Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-12-24
A Chester County Farm.
CATTLE, PIGS, CORN, POTATOES.

We recently visited the farm OF Jefferson
Shaner, near the borough of West Chester,
and subioin a few notes which may be
interesting to some of our readers, as
showing what is doing AMI what may be
done on an s0-acre farm Of as good soil as
exists in Chester county, when under the
management OF one who thoroughly under
stands how to work it on system both
improving TO the land and profitable to HIM
self
The stock consists of % cows and heifers,
several of which are pure Attorneys, some
grade Alderney, and the balance the best Sc
lccted cows of no particular breed. The
same idea we found was entertained here as
IN some other places that it cost no more to
keep good cow than q poor one, and ac-
cordingly it is considered economical to buy |
the best cows which can be procured, with
out regard to price. One cow was shown us
and several ten to twelve pounds. One or
two in the herd are deep mixers, but poor
butter cows. These will be converted into
beef to make room for others. To have a
herd of % cows all Of the right kind, is a
work Of time; ii is going rapidly forward
| in this herd, and three very promising heif-
ers were shown us, now springing, and in
cali to a thoroughbred Attorney bull, giving
great indications in their well-shaped I'D
ders, Just developing, and deep yellow skins,
of being extraordinary butter COWS. The
whole herd arc in calf to a very superior
/ Thoroughbred Aiiarnns, hnll, running with
them. This animal deserves more than a
passing notice, and arrested our attention at
once by his fine figure, deep yellow skin and
soft velvet coat. The cross of such bull
on such cows cannot fail to result in Just
what is wanted for butter dairy, and we
should consider the calves worth at once
about four prices.
The spring house and surroundings were
especially complete--the milk-room well
ventilated, with high ceiling, with one or
two strong springs Of clear, cold water buh-
bling up within. The depth of water is ac-
curately regulated by small gate outside,
and can be instantly made higher or lower,
with fourinch terra-cotta waste pipe to
let il all out if necessary. The floor OF the
milk-nouse is laid with clean white pebbly
: sand, brought by rail from Philadelphia on
I purpose. This is entirely free from sol, and
/ Is preferred to floor of either brick OF
! plank. At this season of the year the tenn
5 perature of the water is so low as to inter
tere with the proper rising of the cream, and
z the milkpans containing the milk are ac-
eordngly ranged on the plank floors, out Of
! the water. Outside the milk-room is a shed
j paved with brick, containing the large horse
5 power churn, capable Of churning at on,
Y time l25 pounds of butter-and also the
i butter worker, such as is generally used il
u large diaries in Chester county. This shet
5 is also kept scrupulously cleaned, and whei
a washed, drains into terra-cotta waste pipe
$ and is carried entirely away from tn
y building.
Tie week previous to our visit the churn
!. ing was lo5 pounds, made on grass only
d the cows having calved eaIly in the spring
hot If hon
d feror. and several of them young and not /
,r their prime, we considered the yield at thi
r season (l5lh ofOctober) very good one,
le For several years Jefferson Shaner ha
N been celebrated for his careful breeding
IN the pure Chester county swine. They hav
pr gone from bis pens, many of them throug
lg our agency, Tito every section of the countr,
iii and probably pigs from no single breed'
of have taken more first premiums at agricult,
raj shows at home and abroad. Last ia
one of his fat hogs weighed 1862 pounds DIRE
sed-and five averaged GOO pounds each.
u the fall of '66 twelve of them averaged ):
pounds. We saw five or six large breedir
h sows running in the pasture field, having i
of other feed, and as fat as they ought to bt
al, also very superior boar, of fine quality ar
great length, good for 700 to 500 poun,
e, weight when fat.
in The pig-pen is new building, erected |
or ]. $. on plan of his own, and placed at
re- proper distance from the spring-house.
M is designed chiefly for the young and gro,
be ing pigs, who live on the milk from Il
me spring-house and Is 30 feet long by 2s fe
ne. wide; a raised plank for walking on al
nd feeding into the troughs passes through 1
middle, with range of pens on either 81
~ six feet wide. The floors are all laid wi
ny two-inch plank, raised at the back, and ha
II ing fall of six inches. towards a sunk
emf trough on either side of the boardwalk ]
de- litter is allowed, and the several pens {
OF kept clean by a common spade, scraping
Up. droppings into the trough through openir
g. left for the purpose. This trough is ma
y. just the width of spade, SO that its c.
For tents can readily be scraped every day il
we "A large box at the end of the building. Il
Of ing doors, working in Slots from each p,
communicate to the open passage way,
only part not under roof These do
'Ae- when lifted up and taken out, arc made
CUT aetly to fit across the passage-way, wi
iese there is occasion to transfer the pigs fr
Ing any one pen into any other, making
oie; very simple operation. The two II
and troughs have fall of eight inches 7
our pena commodities readily fifty shoats
Sew The corn field contained eleven aci
an planting four feet each way, with til
ars, stalks In the hill Part of the corn had b.
ow, husked, showing yield to each shock m
and ing so bushels Of corn TO the acre over
elve field. 1t was noble field of corn, OF
last markably even and regular growth, the
re- riety being what is called the large
XIII Chester county corn.
year On the barn floor we saw 700 busbel
any Early Goodrich potatoes. Their yield
season was less than 200 bushels to the a,
nese and there had been no appearance of
one The Human potato, believed to bethe Sc
six as the Buckley Monitor" is relied on
i as the late crop. and were moi vet dug III
vine have proved everywhere n most produc
merry and valuable potato.
lGS, On walking over this fine firm we
xiii somewhat at loss TO discover what was
special branch relied ON for main profits.
'xer- concluded that everything grown or raj
cites was speciality, half crops of anything
their entering into the calculation. The butte
IGk. all an naned and sold hafnrahand In the