The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-06-10

HEIDEIsBERGs CHAHlfOITE w., .f91
- 1saan june 8, 1878. asl
Some Of my early letters gave some ac-
count of the model farms Of Colonel 8. 8.
Bradford, Culpepper county, and John J.
Shipman, Fairfax county, with some In
Warren, Shenandoah and other counties.
In this lettersit Is proposed TO give some
description of q model farm in Charlotte
county. which Is regarded with pride by
everybody in this section. It is the prop
crty Of Ct. A. Heidelberg, ESQ.,, situated
between brakes Branch and Charlotte
Courthouse. lying near the little Roanoke
river. and contains about four hundred
acres of diversified lands--some fiat inter-
walls, some rolling, and portions Of fine
timber; but the cultivated portions
were badly worn and exhausted.
when, a few years = ago, Mr..
Heidelberg took possession of and began
to farm it and he has so far resuscitAted
and reclaimed it, with the aid Of clover
barn-yard manure. and proper rotations
of crops, good stock, stout horses, and Inc
dustrious attention. that now he gets splen-
did crops Of wheat, tobacco, corn and hay |;
and has all the time made Il pay, while
bringing It up; he is reading, thinking,
intelligent gentleman; and himself and
sons do most of the large amount Of
work on the farm. He had large yield of
good wheat last year, as well as other
crops, and has luxuriant crops which pro-
misses abundant barvests this year indeed
| have not seen field of wheat, this year,
superior to his, and not half dozen equal;
while his corn is stonter and more forward
than any have seen; portions OF his wheat
will be ready to harvest in a fortnight.
The yards around his barns, stables and
other buildings are scraped and cleaned
up. and his fields are cleared from weeds !;
while his buildings are neat and in good
repair, and tools and implements safely
housed. when not in use; then, the family
give care to lawns, shrubbery, flowers
and gardens, which makes the place orna-
mental and attractive.
By seeding down with timothy and clo-
yer, and top-dressing with q thin coating OF
barn.yard manure, he has made some OF
the old sterile, waste places rs fresh and
green, as an oasis in the desert. lie has
thereby shown that clover and timothy will
do we'll here, and pyYtitably reclaim the
worn land, SO that they viii bring large
crops Of tobacco and wheat; be does no.
confine himself to either tobacco OF
HT8lus Dut IuhhCo HOOa CAOPD VI 0OtA1s SutA
makes each help tho other, with addition
Of grass and corn. Rotation, sod, meadow,
stock and top-dressing, are the means to be
used. Hgs .
have dwelt at some length on this
place, believing that it affords lesson Of
profit for those who are less systematic and
thrifty. Everything in the residence ex
hibits the same method and thoughtfulness
as the field and team works. Itall shows
an air Of taste and comfort, as well Al
work and thrift, and shows what q north
cru farmer, with industry, care, and
large fat horses, and good stock, canEdo on
old Virginia lands, BY improving on ths
old beaten track and routine, that have SC
long prevailed; bis stout teams plow deep
and the crops rise high. "a. s, 1. ..si.......
The young men, his sons, are also intel
lieent. industrious, and ambitious to &C
complish something worthy and useful
they are true chips Of the old block an.
many another young man would doswel
to take right hold Of stern iield-work, witt
unremitting system and industry. ass !,
Mr.. Heidelberg and his brave sons vii
come in from the vigorous tolis Of the fiel
and sit down with grace and cheerfulnes
to ioin tho rest Of the family, in delightft
music. vocal and instrumental; as The son
with the others can play the organ an
piano with skill, for their own and the entel
tainment Of their guests; and this IS y
moro than others can do, if they will,
Both yesterday aud to-day, we wer
visited with copious showers Of rain, a.
co,nuauied BY furious winds and thunder
and they are beneficial to the farmers b
moistening the ground for setting tobact
plants, while the young corn and gardf
vegetables are hurried up, and the gra
and meadows the very basis and found
ton OF true farming-are also much q
yanced thereby-plenty of grass Will 81
plenty Of grain. y. ,. y.