Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-10-31
Brains In Farming.


1t rs refreshing and encouraging to take a
glance at the broad, we'll titled acres, the
neat and coy buildings, the fat, sleek cattle
of an industrious, intelligent, and therefore
work-such an one, for instance, as Mr.
Cyrus S. Robbins of Winthrop. An hour
and halfs drive from this city, over a road
that would make glad the heart of any street
commissioner road Aanked by we'll cult
waited farms, and winding for miles by the
beautiful pond that suggested to the fathers
the name that was once applied to all that re-
gion, pond town"-will bring you to Mr..
Robbins place. An evidence of industry and
brains in farming is seen in the two-story,
reconstructed and spacious farm house, con-
venient outbuildings, stable, carriage house,
and model barn. The latter is an import
ant help to successful farming. From its ap-
pearance, the proprietor evidently believes in
the kind treatment of dumb animals-that
they will make ample returns for all kindness
and care shown them. The ''tie-up" has
plenty of light and air, and is warm and CON-
Portable in the coolest weather. Compared
with some of the homes of the poor dumb
creatures through the long, tedious winter
there is as great contrast as between com
Portable, well appointed dwelling, and a mis-
cradle, shabby cottage, through the roof of
which stars may be seen at night. A cellar
receives the droppings of the cattle, that are
worked over by the fattening porkers with
muck hauled from a meadow near by, thus
furnishing an abundance of fine dressing for
use on the farm. The supply of muck seems
almost inexhaustable. Some dozen head of
cattle are kept, and considerable attention
given to the dairy. The cows are grade
jersey, butter making being a specially.
This butter, in the Augusta market, even in
the slightest" times, brings fifty cents a
pound, while composts of lard and other
greasy and mysterious substances, called but
ter, are drug in the market for twenty five
and thirty cents. There's where the premium
comes in on brains. Colts are raised, of the
best breeds, and sold at a good figure the
hens are not like the old lady's in the story,
that "never laid when eggs were high, but
laid like fury when eggs were low" Some
care is bestowed upon the orchard the trees
must be trimmed and the borers extracted
though the least profitable crops of corn and
potatoes must suffer neglect; the old decay
ing trees that have done their duty nobly, but
are now dying, must be replaced by fresh
ones. The loose stones in the surface Of the
soil are extracted and put into fence wall,
and smooth fields take the place of chubby"
uninviting ground. The very lodges are
made to contribute to the proftableness and
value of the farm, being fairly covered with
network of grape vines, from which have
been plucked and marketed the present sea
son forty dollars worth of grapes, besides a
large quantity that has been expressed into
wine (strictly communion wine," we sup
pose,) or put down to preserves for home use
and market. So we might go on and classify
all the various resources of the farm, but
that is unnecessary. We only started out to
illustrate by these things what may be done
by the use of mind as well as muscle in farm
ing. Mr.. Robbins, who is retiring, modest
man, and will hardly thank US for thus bring
ing his affairs before the public gaze, is great
| ly indebted for his success to the active CO.
operation of an intelligent, educated and
refined companion. No woman who enters
the lists as q farmers wife, need bury her
books and forget all she has learned in the