The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-07-03
A Day at tho Astor House Farm.
Ffom the nosloa Journal

about seyen'miles from this city, Il II own
ed by Mr. Deyelin the sou.in-aw of Gen,
stetson, who generously fitted up his farm
ior the exclusive use Of the Astor House, CON
dueled by his father-in-law, convinced that Il
would pay him well and the result has more
than realized his expectations,
Ia passing on 10 the farm vs. lrayersed the
marshes, containing thirty thousand acres Of
land, now a mere swamp, a patch here and
there under cultivation indicate what this
waste would become under the hand OF till
age, This vast tract could be now purchased
AT about $50 per acre, The farmer soon
would redeem il from waste II could be
made like gnrdeni and as it's not four miles
from the city, " ould afford a supply Of all the
vegetables Of New York. a part Of Il has
been made nursery by Mr. Justin, the plan,
ter Of the Central Park, and his trees flourish
like the "green bay tree" Of the olden time,
No "hotom" on the Mississippi caR equal
Tho Ia richness-uor viii Il long remain
waste,
Once on the farm the cattle attract the at
tention Of the visitor The stable h ON O
novel plan aud ingcuiously fitted for the pur-
poses Of its erection, Fify cows stand be-
fore YOU oil in q row, and the rcputcd taste
Of the host Of the Astor 10 not losscued by
the appearance Of the cattle. The stables
are sweet and clean ns a dairy. These COWS
are fed on the sweetest hay and the beat Of
meal and are groomed daily az a horse would
be, and roam in clover fields all tho summer
They are fed on cotton meal, By the iuycn.
tion Of a gentleman whose name do not re-
collect, the fuse has been taken from the cot
ton seed and the meal makes the best food
for cows, better than lusccd, corn mCnl, or
any other, The cotton meal goes 20 milk
first, then TO meat, and lastly TO lat. From
these cows four hundred quarts Of milk per
day are carried into the Astor for the use Of
the guests, The cows arc MIXED at 3 o.
clock each morning, and the milk reaches the
Astor in the cool of the'-uay, aud from the
milk taken at night, twenty-five quarts Of
pure cream are sent IN also for the daily use
Of the house. An Ice house Of a novel ar
raugcmcut, with yentla,ors and cooling
chamber receives the meat and ,cgciablcs.-
/ MIX can be kept sweet wcok and fruit for
q long time. lu these days Of swill milk and
terror, such a dairy as meets the eye here Is
~ l,Gi. oll.e slELL
Next we como 20 tho p'ggory An im
mcnsc building, orucIorm IN shape, with a
.cupola like am academy. indicates where the
/ pork Of the Astor House is raised. Here six
J hundred hog, are annually raised for the
slaughter Each hog has his parlor his yard
aud sleeping apartment to himself, while be-
, ing corn-fcd and really for the market At.
A3chcd to tue house are seven acres OF land
dotted with small houses, into which the pigs
may run aud be safe, and here the brood,
luNuria,c on hill aud dalc, heat and shade
\ railroad car runs fiom the house where the
z ruuiyrgt tu-t1G- -FeHs 66t Tit r5od +
trundlcd in on the track, and by simple
cortriyanec, all the hogs are compelled to
wait till the food is served before they can
help themselves, The syill from the Auor
House is taken away before daylight each
day, 80 that no one is annoyed, cart per.
icctly tight stands in the yard of the Aston
House all day and receives all that is placed
in it. Another, It's fellow complete, is driven
in at carly morn, all sweet and clean, and the
/ full ono isVakcn out and the empty one left
in its place This swill is taken TO the farm
and in an immense vat is cooked for the
swine. In the process, all the fat and grcesc
that rises is taken OH Gen. Stotson has
kept the Astor twenty-one years next July
The swill from the house has been sold and
removed for the sum of 5000 per year. The
farm has mode this disco, cry, that the grease
that rises from the cooking Of the food Of III,
hogs, Independent of the food, is worth an
nually and brings the snug little sum in casl
Of $4,000 Pigs noble and plcbeian, ar,
here's pigs English, pigs Chinese, pigs Siam
csc. A smoke house completes the porkcry
of the farm. a man is employee to take
care Of this dcpartm6nt-he does nothing
olsc-and house and grounds are given tC
him.
Next we advance to the poultry house
probably the most perfect in the land. Tn,
building is 2Io feet long, and is of two sto
res. The "roost" is divided into four apart
montsi the roost frames are sassafras, tC
keep out yermini apartments for laying, set
ting, &c, are in great perfection. A perfcc
system ia ndoptent each setting hen is re
moved, and her nest clcansed each day. Nnt
at regular intervals she is compelled to tax,
an airing. About 2000 eggs per day are rea
dy for the house, and. with the system OF
warming the building. the hens lay in III,
-daad- G-lxinlcr. aud -frc2hlaid- -ogga- -cnn- -bl
had at one season Of the year as well a
another. Attached to the hen house are scy
en- acres Of land carefully inclosed, where th
chickens and their associates have the "liber
= ty of the yard" Each hen with brood hu
a house in the field exclusively her own, an,
cnch dnN the honse is moved. as TINT remoy