New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-07-31
JOURNEYS AROUND HOME.
MR., BEgcHER's FARM.

n n,i,e distant and perhaps 200 feet mgh Inc
Lsss are built in good taste, the streets are shaded
With beautiful trees considerable trade seems goIng
W III the back country, and there are various
g?ods 81 manufactures which give employment anu
o,nsnerity Going through the town one passes over
ponnd which rises at almost every step, ana passing
MO tbe country, the ascent continues; ne i0'u i
pood though winding among mis-; Iooklis " ",n
ward one sees the river at great OsldnIo uoiVmm'
IN every direction forward are lofty, s"eIg hlis'
coyeTed with farms. Only IN lew places arc 'I5e!c
small matches of forest. This may he cOnsiueled III
the heart OF the cultivated Highlands.
Gong east from Peekskll along the haud mountain
road Al distance of about two miles, One comes 10
short stretch of comparatively Level ROAD DoIdeIed
ON each side with hard maple trees 10 ne elJ me
Vropnd rises gradually for nearly mile; 10 the
Tobt n declines INTO deep gorge, and beyond rises
.Say for miles, forming vast landscape. On Inc
right hand, and about an eighth Oi mhe ron lhe
road ~ a modest, cottage like house among forest
and fut trees and near by is large barn with Gu
pOlas and gilt weather-vanes also surrounded ny
trees What would he called q lane, IL IT. were
fenced turns from the road mp the ascent but being
planted on either side with hard naples, making u
tine shade, u should be called an avenue, ana the
track seems like u lnacadamized TURNPIKE. Alr
preaching the house, one passes small fountain
with brilliant flower garden near, and If the Wis
itor is expected, the owner Henry Ward Beechef
comes forward aud makes him welcome.
Mi Beecher bought this farm of 30 acres eigllt
wears ago at q cost of about 500 an acre. poor
farm house. built before the Revolution was the
nucleus of the present one, and few shade trees ana
something of n barn, with abundance Ot stone wall
included all the Improvements. In gong among the
many trees now growing MI Beechef W"uIu say, ~
lie nut his hand on them. hcSe are mlhc, pldIi''
thruD The first work 10 build a barn. lie hau
10 20 in debt 1900. and he ectured Winters 10 pay
for It, and to get more funds. Al"ee1nei 'nT nt of
debt. Had he not taken tins course the oeSsj L
would have got all ms spare change a ni,rl, w.
has way of gettm! money = JnStlne'i IN "I"Mius,
Iutfor farmer whose income no more than supports
lin it viii not do at All ,., q Tlo
A great many stones had 10 he dSp3seH on dnJJ
avenue and other ways were dug hye feet deep ana
Iled with them and powders, eight feet across
were blasted The barn is 40 10y 50 feet with all The
,onyenieuces and modern Improvements 10 I've louhu
IN any barn and in their proper plaeeS are stored
away frst-cass agricultural implements wafer
comes from springs to the feeding tronghs ana theIe
Is n well III flowing spring IN the basement, SIM
ole but unite effective gate latch oil MI beeCheI
invention would he considered 10y many worthy "l
patent III, , ,,l,.,,o,.
brceds from which all the butter required Is made,
while some is sent TO market There are one pair on
work horses. parrot carriage horses anu one YOKE
of oxen. He uses hay tcddeT ana mas u VIII Keep
IN good order whenever mower canIu We'll No h9GS
are kept now because the nelghbOrs complalned Oh
the smell though they are not very near ana II was
concluded that good neighbOThOUd - better IMAM
swine. Vegetables are started under glass Tor carry
use and it seemed in considerable quantities, lhele
was one hill OF tobacco growing III an old hot-peu
This reminds of a little story. certain man mao
a son in tine army who unfortunately, had learned
10 use tobacco and in sending him gifts from the
family the father added a box and some tobacco
with am exhOrtatiOn not to make use oi II.
The principal crops raised are garden Negelaoles'
New-York BeetS onions. cabbage, beans ana pOta-
toes are raised large scale and snch Is the rep
tatOn of these products ior qnaty t9dI eteS @
bring extra prices. The best variety OF ,PolaI0es az
used by the acre for seed. ana generally selhS ~
A. barrel while what is required for family use !
houQht at 81 "a barrel. There Is an extensive peal
CycIard and another of apples. Apple trees al'
LouCht at nurseries, and planted IN rows near 10
UethCr for trial and the final planting Is from seec
lion Forest trees raised IN nursery rows WIN =
pIenty of room and they send out Unity leaves aId
sprouts ike a st-grOwlng frilt tree. VINEYARDS
are on a large scale strawberries are abundant, and
ali the varieties of aSpbeInes ana DiackDellles
are grown for market Among the hlackbeIlles is a
new variety called the Cut Leaf; OF singular az
pearance. which passed through the WINTER Wen
and shows considerable frlt. String beans j. prom
table crop onions which are sold before they
are grown, bur on the whole MI Beechef thnks most
money can be made irem Iuta oagas.
From what could gather, MI Beecher has iOl many
years more pr less been engaged IN farming before
ibie one was bought he had farm IN LennON. Mass:
hut as IT, required day 10 20 and come II was SOLD
The east half of this farm i sprngy ana tnllE ~
acres have been thoroughly drained; the mains are
four feet deep with threench lle ana the SIDE Grams
three feet with two-inch tiles. shallow p!oWlng Is
avoided and the greater part OF the farm ma, ofeh
plOwed 20 inches deep. Considerable grazing mas
been done hut il was expensive. After God has
placed the ground IL cost much TO move H. but IL j.
necessary 10 plant and improve.
Mr. Beecher has tried all the phosphates ana
special fertilizers. but he likes famyard manure
best Even bone is not of much use with hlm / rom
100 to 1,0OO loads OF manure are put on the pace
yearly: all that Is made Is carefully saved ana there
are compost heaps of muck ana weeds. A GOOu deal
of manure is hauled from PeekSkil, and considerable
quantities Of uneached ashes are bought OF the
farmers at - cents q bushe When be was asked If
the farmers ignorant Is 10 sell Their ashes az
at this price. even at all. he said Yes; ont don
yrint il - One who commences with a poor farm
must take such fertilizers as he can get once ne
published "a musical work. and a scientific teacher
did not think much of 1t: still as people must learn
10 sing in some way IL might do To begin WHITAKER
that, something better
Fruit is produced with difficulty. and one must
fight for il. Experience has dispeed the dream Of
laziness that he who grows fruit lives IN Paradise.
Whatever may have been the condition IN former
times, constant vigilance II required now. lhis was
SAID while the red brck-dust ckanklngs of the bOrer
were observed at the roots of apple trees. The first
hired man we met ordered Immediately TO 20 Ia
work the trees. and keep at them until the enemy
Amid the good culture of vegetables, grass. and
grain, nothing is more noticeable than the flowers
They are in great pTotuslOn, and well cared iOI.
Much of this work is by his own hands When one
time s IN fragments and great occupation COntln-
uay is before. il Is of course impossible 10 engage
in the detail of another occupation though 10 direct
Others well. practical knowledge acquired IN the
days of ones apprenticeship l. ind speL>dbIe AmOHg
the great variety of flowers, hOyhock>. from seeds.
foreign and native. make most DIlHldht snow.
Only q comprehensive and well-tralned mind detects
and brings ont beauty IN things long familiar nor is
he SCduced by what j. new. unless 10 have merit,
which IN new things Is exceedingly rare.
The inquiry made whether others would be
justified IN making snCh expenditures IN the hopes OF
bringing land into like high cultivation. Yes. The way
~ with i've acres. or even one acre and
10 do Justice 10 this. neglect other parts even al
tle rest. MOSt farmers ldhe more ldlO ludl tltA
manage. A man NAV buy the Lawrence mills and
have $20OO left, but with this be could do little
more than run the mills day. Farms are 10 be valued
for what can be done with them. \ horse is bought
for what he can DO.
Regarding hired help there has been no trouble
There Is q foreman who has continued seven years
The family has carpeted rooms, aud nice furniture
and pictures Seven men are engaged this summer.
Steady hands paid e Il day through wet and dry.
There is no disputng or quarreng. and OF course.
no liquor j. drank. Nor is there % he any ditcult
abOnt wages IL one II dissatisfied u j. answered that
he shall be paid whatever is the going price other
farms. Whether everything goes smoothly from
sun to did not ASK because men are not perfect
IL was asked whether the wages paid was % be