Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-07-05
The Way to Succeed in Farming.

~ "a ittfhA nNtiiuE VI Aii' NNhN'ANf e's 'aff
Farmers Club, Mr.. Joseph Wentworth, for
merly of Carroll county, now a resident OF
Concord, was called on to talk, and respond.
ed as follows:
Since S44 have occupied and improved
the old homestead of my father, situated in
Sandwich, Carroll county, farm renowned
as being, in the early settlement Of the town,
the residence Of Judge Beds, aud afterwards
that Of Elder DR.. Crosby, the father Of Drs
Dix and Josiah Crosby, also Of John Crosby,
who is now resident Of said town. Ii is a
farm containing some three hundred acres,
including the mountain pasture Of hundred
acres situated on high elevation OF land
overlooking most Of the town, sloping north.
ery, westerly, and southerly, and has strata
Of ledge or rock running from two to ten feet
under the surface all over the crown OF the
bill.
1t is what would be called d cilyey and
wet subsoil, but many acres Of 1t will produce
good corn, wheat or potatoes, IT properly
cared for To increase the value Of said farm
by bringing it into higher state Of cultva-
ton, by making it produce more grass apples,
&C., has occupied much Of my attention. |
first, for some years, sowed cat. in the spring
and turned them under at the time Of head
ing also turned grass under in June, but
neither of these results were satisfactory.
Then took to carting muck from the low
ground, about q mile distant, giving it good
LAYERS Of uuslackened lime letting it lay in q
large pile for a year or more. giving it two
or more landings but this found did not
remunerate me. | afterwards discovered that
it did pay to cart it into the cow-yard to
absorb the urine during the year, and com.
mend this practice to all farmers; and II
muck is not to be had, then turf, or soil Of
any kind will give good results. After some
years experience | learned that | was bound
ed in all my cultivation by the size Of my
manure heap that was going over too
much ground, and what did, had better
do well-manure more highly--plow, plant
and hoe better Accordingly | turned out tC
pasture at least one-half Of my fields brought
ncver-faiIing water into my barn, not per
hitting my cattle to leave the yard unit
spring, when before they went some half
mile or more to drink, wandering over
territory of some fifty acres BY this ar
rangcment | saved in time, in feed, and ii
fertiIizing properties. should do injustice
to my resources in farming if | forgot +
mention that in the rear Of my house, in con
nection with my water closet | have va
or hole IN the ground some Twelve lee
square and four feet deep, where all the was
Of the house, soap suds, &c, 60 in together
with an occasional load Of muck or turf. Thi
is to be handled over in cloudy weather, whei
it is quite as well to do nothing as 1t Is I
hoe or NOV, and at the end OF each year
lind this bank alone aiiording me some SIX O
eight cords OF valuable compost,
have tried superphosphate, both broad
cast on grass land and in the hill, with littl
or no success. l have no faith IN 1t on m
farm on other SOILS 1t may remlnerate
Plaster, particularly in dry season, thlnl
pays well. am, however satisfied that N
artificial Fertilizers are sufficient to keep u
annually cropped soil, and the only safe wa
is for the farmer to use them in conjunction
with the barn-yard and other manurlal resour
ces OF the farm.
Bat the golden treasure OF my Homestead
is my apple orchard, consisting of 100 tree
that set out twenty-iour years ago, thirty
feet apart, (being then four years from tn
seed), raised and budded by my father
in-law, in Brookline, Mass. As he was
successful farmer, let his history illustrate
what New Hampshire boy can do-ior h
was mere boy when he left East Washing
ton for the aforesaid town, with no resources
except a strong arm and willing hands, anC
took up and settled upon piece of pasture
land OF thirty acres. | hrst made his ac
Quaintance in le4i, and found him leading
his ten men on the aforesaid acres, paying a
omnibus stable in South Boston $500 per an
mum for what manure they made, stlpulatinl
with them not to keep less than seyent
horses, and he selling annually from $500
to $4,000 worth Of vegetables to Bosto
markets; finding, also, upon said acres son
800 apple trees Of his own raising, which a
forded him the following year over 700 ba
rels of Baldwin apples.
On his first visit to my farm, | was struc
much manure to raise my weeds as IT did n
his soil lie told me IN take rs GOOD care
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