Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-07-14

ISlQeTdDlG QuauIllN VI JliG LlOSL 1lCShGNIf
and he used them all with bOuntiful
hand. With his last years experience
to guide him, and new ideas obtained
from different sources, he made vast
improvement and cleared five hundred
dollars over and above all the money he
had expended. Besides he had planted
a third of an acre of rhUbaTb, and from
which he realized nothing that year
But he had worked early and late and
had sold all his produce himself, and in
that wav obtained a much larger price
for it. The next year came his Thubarb.
He placed over it early in spring two or
three weeks before the ground opened
inverted barrels and boxes (which he
had prepared befOrehand) and covered
his bed with the leaves he had gathered
the fall before, three feet deep; which
soon generated sufficient heat to force
the plants, by keeping them at tenn
perature between fOrty-fiVe and sixty de-
J grees. His crop was unusually early and
brought a correspondingly high price,
and with little labor the plants remain
ed in a good bearing condition for three
or four years, only requiring tOp-dress-
ing dug in, in spaing or fall.
. And in this way he went on getting
| fertilizers from the woods, the river and
any that could be easily transported
/ from D.. Carrots he found grew read
lily on ground of ordinary richness, and
/ the third year of his gardening, he sold
/ ten tons without any eXDence for fertil-
iZing. A year or two after this he sue
/ ceeded in firmly roofing cranberTies over
/ q number of acres of salt marsh. The
/ expense was quite large at first, but in 4
/ few years proved a profitable invest
ment, for the land was well suited to
! their culture and paid him yearly more
than two hundred yer cent, on all out
! lays.
Ten years from the first trip to D,
and he had built a handsome and COM
mOdiOUs farmhouse and had twenty
/ acres under a high state of cultivation.
He had not put by any money, but the
! farm had quadrupled its value.
A company from New York at this
/ time, purchased a fall of water a mile or
/ two below his farm, and building two or
/ three cotton factories, a considerable vii
| lage sprung rapidly into existence. Now
was removed his greatest trouble. He
/ had considerable difficulty in procuring
q sufficient quantity of fertilizers, but
| the existence of the factories and the
population that gathered round them re-
moved the trouble.
Twenty-Five years from his first trip
to D, I went with a friend to see his
farm.
We left our horse under the shade of a
magnificent elm, tied to handsome iron
post in front of some of his cultivated
grounds. We went through a rustic
gate, the beauty of which was greatly
enhanced by hop vines being twined
gracefully over its sides and top, DIP the
nicely gTavelled walk, with the hand
some yet practical grounds on each side,
whose beautiful plants and luXuriant
vegetation l have never seen eXcelled in
this climate. The hall door was wide
open, and while waiting for some one to
answer our ring, noticed that it was
furnished handsomely. A large, COM
Portable looking sofa, books, pictures
and flowers told a pleasant story. We
found in the sitting room into which we
were ushered, a large open piano and
some fine music; beyond, in another
room, connected with it, were large
cases of books, covering the whole of
one side Of the room. One table was de-
voted to newspapers and periodicals,
and many of them the best that are
printed in the country. Fine pictures
hung upon the walls while elegant plants
and two singing canarieS completely
filled a large bay window. The carpet
was neat and tasteful, the different piec-
es of furniture charmingly arranged and
over all there was that happy hOme-IOOk,
so readily seen in some homes, so sadly
wanting in others.
Mr.. Clark soon came in, and as he gave
us a hearty greeting, looked and acted
the true farmer. He was bluff, yet ge-
nial and though his face was sun-brOwn-
ed, and his hands hard with honest toll,
his eye told of unusual intelligence, and
in every movement was in that peculiar
manner which makes one feel by intui-
ton that its owner is fully alive and
makes the most of all within his reach.
We passed through the large, airy
kitchen, with all the modern improve
ments, and where a maid of all-work
helped to Tighten the work of the wife
and daughter, to the numerous OutbuiId-
ings necessary for the farm. Every
thing I'D order, everything in place. Here
he showed us his large market wagon
drawn by two horses and used only by
himself, and a smaller one used in the
Spring, and with which some one help
ed him during a few weeks in the sum-
mer.
But we did not stay long i'm the build
ings, for we knew that the farmer want
ed to be among his men, and after few
glances at his machinery for farming
and his fine stable of horses we went out
among the men. He took us first to
strawberry lot of over two acres, and
where q dozen women were buSily pick
ing for the next days sale.
" Do you find this a profitable crop"
I asked, as we admired the fine large
plants and eat of the delicious fruit.
"Last year." said Mr.. Clark, 4 made
just eight hundred dollars on my straw
berries. This year / eXpecttO do better
Any one can succeed with strawberries
by following a few simple directions,
which can be found in most agricultural
works.
1.-TWO acres of rhubarb and the first
cut, the first of MayW interrOgated my
friend.
''Yes, a full two acres, themost sim
pie of all crops to raise and the most |
prOfitable.u
Here are my forcing pits" he con-
tinued as we turned a corner and stood |
at the end of the first one. Il have just |
had three new ones built and with all !
the latest improvements and | find |
them vastly superior to my old ones
Since D. has grown to be such a large |
city have considerable trouble to sup |
ply customers there, and in our large |
village, even with my five forcing hOus- |
es. Here are my two acres of sweet corn. |
commence planting about the Middle /
of May, and continue planting every
two or three weeks until the last of June. !
That is about as late as l can plant and |
secure a crop"
But I cannot stop to paTticuiZe all the
beautiful Vegetables the farmer so proud
ly showed us. There were the three acre
lots of cOrrOts, cabbages and early pota-
toes, large quantities of early and later
peas, tomatoes, squashes Of different |
kinds, cucumbers, beats, onions, beans
and in fact, almost everything that can
be thought of, which will flOTUish in our
climate. Last of all he took us down to
the marsh and showed us the cranber-
ries that were just beginning to grow
their fruit.
"COme into the house, gentlemen"
said Mr.. Clark, after we had finished
our tour Of inspection, "and rest your
selves. You shall have some wine made
from my curTants more than a. dozen
years ago"
We met his wife and lovely daughter
in the pleasant sitting room and passed
q delighted half hour
'' I am sorry, Mr.. D.u said our host at
parting" that my son is not at home.
This is his term Mt an Agricultural Col
lege. As soon as he graduates he pro-
poses to help share my labOrs. Come
and see us when he is at home, you will
al I. .Ns.0.N :.