New-York daily tribune., 1854-07-15
THE NORTH AMERICAN PHALANX

TIE NORTH AMERICAN PHALANX
We have lust returned from trip TO Monmouth CouR
ty apd visit 10 the North American Phalanx, an fgrcu
tural community located about twelve miles south west o
Keypor which thirty-eigh miles in the same direction
from New.York The nearest shipping point s ct Red
Bank on the NeYersink River. The farm upon which
ts institution is established purchased in lsi3 at
very low rate being considered Of very little value for
cultivation the soil out the fences and buildings di-
landated the orchard old and Of little value in fact the
whole tract of 673 ocres only served maintain ami
w. with very little prospect of Improvement. The
land in that part OF the State is generally of sandy char
acter sandy loam level than hiy, and had been
shallew pcwed and cropped without until literally
exhausted notwithstanding it underaid with mari OF
very rich composition which contained within itself the
power of renov alton and continued fertility, by adding
small amounts of other substances. This mari crops out
along ravnes and creeks ard has been dug htythree
feet below its surface without finding bottom or any de-
crease of It's good qualities 1t this which has atcd
and made proStably productive the Phaanx farm and not
only that but has redeemed the whole country from state
of almost hopeless barenness within the last fifteen or
twenty years. and has many Instances raised the selling
price of land from ten upward Of ten times that many
dollars per
The purchase of the farm and first improvements were
made by the issue Of stock in SO shares under act Of
incorporation from the Legislature of SewJcrsey. Sub
sequenly other improvements have been made by the la
Dor of the members and the profits of their industry. The
total amount of stock certificates issued s7l 220 There
is also debt or the LIST January last to the amount
of sll sOO low valuation Of the land at this time with
all the improvements including steam hour-mill and
mill would be sl0O acre-s67 300. The valuation OF
the personal property at the same time was ooO This
capital would command interest OF not less than OoO,
about enough to support one family in medium style IN
this City There supports thirty families; if not
in style at least in comfort. The principal buildings upon
the farm are large, new frame house, containing the
great dining hall and public parlor and numerous dorn
tories with wing for suites of family rooms. In the
basement under the dining the dairy room the
pastry room and kitchen and back OF thst in adjoining
building the steam boiler that the house cooks
the food and drives the engine that in its turn does the
churning washing and ironing. This principal house is
fne handsome frame building fronting the south,
upon piece Of ground that slopes gently down to pond
in the valley Of small brook, few rods Off that drives
wheel and force pump, which draws water from sweet,
clear spring and throws up in tin pipes to the
from which is distributed through the house. Close by
the rlain edfce is the old house., large two-story
frame building occupied by families with rooms for SIM
gle females large schoorocm, and apartments for other
domestic purposes Then there is the nursery neat
OOtIlc COtthee, VIII WLeat tuc .ouuS
rem taken Of while their mothers at work.
large twostory brick building is called the packing
house. where fruits and vegetables prepared for
market This building also contains the hot air closets for
drying fruits green corn and other articles beside okra,
just introduced last year, which much esteemed for
soups These dried fruits much superior to those pre-
served upon ordinary klns in the SUM- as no smoke
dust ashes insects get upon them while drying and
are burned under done. Some little i'm
provements upon the plan will enable the Phalanx to do
the work very perfectly and rapidly. The principle is
heat the air in the bottom of tall chimney and thus give
it draft up through the fruit placed upon open-work
bottoms Of thin drawers through three stories of the
building.
Another large and profitable branch OF industry carried
in the building the boting of green and ripe
fruits, tomatoes pie plant beans &c. in bottles ex-
haus,ed of air and Theoretically sealed that the con-
tents retain in great measure the freshness and flavor
they had when put up for any desired length of te These
articles much used upon the steamers and are
highly esteemed upon long voyages They put up
in square quart bottles honest measure and being in glass
give Objectionable taste sometimes charged upon acid
fruits put up in tin cases.
Some Of the barns and ou,budings those of the old
farm, and begin look little shabby and give the
place, to the eye of stranger somewhat dlapdated ap
pearance. II must be remembered however that these
are not fancy farmers, but hard working, practical
men, and some of them inexperienced, particularly in
American farming as portion of the members from
France and all have been intent upon bringing the land
into state Of cultivation that would make farming profit
able and in getting up good buildings and fixtures of con-
venencc that will demonstrate that men may unite their
interests in this way to make home more comtorta-
BILE and such labor would be necessary for their
more attractive and less to bear while all the
members in of sickness misfortune are cuaran-
teed by their articles OF association well as the prevail
ing good fellowship comfortable support and provision
for their families. Either may become members or
stockholders, or nonmembers may held stock and all
have voice in the management which is conducted by
general council, subdivded into councils for each group
ofcperaiives in the various departments of labor There
is President but he exercises superior power and
Treasurer and Secretary, to conduct business affairs
Then there chief to each group to direct the opera
tives whether members hired hands but he consul,s
the oher that there s nothing done by the arbitrary
will Of any oDe-each is independent wheel Of the
great machine, working hsrmoniously.
To make it still moro individual and all the labor vol.
untsry, ii is divided into classes and prices fixed by the
council of that groupfor instance the farm group the
pce per hour for each kind of labor and for various la
oee and each goes the time book Of his group
nt ana enters his time that he has worked that day and
a The end OF the month he credited upon his
Against this be s charged With hs board room rent and
whatever else he has received from .he Ass alton s =
fLarranifN srch as rayehtp1sc ci.fbirg l. 81