The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1853-06-09
Aari1uItural.
Farming near Washington.

We learn from the National Intelligent
Ger. that Mr.. Charles B. Calvert has been
offered $4,000 for 200 acres Of his farm,
and refused to take the money. Two
hundred and fifty dollars an acre is high
price for farming lands, and it is only in
consideration of valuable buildings and
other Improvements that one would be
justified in paying so much. RiVerdale,
as Mr.. Calvert's estate is called, contains
nearly three thousand acres; lies north
east of Bladensburg; and extends from
the village some three or four miles up a
beautiful valley, watered by fine mill
stream. Mr.. Calverts father was large
tobacco grower, and most of this planta-
ton has been much worn by this scourg-
ing crop, when often repeated on the same
field, At present, the farm is mainly de-
voted to dairy purposes producing milk
and cream for the largest hotel in Wash
ington, and surplus for the market
The COWS kept are Short Horns, Ayrshires,
Alderneys and their crosses with the best
native mixers. Hay is too valuable in
the Metropolis to feed to COWS in winter,
as Mr. G. believes, although milk sells at
eight cents quart. Turnips, short cut
straw and cornstalks are more economi-
ca! food, so that most Of the hay grown
at Riverdale is sold off the farm. 1t is
little remarkable how few understand the
art of growing large crops of hay and
grass in the United States. The quite
unexpected ard pr0digious decrease in
the number of sheep, COWS, working oxen
and horses in the State of New York from
l645 to 1850; can only be accounted for,
by conceding the inability of the land to
keep them, without more skill than has
been applied to that purpose.
Mr.. Calvert's does not come up to our
ideal Of what grazing farm ought to be.
He, however, is soon to introduce extern
sive irrigation by steam power; and should
his life be spared to three score years and
ten, model farm may be seen in Prince
Georges County, Maryland.
A new octagon barn one hundred feet
in diameter has recently been erected by
him, having askylight in the centre, with
ample storage for turnips and forage over
the first story, which is devoted entirely
to stalls for cows These stand in two
rows quite round the building leaving an
open centre space of thirty feet in diam
eter. Mr.. G. prefers ground to plank
floors for cattle to stand upon, which is
kept clean and smooth, and generally bed
ded. A horse and cart may be driven
round behind the cows in the stable for
taking up manure; and so much of the
urine, as is not absorbed by the straw and
other litter runs into tanks, From thir-
ty to forty thousand bushels of turnips
are fed in year, which are sliced with
turnip cutters. Cows Craze in the field
during the summer season although it is
believed that soiling is more economical
where land is dear and labor cheap. After
the engine is made to convey all the ma
nure from the stables to the fields in a
liquid state and properly diluted for dis
tribution, soiling will be still more profit
able; for good crop of grass may be cut
every four weeks during seven or eight
months, in the climate of Washington with
proper irrigation and manurirg.