Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1858-07-16
vIsTr 10 A MISSOURI FARM.

yron The vaiey FsrDer,l
We recently visited the farm OF Mr.. Rich
trd Gentryy Of Pettis county, Missouri, and,
as we have frequently seen fsttering accounts
tf large farms In other States, We have con
rluded to furnish a description Of this farm to
eur readers, In order to show that Missouri is
lot behind her sister States in large farms or
good farming.
The farm of Mr.. Gentry contains seven
thousand acres Of land, three thousand i've hum
cred acres Of which are under excellent fence.
Snc in a high state Of cultivation Il is ID divided,
chiefly, into lots OF forty s~cres-making over
thirty miles of fence on the farm. The fence
i mostly made of rails, with stakes aud RI
GERS and kept Up in the best condition There
- noweFeTs a mile and q quarter OF post and
foard fence on b efsrm, and some two miles
q Usage orange hedge, which, however, has
rot yet been turned out.
There are on the farm sixty-fve large gates.
Il ne best construction, aud about the same
le9oer OF dEaw-oars. The gates and bars are
made N alarge carpenter shOn, in rainy weather
when The hands can be EMPLOYED at Dothipg
tise- All OF the implements are put in repairs
Hf such times, and many Of the simpler 7p-s
Manufactured. About two thiuds Of the farm
IS OF nigh rolling prsirie-o 81 an excellent
So.tt- SOL, and the other third is in timber.
S "a ~Si0ining the prairie.
Immediately a. --n bn1sre5 49,.
are roars~ hundred and 6ftv acres
- oi4s grass, seven SOW, three 6un5rsS
s. clover and timothy ms34 -dred and sivtv
SBd sixty acres IN corn, one hn- -arian mil
acres il oats, twenty acres in Hun ssDre :.
lst, and the balance Of the farm under
81 woods pasture.
There are on the farm twsnty-ssysn large 4
artificial ponds, many Of them Of much depth,
zfording stock an abundance Of water at ali
Heasons Of the year. During our visit, three
stone-masons were employed in erecting large
stone pillars in various parts of The farms, at
The outlets Of streams, il which large water
gates were 70 be hung, &c that in case Of fresh
cts. which are commo on large p~rsiTies, the
gates would open BY the action Of the water,
ard close when the water bad passed. and pre-
vent the fence from being washed, and the es-
raRs Of stock from ore field TO another.
One Of the most striking features observable
"a. that On this immense farm not a single weed
is to be seen. Even the fsnee-corners, the
common sceptacls q all that is foul on most
farms, are as clean OF weeds as any city lawn.
What 90 farmers who have only two or three
hundred acres under cultivation, say Of this
Here are upward Of thirty miles Of fence,
without a weed or briar surrounding 1t, while
laanT farms, with only q mile or two Of fence,
raise enough weeds to seed the whole neigh
horhoodi The whole farm is d pattern Of
nestnsss- The hands pass over every field az
often as II Is necessary, and pull every burr,
hriar, and weed that cares 70 show itself. This
has been done for many years, until the weeds
have bHen subdusd.
Mr.. Gentry has been a large shesp-grower.
EOne fifteen years ago, hBding the market dull
Cor hOrses and mules, be concluded to Try
Ubeep. ne accordingly procured from Ken
fuckF some fosr hundred head Of the best Sax
IN and Spanish mezino ewes, &c The foundation
sor the future flock. These he raised for q
number Of years, increasing the SIZE Of bis
flock until It ranged FOR many years from two
thousand eight hundred to three thousand bead.
He went to great expense in procuring the best
EurEa and ~ sn~frfnua mauauamanf rhtzinal
q very superior flock. For the last four or FIVE
years be has been crossing bis hOcks with the
French merino, paying as high as $50 per head
for the bucks. He hss some imported bucks Of
This breed row OF bis farm. he thinks tie
French merinO superior TO the SsXony CT Span
tsh nerino, as possessing more constitution.
greater weight Of carcass, much greater weight
OF wool. though Dotof as fine 4 quality, though
Sufficiently 90 70 command as high a price In
market. He has had the very best success IN
raising sheep his fOeks have never been af-
fected with any contagious disorders, and
many Of the diseases 50 prevalent m The East
have been entirely unknown 10 bis herd. He
has recently reduced the size Of bis dock to
about one thousand head, for the purpose Of
giving more attention 10 raise mules. He is al
resdY quite extensively engaged in this blsi-
nsEs, but intends 10 give it more prominence
hereafter.
There are kept constantly on the farm twelve
grown hands and six boys. Our readers may
wonder how % large q farm can be % well
managed bg this small number uf bands u
was a wonder 70 rs until We saw TIE perfect
system Of Mr.. Gentry's plans. Everything
moves like clock-wOTk- There y a tine for
everything, and everything must be done IN Its
time. There is no hurry and furry-5ut every
thing moves along evenly and quietly Each
piece Of work is attended to tai it is done
But system is not the only secret Of success
All OF the best lsbor-ssVing implements and
machines are used by hin, 50 that with one
nan be is able, in many kinds Of work, % per
form ne labor Of ten men. By this means he
s. able to accomplish thisFast smonutOf v TX.
Mr. Gentry has a number Of buildings e =
ed. in which be carries on, for bis Own use, va
riols operations not common among farmers
For instance, there is a large mill hOuse. where
all the meal for the family and stock is ground,
and where various other mills and machines
are used. There is also a large slaughter
house, with kettles set In arches, and an excel
leat apparatus for rendering out lard. Then
there il G Toulouse, a carpenter shop, a bar
ness-house, a shop for making shingles, &c
There is also an excellent pair Of Fsirbsnk's
cattle scales. which viii weigh six tons al each
operation, with all the APPENDICES for weigh
ing cattle, sheep, srine, bay, grain, &c.
But tie next question is, viii farming on
Buch a magnificent scale pay? OF course t
will. ANY kind Of Honorable business, man
aged a. wei as this farm i, would pay large
profits. Upon our inquiry, Mr.. Gentry inform
ed Us that the gross receipts from this farm
lat year amounted TO over tTeHty-seven thou
eznd dollars, "a larger sum than the President
of the limited States receives RnnuallV.1