Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-05
MEADYILLE ITEMS.
Especial Correspondence of the Cleveland LEADER
MrAB1l1tkb, Pa, Oct 2, 1855;

A. Oct- & 1oOOs~
CRAWFORD COUNTY (PENNsYLvAYIA) FAIR.
The County Fair held here during three
davs of last week was slight improvement I
OH its predecessor of last year, when there
was no agricultural show at all, iIiasinuch |
as there was faif show of vegetables and !
of cattle. There were but few really fine
cattle shown, and the generality OF the !
horses were nothing to brag of. To tell the !
truth, the public have to thank the McHen- |
~ House for being the main cause of the |
improvement of the display over last year;
for the MeHenry House farm had the great
est number of articles on exhibition, and
carried off most of the premiums, both upon
agricultural productions ard upon cattle.
This farm comprises I56 acres Of hill and
bottom land, located about nile and half
south of the station, and lying on both sides
of the ia:lroad trdct. 1t vas purchased last
year, too late to accomplish very much that
year in the way of developing its resources,
but the work was fairly andliberally begun
| by Mr.. Taylor. Convenient and commO-
dious barns, granaries and cattle sheds were
built, calculated for the comfort and safety
of stock during the cold of winter or the
heat of summer. a model piggery was
erected, which is the most perfectly adapted
to its purpose that I have ever examined.
A double row of pens runs the whole length
of the building so constructed that any two
or more of them can be thrown together, or
those not adjoining can be connected, while
I 4.
breeder of hogs will readily appreciate the
value of this arrangement. Another simple
device shuts the hogs entirely away from
the trough while the swill is poured IN or
when the trougks are to be cleaned, thus
avoiding waste and filth. Through the cell
tire of the building runs a railway upon
which the feeding car conveys the food from
the cooking-room where the swiu is pre-
pared. As natural result of this care and
skill the manager has each winter sPlen-
did lot of swine, whose increased market
value over the pork that has been fattened
with the ordinary wantOf system more than
compensates for the outlay. At present Mr..
Taylor has about two hundred and fifty fine
boars and sows. -.--
IN the loft over the piggery is the poultry
room, where roosts and nests and all other
necessary fixtures for the well-beinS Of a
large flock of turkeys, geese, ducks and hens
are arranged. By this means nearly all
of the valuable manure is saved for
the benefit of the farm. The poul-
try have free access, by means of
easy ladders and steps, to an extensive poul-
try yard, which has a running stream
through it, a pond for the ducks and geese,
and plenty of gravel for all to scratch i'll
Here, last winter, Mr.. Taylor had over two
hundred turkeys, and q proportionate num-
Der of the other varieties of the feathered |
tribe Aside from the question of economy |
in the management of such farm in con-
nection with the Hotel, which is one in
which the proprietors have the most interest,
the guests of the MeHenry House have cause |
to feel grateful for the fresh eggs, butter, |
milk and vegetables which the farm sup |
plies the tables.
The farm will be put under such system |
this fall and winter, that it will next year |
furnish almost everything consumed at the |
Hotel. About three hundred and fifty hot |
beds are being prepared in which to start |
early vegetables. \ New England gardener |
has charge of the vegetable department
while an experianced farmer and cattle |
breeder will manage the stock.
In this connection let me put word into |
the ear of some enterprising man who has |
some capital and knowledge of farming or
gardening, by giving heed to which he may |
lay foundation for an independent fortune |
acquired in an easy and comfortable man
ner. In all this region where the bottom
lands present unsurpassed facilities for the
same, there is not a market gardener or one
$50 far as 1 can learn) who makes it his bust
ness to supply the home market with even
the commonest agricultural products. We
have now a population of about 5000, and
yet, if you want to buy the vegetables for
your dinner, you must take those which
have been brought over one hundred miles
from Cleveland, unless you fortunately come
across stray countryman or woman who
can supply a part Of your wants from his or
her wagon. The farmers are satisfied to
raise staple crops of grass, potatoes and corn, |
not deeming it worth their while to devote
even an acre,-and sometimes not having
even garden spot for vegetables for the
home table,-to the cultivation of the varie-
ty with which they might almost quite
double their yearly receipts l venture to
assert that with twenty acres of good land, |
such as may be procured within one or two
miles of MeadYille, an enterprising gardener
can clear from $4,000 TO $4,000 per year from
the home trade. As the case now stands |
the people must eat stale vegetables, (for
they cannot be fresh as they ought after
being brought one hundred miles in hot
day. and not be able to get enough even of
these. Moreover, the Meadville gardner
could send great quantities of his produce
to the Oil Region where high prices and |
quick sales would speedily enrich the pro-
ducer.