Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-07-21
From the New England Famerl
FARM IuPROVEMENTs-uO AND WHAT.

BY n. NurTING.
should like to know how " r. y =" Of Ran.
doph, Vermont, got his farm in 50 high a state
Of cultivation, and what he could find TO sell tt
the amount OF $500 from farm Of fifty acres \
farmer here is doing well il he turns un $500 iron
farm Of one hundred acres, and some do moi
reach that amount from twice that number OF
acres X. $. D.
W,Hamstorn, w., May 3, 1863.
REMARKs.-Thc above inquiry was sub.
mitted by the Editors of the Farmer to " r
NJ himself, who has kindly responded as
foows;--
The inquiries of " X. S. D., as to " how
II. n got his farm in so high state OF
cultivation, and what he could find to sell of
from so small farm to the amount of $500, IS
open wider field for discussion than | feel
at liberty to engage in just now, however
much desire to.
In brief then, reply--by the practice of
so much common sense as Providence blessed
me with. (which, by the way, is not enough
to brag OFF! and selling the effects just as
every other man can and ought to do.
If farmers will persist in lettering their in
tellects, reason, common sense, as they do by
practically ignoring the means Of agricultural
grace that | mentioned in the article alluded
to, /. C., farmers papers, discussions aud FAM
they certainly ought not to wonder or com
plain if they don't find their farming pay 81"
As well might man complain Of being hun
cry, after having purposely plugged up his
ears so as to be unable to hear the dinner
bell!
Farming is profession, requiring not less
L.. 4
order to success, than other professions n-
stead of being, as is apparently often Supposed,
an instinct, requiring only age, or a certain
time, for perfect development
As to the high state of cultivation of
my twenty-three-acre farm, | do not claim or
think it is really in that state; it is only
comparatively so, 4. c. in better condition
than it used to be, and perhaps than those
adjoining it for | do not believe it yet pro-
duces one-hdlf what it ought to, or what it
will within five years, if don't sell out and
90 West" as my health and mechanical bust
ness demand What improvement | have
made has been by studying and practicing the
farmers profession in regard to making
saving and applying plant-food or manure
rotation of crops, and the time, manner aud
implements for the sowing planting cultivat-
ing, harvesting, feeding or marketing them
the kinds, breeds, and relative numbers of
farm stock and science of breeding them, and
best manner of feeding, using or selling them
&C., &c.,-as best | could, with several other
kinds of business to see to, feeble health, and
six children to " train up in the way they
should 60"
To be little more explicit Every foot
Of my farm is excellent arabic land slate,
loamy lime soil, with little blue clay occa-
sionally; easily worked, lying high above all
large streams, and not often injuriously affec-
ted by rain, drought or frost nearly level
descending slightly to the east, and free from
stones, stumps or other Instructions to NOW.
ers, rakes or plows--it being standing ordeI
that every stone or snag that the pillow hits
must be dug out and carted off. Every stone
big enough to throw at skunk is picked anC
drawn off from each new-seeded field before
rolling it.
The rotation is corn, pumpkins, potatoes
and turnips, on green sward turned just belor,
planting, with raw manure cultivated in, an'
a shoveltul OF decomposed manure in the hill
one year wheat, with fifteen to twenty-on
bushels unleached ashes to the acre, one year
and clover and timothy four to eight years
Product per acre, last year, early cut ertr
hay, $500 pounds; sound corn, So bushels
pumpkins, ten one-horse loads potatoes, 30
bushels turnips, 500 bushels
The stock wintered the past season is tw
large, blooded, breeding mares one stud coll
fifteen hands high four Ayrshire COWS
two large two-year-old heifers, and five yeal
lngs-fuly equal to thirteen cows, beside
poultry Dried dirt, India wheat hulls, saw
dust, leaves and refuse straw are plentiful
used for bedding, in stables where the excrt
nents don't freeze in the co ldest weather.
Our house being commOdious and near th
Normal School, we rent some rooms not neeC
ed by our family of eight, to sel-boardu
scholars, to the amount OF $3.50 to 1925
year.
Now as partially answering X S. d. 3 La
query, will mention that the hay, corn, pa
turing of three acres and fall feed, oats, Ind
wheat, English wheat, barley apples potatoe
turnips, corn-iodder and straw, pumpkin
garden sauce, berries, &C., which we ha'
raised the last season, would have sold
market prices for (Sl,00l.47) ten hundr'
and one dollars forty-seven cents and ii
stock, butter, eggs, milk and poultry sol
and $3.50 students rent, amounts to (S950.0i
nine hundred and fifty dolars--leaying II
stock worth more than it was year ago.
| have found that good stock careful al
rational teeding, comfortable quarters, Pr
better than the reUerse! Herd-book calyC
e. g., at three days old, readily sell for twent
five TO one hundred times more than scrubs
or no breed. A four-year-old heier has iu
dropped her third calf. Her two form
calves brought me sl6l.00l One COW h
made over ten pounds best butter per wee
for three. and a-half months past and Ii
mares average me about 500 each, per yea
by selling their colts at weaving time, besid
working on the farm, road and tread-whe
full enough to pay for their keeping,
Good butter, too, not only sells for a high
price, but is always in demand
] have also discovered that whenever al
man has anything to sell, it is good plan
let it be known = Raise extra good stoc
and then take it to the Fairs, and show it.
SO also Of all farm produce and there W
be found no lack of customers
Cut not less than two tons Of extra 20,
hay per acre, and cut il early before tmoii
is Ia blossom, when it takes less polcer to G
it, and il makes better hay. Keep il VIZ
aired with the American Hay Tedder
(which will save the labor of eight or b
hands,; rake it with "Warner's Revolvil
Sulky Rake and put il into the barn, in Il
best Of order, the same day II is cut. U