless waste by the usual moo
az " of blowing, cross.plowing, and narrowing
must be obvious 10 any one. In orde
~ therefore, TO secure this, as well as the lig
W vegetable mould al and near the surlac
", which is liable TO waste from the same eau
Ia es, had two acres Of the green sward
w this field turned over with the pillow
Z smoothly as possible. After removing Il
en- outside furrow slices into the centre Of Il
no plow-and, and thereby effecting the doub
WIS purpose of covering The vacant space in q
M middle, and preventing ridges at the sid
81, and ends, the field was rolled hard, with
'a' loaded roller, by which the uneven parts
ETC the fuuow were pressed down, and I
whole made smooth. 1t was then harrow
i've lenglhwse the furrows, with horse h,
to row. but so lightly as not to disturb
are sod. Twenty cart loads Of compost n
nth nure, made by mixing two parts Of p'
= mud with one Of stable dung, were III
cen spread on each acre. II was then harrow
md again, as before, and the poorer part Of
lin- SOIL which had been turned UP, and
manned upon the surface, was thereby m
be cd with the comppst manure. Corn
lin. then planted in drills upon the furrow,
rm rows being at the usual distance, and ?
sity allel with the burrows At hoeing time
ich, surface was stirred by running light pl
ully between the rows, but not so deep, at
or the subsequent hoeing, as TO disturb
atm sod. What Mr. Lorain calls the saw
the practice Of killing up the corn, was .
eel. iiously avoided.
ara GAS the season advanced, / Garrett