The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-08-10


OF culture, machinery leads everything.
MS advantages on large farms are TOO great
90 need discussion For the prairie farmer
and especially the man who can command
a water power. this system, OF something
like it. presents many features worthy Of
imitation. Should ii happen that 4 farmer
had Il wafer power in the centre OF his
place 4 Slight modification of the rope and
blocks, SO that the motive power need not
move. would enable him to cultivate q
large farm with a single water wheel. In
spite of its high first cost, steam, or other
power beside horses Is destined to do all
our heavy farm work. Steam is being rap
idly introduced into English farms, ami not
alone for poughng. The crops can he
handled, thrcshed, stored and prepared for
market Ivy steam The same engine that
ploughs the land can drive the root cutter,
saw The woGd pump water, hoist the hay
TO the lofts, run the grain elevator, or DRAG
Il dozen loads 10 market at once along the
country roads
A CHEMICAL ENAAINA1IoN.
10 return to our clay farm. After the
first thorough tearing and clearing up OF
the place had been accomplished, the next
thing WAS to have Il careful chemical exam
nation made of each field, In fact the
chemist is retained, and makes regular re-
ports upon the soil. Upon those reports
the manural practice il founded. This,
was told. excited at first the greatest
amusement among the neighboring farmers.
Now they rub their sleepy eyes and admit
that the chemist is one of the best men on
the farm.
The crops We're put in entirely by ma
chinery. As fan As possible steam was EN-
ployed, and their horses have followed the
engine. None Of the tiresome hand labor
followed about London was allowed The
first four crops We're comparatively small
aud jid not pay. Soon they began TO i'm
prove, and continued improving till last
summer, when the largest crop ever known
to be gathered in the county We're cut
from these uninanured iicldS that is, fields
not supplied with barn manure. The only
manure used was from the bone mill and
the chemical works.
The method Of
pISroSING or THT CROPS
Is pccuia. Just as the various fields are
In thcir best condition, they are divided i'll
TO lots Of ten acres each, and then offered
at auction as they stand. A large company
assemble. and. after a liberal free lunch,
the aurtioHecr proceeds 20 sell every avail
able thing on the place without reserve.
he touched Bidding is active. and in one
day the harvesting and marketing are over.
Each purchaser pays down twenty per
cent, and las credit for ninety days for
THE rest if he wishes it. The crops may be
removed at the buyers convenience, pro-
v,led he does not interfere with the farm
work BY this means all expense and risk
Of harvesting, storing and marketing are
saved to the owner. Whether this pays,
the following must show. This statement
.rcducel to dollars from the books Of the
farm, was kindly given me by Mr.. Prout
himself, ut his city residence;
For labor, s $50; for seed, 81 ,250; man
urcs. $3.50; interest on land, improve
ments and hnilding, and taxes, $4,000.
This is the cost for one year, The sales
each wear averaged in the last tonr years
the sum of S23,O 900. Taking the yearly cost
from this, we have an annual profit of s.
80. Mr.. Prout is well known in London.
These facts and figures have been publish
ed again and ao N, and are beyond qucs-
tion correct.
Fonr years since the Royal Agricultural
Society hearing of This farm, sent grand
committee to examine it, They did 50,
ana solcnnly reported that such Il farm
woull certainly fail. The entire removal
OF the crops each year, and no return in
tile usual way, would sink anything. The
proprietor was destined to fail. Ruin
would visit the place shortly, The above
statement looks like it-vcIy.
This place is certainly a most remarka
bic one, Ten years ago it was estimated
to have 4 rent value Of twenty shil-
lin@s to the acre. In four years its rental
yaHe had risen TO forty shillings per acre.
At present it is higher still. The cost OF
g "a. "A i,, rfxr IL,