The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-05-17

Hand d now decidedly the best part or tie
farm. He has cultivated other portions
Of the place with success. Trees nave
been planted In large numbers, 90 that
while an abundant supply Of good timber
has been obtained the natural features Of
the farm have been much enhanced,
Though Mr.. Greeley comes from q race
OF lumberlnen, and is a true ntilitarian
about timber, believing that II exists Tor
use rather than for ornament, yet he saye
In one Of the many feeling passaEes In
"What | Know About Farmine:" NJ
have q hearty love for forests. They
prefer quite compani0nship 10 the
thoughtful and rest u the overworked,
teveEed brain. Our streams will be(uller
and less capricid6s, our gales less destruc.
tive, our climate more equable, when we
shall have reclothed our rugged slopes
and rocky crests with trees" Il isinthis
spirit that ho has added TO tho trees on
his estate, and 1t Is thus evident why he
takes so much pleasure In working among
them as Is his weekly custom. MI. Gree.
Icy Is especially fond OF fruit trees, and az
his township (Newcastle) Is said 10 have
formerly grown more apples per annum
than any other township in the United
States II Is natural that he should have
given some attention to raising apples.
and his orchards are well kept and well
looking. The trees are planted with
beautiful regularity, and are straight, well
shaped, and Of uniform size, none Of them
sprawling and slanting about as In go
many other orchards. They were white
with blossoms, and made q picture which
any one might have admired. y-'
In summarizing the impressions derived
from inspecting Mr.. Greeley's farm, I have
reached the following conclusions: First.
The natural features Of the place are very
charming, and they have been much In.
creased by Its present occupant. The
contrast between the well titled fields, the
abundant and lnxuriant timber, the pic.
tutesque knobs OF rock overgrown with
heritage, the leaping and splashing brook,
and the pleasant scenery around, Is very
marked, and supplies more variety than Is
common on most American farms. With
the aid Of landscape gardener It might be
made still more beautiful, but as It Is the
charms are apparent at glance. Second,
There Is not the least attempt at display,
but everything is simple and unpreten.
tious, The place Is also very neat. There
are no broken down fences or heaps OF
rubbish lying around. The barn aud sta.
bic are clean, and their surroundings are
not offensive. The garden Is well kept,
and the greenhouse full Of fine plants.
Considering Tat It's owner has been able
to give so littic tine to It's direction 1t Is
remarkably well kept place, and 1t might
stand comparison with many far more
pretentious estates. When Mr.. Greeley
bought 1t there were stones in the fields |
varying In size from that ola brass kettle
up TO that OF q hSystack; some Of them rails.
ing their heads above the surface, others
burrowing just below it These had been
ploughed around and over hundred times
by his predecessors; but he went to work |
with drill or blast and removed them en-.
tirely, so that I did not see stone
anywhere except in his walls. He
has also damned the small stream which
runs through the place, and formed q |
pretty pond by this means at It's upper
part, which has added much 10 the fer.
tility OF the adjacent land and Is pictur. |
esque feature in itself He has abolished |
most Of his fences, believing that they
only obStruct and deform the ground, i'm.
pede ploughing, and foster weeds, briars,
and destructive animals. This gives a
pleasant open appearance TO the farm, and
enables the visitor to wander about freely |
over hill and through woods without |
having'to stop to open gates or take down
bars. Such fences as are left standing are
well made and durable, and not falling TO
pieces or all on slant, like the majority
which are seen most on American farms. |
He has made abundant use of natural and |
artificial manures, and his land has been
fattened by exteLaive use of phosphate,
lime, ashes, and muck. He believes
firmly that TO get much out of the soil |
you must put plenty into il, and as single |
instance Of his success in this respect he |
has obtained three tons OF good hay to |
the acre from land which, when bought,
did not yield half ton. / have already
referred to the protection given 10 birds |
and animals by Mr.. Greeley, due partly |
to his humane feelings and also to his
belief that they are the only sure allies
against the ravageS Of insects. He has a
holy horror Of bird nest robbers and |
sportsmen, and will not allow them to
enter his domain; and to use his own
words, "the birds know their own friends"
and make his woods melodious with their
songs. Like the squirrels, they are UNI
commonly tame, and fly about and enjoy
themselves without the least fear of mo.
lestation. "5,s- la.a,i K +. i
MIR. Greeley said that in choosing his |
place he bore in mind its beauty as well
as its suitableness for producing good
crops. 1t was originally rather icver.and.
agueish; but his drainage has abolished
that pest, The house is very plain, and
just such acne Us a man OF moderate
means would have been content with
twenty years ago. He. keeps several
cows, horses, and pigs and his barn,
where they are housed, Is solid building.
with arched windows and quite pictur.
csque,appearance: An intelligent gentle.
man living near by afterwards told me
that the farm was better than the average
in the vicinity, and had been much ill.used
in past days '3+'.. ~ .-7.r-r5
Mr., Greeley does, not, make any pre-.
tence Of being much Of a farmer. He
began too late in lie. and has been too
necessarily sharassed5by multiplicity OF
cares 10 make much. progress. He him.
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