Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-08-27

one year, said Brown to burn off the brush
fence In the field, lime II with coat Of lime,
and put il IN corn, for which he is to receive
the whole of the first crop. This land for
the first year will produce 90 bushels to the
acre, rewarding Mr. Brown handsomely for
his labor. l have reckoned this rs part OF
the product of the farm. Corn growing
along the Delaware Railroad on my way
down which was looked upon as fair aver
age crop, on my return looked very diminu-
tive when compared with Mr.. Ross 80 acre
field.
Oats, like wheat is not standard crop,
sometimes the yield is heavy but more gen
orally light, this year but little value is plac-
ed upon the crop, no more being raised in
fact than will be required for home consump-
ton. The brunswick" variety is considered
the best. l was shown q sample of these
oats and they were certainly very fine, the
finest indeed that had ever seen:
Trucking, is not made speciality upon
the farm of Mr.. Ross, the markets being too
remote, to make it profitable; nevertheless,
the finest vegetables can be raised, but with
the exception of an oyerplus OF potatoes no
struck" is marketed.
Hay, is not raised for the market, and no
more is saved than sufflces for the subsis-
tence of the stock on the farm. Forty tons
of hay is cured on an everage each year.
Much more could be saved if necessary.
Clover does we'll and is becoming
standard product, it is sown on wheat or
oats, does equally well on both. and no dill
Guilty is experienced in raising large remun-
erative crops. Timothy is not adapted to
the light sandy loan of this region and hence
is but little encouraged. Orchard grass
which grows well on this farm is sown with
| the clover and makes excellent hay. Grazing
fott In would bn nrnfitabf ii
| followed, but no encouragement has yet been
given to this branch of industry.
| Mr.. Ross has about twenty-five mich
cattle upon his farm of the native breed, but
has never paid any special attention to the
dairy business, except to supply home con-
sumption. Fifteen hands and sixteen horses
are employed in tilling the farm. A large
number of sheep and hogs were seen rumi-
nation in the tall clover which almost hid
them from sight; they are OF the common
stock.
Manures.- Ross uses liberal sup
ply of manures, principally phosphates, OF
which he thinks, after an impartial trial OF
all the principal phosphates, Phillips is de
cidedly the best on his farm, however diff
ferently 1t may act upon other. Lime is
used to considerable extent, principally
gas-lime, brought from Baltimore in vessels
to Seaford, and shell-lime, which is burnt
from oyster shells in the town of Seaford,
and which can be obtained there in almost
unlimited quantities at very low price. In
addition to the above Mr.. Ross is expert
menting with Jersey mari, which is now
being introduced into the Peninsula with
considerable favor, but his experiments thus
far will not allow him to give any decided
opinion in regard to its merits, but above
all manures, he put the most dependence IL
/, l 4. al rTl,so foiIu
In looking over the different pounds TO
stock was somewhat surprised at the larg'
quantities of manure which had accumulated
/ estimated the quantity at 500 wagon load
I which was assured by Mr.. James Ross,
, son of the Ex-Governor, was one half beloy
the real number. The manure is hauled gu
| and made into q compost and although
= large portion is used in the cultivation {
+. crops, yet much the larger portion is used
i raising trees and small fruit.
Like nearly all other farmers on the Pt
ninsula, Mr.. Ross has never appreciated
8 large barn, which is the pride and emulatio
d of our more Northern farmers. Yet suff
!. cient stablng room is provided to comfort,
bly, secure all his stock from the inclemenc
/ of the weather. Before the war took plat
n Mr.. Ross took great pleasure in raising full
h blooded, imported stock. His horses, A
v derney cattle, Southdown sheep, and Ches
. er pigs were the wonder and admiration
. the county. But since the great Radio
r change in the system of labor he has pa
is but little attention to the raising of bloodt
:, stock, which he has allowed to degenera
. and give place again to the native breed, ar
V he has applied himself almost exclusively
is the cultivation of fruit.
ID The most improved agricultural impl
in ments are used in the cultivation ofhis farr
i which are provided for the use OF his tie
NC ants.
as A very attractive feature of the sMod
Farm" are the beautiful Usage Hedges wi
no which great part of IL is fenced. They a
= kept neatly trimmed with the most scrup
IT. lous care and exactness. Although n
ey Ross commenced the planting of these he'd
ct. es as an experiment, vet so convinced is
.s of their cheapness and utility as fence u
% he is determined to continue the planting
IN "Osages until his whole farm and all
ep fields are fenced in with them. Those w
err have travelled much on the Railroad col
- not fail to have seen stretching away to
- left as they came near Seaford going Soul
EN- large fields of matted and tangled clover a
,lf, orchard grass, often growing as have be
lit. informed to the height OF three and fc
H.. feet, surrounded with the beautiful a
ny bright Usage hedge rendered more attract
10 when compared with the ricketty fences
prevalent in other places. A very pleas,
n stream of water runs briskly and noseles
20 through the farm aifording good wateri
VI facilities for cattle and other stock, and
I'D, fields through which this stream does ]
els pass, water ponds are improyised wth'
as much difficulty as the water here rises "
near the surface of the ground.
ar have given rough outline Of this m
yer nificcnt farm in relation to its agricultu
to productions, crops OF grain and hay, and
er- fore proceeding farther l would here st
~ that Mr.. Ross has changed his system
lhe farming considerably and taken up
vas more modern plan of carrying on more
AXE telligent system which with less labor
b,, be more remunerative. Anterior to the
- war MIR. Ross like many Others of our la
,or farmers in Delaware carried on his farm
to Slave labor, he at that time owning 81
ent cient number to cultivate the land and |
,os form all other labor necessary.
He then farmed on what was known
va that region as the ''five field system"
The farm as near as possible being divided
on five fields one field would have crop
wheat in clover sod, one of corn follow
NY the wheat one of oats following the CT
cat one of clover following the oats, one Of 6
M or pasture after clover and then return
he wheat again. This was the old system wi
IL had become so well established as to be
accordance Win slave labor, Dul lllte IL
w ligence being required to carry on the s
eld annual routine of labor. Mr.. Ross infor
not me that during this period he raised his
= - gest crops and made the most improvem
u as to his farm.
this During the war slavery became abolis
sted and the most of the slaves enlisted in
o 90 army leaving Mr.. Ross without the facil
for carrying on his farm in the old estab
the ed way. Since that time up to the pre-
The he has rented out parts of his farm to tent
n of reserving large portion of it for the raj
of of fruit which is extensively carried o
himself and sons, and of which l shall
hev- some thing to say before close my art
}, al AS a well regulated farm in Southern l
been ware would be incomplete without its
time orchards especially its peach orchard
40 will now proceed to lay before the rea
= 10 of the TRIBUNE few of the experin
mess and success of MIR. Ross in Horticultur
rates fruit raising, considering peaches as tho
,,,or- Pile or principle article ia that departn
no. 1t is only within the last six or
par years, that he has made specialii
'opi raising peaches, and does not
l I'll -