Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-01-20
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vz.s VOL. l-M. 20.
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Old Farms.

OlQ Farms,
Mr.. George W. Cummins, of Smyrna, Della
ware, purchased farm near that place, contain-
ing about 200 acres The land had been under
cultivation for halfa century or more, and it's
soil completely exhausted as not to be capable Of
conpensating for the labor and seed expended up
On crops. 1t had, nevertheless, been rented up
to the time of the purchase and one Of the con-
ditions was the annual payment of two-ffths Of
the corn crop. From an 50 acre field the rent
paid last year was only about 80 bushels Clo-
yer refusett Co grow upon this, end wheat would
not yield much more than the seed sown. The
WAS a sanoy IOaIn.
The first step taken by Mr.. Cummins, for the
restoration Of his land 20 fertility, was to SOW
one bushel of ground plaster stothe acre, flush it
up in the spring and spreadupon it seventy bush
els OF SIacK lime to the acre-z Oats were then
sown at the rate oftwo or three bushels to tho
acre and in July, when nearly fit for harvest, the
straw being partly yellow and partly green, they
were plowed under, an OK chain having been Iig-
ged in frontlof the coulter SO as TO turn them
downzbeioie the plow. Previous to this plowing,
one and quarter bushels more of ground plaster
Of paris was sprinkled on the ground. second
crop of oats sprung up in a thick mat from those
plowed under, and about the first Of October these
were turned down by the plow like the first
/ growth. Wheat was now sown, about and
a half bushels to the acre and narrowed in, fol-
lowed by cloverin the spring. The crop Of wheat
averaged about eight bushels to the acre and this
it will lie observed, without shovel fall Of stable
or other kind of animal manure. The clover had
bushel Of ground plaster sprinkled upon IT in the
spring, and yielded, the second season Of its
| growth, about ton per acre the first moving.
/ This land from which the vegetable mould had
been entirely exhausted, was, IL ! comparative
| ly short time, and without the assistance of tho
| barn yard, or any other kind Of animal manure,
brought into condition to yield compensating
crops Of wheat, corn, and vigorous clover. By
the assistance Of the ordinary quantity Of barn
yard manure, the produce Of wheat would aver
age about twenty-five bushels, and of corn forty
or fifty bushels to tie acre. The ground was
very Light and easy to work, and Mr.. Cummlns
estimated the actual expenses incurred per acre.
in the improving course, as follows: -s....
First plowing, So-oo
20 bus. OF Stacked lime, at y Cts ou. s'oO
Two and half bus. oats, sOwn, 3li cts. elt
I Sowing and i1rrr-e>N iI g do oIt
Various plaster application l 6IA
Second plowing under Of oats, LOO
One. and a half bushels of wheat sown. l.50
Harroyinr and sowing, do, .-. SIT
Total expense per acre, SlS,fSs
Thus the whole expenses incurred preparatory
TO the wheat and clover crops, amounted to Sls--
73s. and as the wheat raised about eight bush
els. and sold for Sl-50, add the clover mown
about one ton to the acre, worth about eight or
ten dollars per ton, the expenses were abundant
ly repaid by the FIRST crops, and the land left in
GOOD heart for future profitable tiage. - .
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SHEER Is WINTEa-1n the first place. sheep
should be provided with ample and warm accom-
rnodations for shelter. Therefore, If you have
not one already. build shed of sufficient dimen-
isons to accommodate the number Of sheep you
S have to winter If the number Of sheep be large.
have shed for every fifty or sixty head. Each
Shed must communicate with tightly enclosed
yard. Access to each shed mus; be through an
openinr at one of the ends ventilation other than
> the doorway must be provided. The floor Of the
she'd should be covered in the first Instance Win
three or four inches in depth ofclean straw, when
= from the accumulation of sheep dung and DIS
b,roe of urine the straw becomes dirty, the sur
: face must he covered with fresh straw Plaste'
: sbor,I Ne strcxed over the floor at least once
, week.
= For convenience of feeding grain or roots
t trough ranging round the shed should be provi
ded. The sheep should have salt always access
ible to them. The best pan to secure tins Nouic
he 70 have trough la which rock salt should o'
constantly kept. The sheep shauld have access
d 10 the yard at all times. ~ 1890
d Three peands ofhay, or fodder, or It's equlya'
lcnt in meal or roots per day viii sustain eac1
head of sheep. which, should be given them Thrice
), a day, viz:--early in the morning, at noon, and
y at an hour before sunset. Occasional feeds Q
d roots. say twice or thrice week, are conducly'
a to health-potatoes, or rutabaga, or common tur
st nips, will answer. Water should be given to tn
er sheep twice day, to W.T., in the morning and
r. the evening. rns5-l --s p
S, Sheep can be kept housed during the WIniel
altogether to acvantage-by little extra car
Is as above-lettng them out in fine weather Tor n
f;nr and exercise.-Amer. Farmer
of How TO KEEP SNokED HANs--A writer IN u
of Farmers Compaiion, publishedat Detroit, stat
ut that he has for many years preserved his ham
It. through the summer, in the most perfect como
= ton, by packing them in barrels, with layers
C. corncobs between them, 50 that the hams wou'
,te not come in contact with each other. Inc
tat should be taken out and rubbed dry once onrhn
yer The summer. The cask should be placed on
Id, bench or tussel, IN a cool, dry cellar.
tor - -----~s---cI =.
- r--z- The farmers in some ofthe southern eou