The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-08-28
Farttt ana Gathen.
AGR1cUHURE IN WEST EEw JERSEY

X
count of Quaker agriculture, in West
j ersev, from the New York World of
last Saturday. It will be read by our
agricultural friends, especially, with
great interest and profit:
Reader, ifyou wish to see bright and
broad example of the best, the truest}
the soundest agriculture on this conti-
nent, a system by which the farm and
the farmer alike grow rich, 60 to Phila-
delphia, cross the river along which it is
built. and take the cars for Salem. For
some miles you will pass through lever
and not very fertile region. where the
growth is white oak and some pine. At
the distance of twenty-five or thirty
miles southwest from Camden, and five
or SIX from the Delaware river, the
traveller comes into this magnificent ag-
ricultural region. On every sidei as
far as the eye can reach, he sees q suc-
cession of fields cultivated tor every
square foot, and loaded with the prom
ise of harvest. There are great fields
of corn, in some instances sixty acres in
extent, v here the great regal blades OF
maize are nodding and tossing in the
summer wind. On the other side, q
wheat field Of ten, fifteen or twenty-five
acres in extent has yielded its golden
burden. and between the drills we see
rank growth OF clover almost conquer
ing the stubble, and about to cover the
surface with generous foliage and scar
let bloom. At the distance OF few
rods from the highway We pass iarm
houses: they are about q quarter OF
mile apart, plain, but strong in archi-
lecture, embowered in trees, and fiank-
ed by a grand array of wheat stacks,
apple orchards, and great, aifillent
barns, with outbursts of fodder from
door and windows, and beneath we'll
designed yard. paved with foot or two
feet of rich, well-rotted manure. Ihese
people are no amateurs from the city,
who have bought thlrty-thousand doi-
lar farm in order to get cream TO pour
over their Strawberries, or place TO eat
asparagus plants. We drive in and talk
with the owner. His plain speech and
modest bearing proclaim his RELIGION
He has no large words, no boasts, no
ostentations, but informs us that from
wonder field OF six acres he took two
hundred bushels OF wheat. This corn
field last yearyielded seventy-hve BUSH
els to the acre
He has had no rain for six weeks, and
will not make so much this year, DUE
not less than sixty, he thinks. 1onder
clover-fleld of five acres gave him twelve
tons, and this handsome second growth
he will turn under next month, and
then, after sowing wheat, will dress in
the spring with two hundred pounds
per acre of ground bone, or phosphate,
or Peruvian guano. We walk over his
acres. They came TO him from an un-
Gle, except the land on the other side OF
yon timber, which his wife inherlted.-
He shows us his hogs, his hens, his gang
plough and his mari pit. Then we drive
on through other fields, pass other coun-
try homes, and dine with the fortunate
owner of a hundred and forty acres OF
this admirably cultivated region. lie
commenced poor thirty-iive years ago
as a tenant, when he thought his crop
gsod If an acre yielded him Twenty-Five
bushels of corn or twelve OF wheat. Lie
gave forty y-fve dollars when he bought
Several years ago, when Polk was Presi-
dent. Now he would look away from
an offer of two hundred. He has no
idea of going West. Omaha has L0
Charms; he cares nothing for the price
of land on the line OF the Pacific railroads
nor amid the hills of East Tennessee.
And now the reader asks for reason
for all this. Why are these farmers SO
happy aud content? Why do their
lands so steadily appreciate? We an
swcr that su.h success is won enly,
where favoring nature has been aided
by skill and industry on the part OF
man. These Salem county farmers are
proud of their business, and earnest to
know the secrets and established rules
of successful agriculture. They CON-
pare usages and grow wise by mutuaf
instruction. Ifreduced to code of n1-
merical statement, the outline OF their
IN cnnNayyhQf f0lI0HA.
L. The Quaker farmer of West Jersey
has no fancy rotions, no curious theo-
ries, no blind devotion to book-farmiags
He reads the rural literature of his day,
but has Judgment to see what is good
for him, and what is useless. His sub
soil is porous and easily penetrated by
the roots of corn, clover and wheat,
therefore he finds no advantage in
ploughing deep. He raises crops OF
universal value and in perpetual de-
mand, hence he spends little time In
hunting market and watching for All
extra five cent per bushel.
2. He has a sound and uniform sys-
tenn in rotation, getting over his fields
once IN five years with this succession
,phedt, corn, potatoes, oats, clouer; or, corni
potatoes, potatoes, clover, lohedt: In the
low places he puts herdsgrass and timo-
tny on Dryer l2nua.
3. lie adds yearly to the actual value
of his acres by putting upon them either
| mari from his pit or compost made from
the growth of reclSimed marshes. On
wheat he puts phosphate, unless
he gets rank clover with mari and plows
| that in.
4. Though relieved by kind nature
from the necessity Of deep tillage, he
plows often and keeps his crops clear.
5. He seldom has business away front
home. He contracts few debts. He
! has few wants, and no vices.
II this describes model farmer ve
can only say that it is no fancy sketch.
| Ii the reader would see broad and elo-
quent refutation 10 the standard fling
of ''Farming don't pay" let him visit
this part of New Jersey. lie will find
here pure legitimate farming; not nur-
sery business, nor a tlourishing truck
| patch. But in every symbol and proof
of success, in clear culture, spacious
homes, refined society, unsullied honors
| spo.less morals, snowy linen and load
| cd tables, he will see what substantial
honors and joys nature has for him
whose hands are brown with honest
work; who displays thrift, sagacity, and
| Judgment in his management, and whose
| heart Is warm with gratitude aud light
with contentment.