The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-06-20
Ghe Sarmer.
John Johnston,s Farm.

The Country Gentleman has an account
Of a recent visit to the venerable John
Johnston, of Geneva, N. Y. from which VIC
make some extracts, chiefly on account of
the testimony in regard to the prime i'm
portance Of manuring.
" Mr.. Johnston came to Geneva from
southwest Scotland fifty-two years ago,
with but little capital, comparatively, but
having much of the economy, energy and
thrift necessary to enable any one to sue
coed in comparatively new country. He
is now, at the age of eighty-four, hearty,
vigorous farmer, able to oversee his farm
and farm hands, and apparently as capable
OF directing and conducting all the opera
tions necessary to make farm pay, as at
any time during his long life; and seems
to enjoy the competence he has secured
in remarkable degree.
"On being asked wherein lay the secret
of his success, he replied, +" Manure, sir,
manure, and plenty of it" The one main
object in his farming has always been to
make all the barnyard manure possible.
He said that when he first went upon his
farm his means were limited, and he was
Obliged to borrow money. In order that
capitalists should be willing to lend him
the money needed from time to time, he
was compelled to raise large crops Of wheat
which was then the staple crop in Wes-
tern New York. BY bringing the average
yield of the farm up from twelve or fifteen
bushels per acre to thirty, and never al
lowing crop to fail for want Of care, cul-
tivation or manure, he became celebrated
as farmer that wonld be sure to have a
crop Of grain sufficient to meet all obliga-
tions; and moneyed men were willing TO
lend him all he needed. After some years
he purchased fifty acres adjoining his orig
inal farm, the owner of which said that
manure would do no good on his land. In
the barnyard there were three years ma
nure accumulated, which Mr.. Johnston
obtained with the farm. He paid 81 500
for the fifty acres, The most of which he
borrowed but, said he, shat manure paid
every cent for the farm.
He has always raised large quantities
OF corn-sometimes fourteen or fifteen
hundred bushels in single season-neyer
selling bushel of it except in the shape
OF mutton or beef. The principle means
used IN the production of manure on this
farm has been the feeding Of sheep for
mutton. He has often fed nine hundred
or thousand sheep in single winter,
buying in the fall and selling when well
fattened. In addition to the grain used
he has always fed considerable oil-meal
solely to increase the value Of the manure,
although he obtained the value of the meal
in increase of flesh on the sheep, thus get
ting back double pay for his investment.
Mr.. Johnston considers sheep manure
much more valuable than any other farm
yard manure. As an instance Of the last
ing value of this manure, Mr.. j. showed
us spot in a wheat field where he had
wintercd a flock of sheep in yard around
hay stack fifty-one years ago. Although
not manured since, the wheat is thicker
and larger where this yard was located
than in any other portion of the field,
which had been well manured. From
long-continued and thorough comparative
trial he has found that the application Of
bamyard manure gives the greatest returns
when applied on the surface.
In addition to heavy manuring, he has
been obliged to underdrain his whole farm,
but our readers are mostly familiar with
his remarkable success in draining. 1t
will suffice to say that in this respect his
example has done more than that Of any
other man to increase the positive value Of
the farms in that section of the country,
and more or less all over the United
States"