The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-08-21
farMlRrs' Column.
9 Speed the PlOsc.o
John JOllnstOn's Farm.

The Country Gentleman has an account of
a recent visit to the venerable John john
ston of Geneva, N. Y, from which we make
some extracts, chiefly on account of the
testimony in regard to the prime impor
lance of manuring.
"Mr. Johnston came to Geneva from
southwest Scotland fifty-two wears ago.
with but little capital, comparatively. but
having much OF the economy, energy and
thrift necessary to enable any one to sue
coed in a comparatively new country. He
is now' at the age of eighty-four, hearty,
and farm hands, and apparently as capable
OF directing and conducting all the opera
lions 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.
ION being asked wherein lay the secret
OF his success, he replied, Manure, sir, ma
nure, and plenty Of it, The one main OBJ
Ject 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 lie was obliged to
borrow money. In order that capitalists
should be willing to lend him the money
needed from time to time, he was compeli
ed to raise large crops of wheat, which was
then the staple crop in Western New York.
By bringing the average yield of the fam
up from twelve CT fifteen bushels per acre
to thirty, and never allowing a crop to fail
for want of care, cultivation or manure. he
became celebrated as farmer that would
be sure to have crop of grain sufficient to
meet all obligations; and moneyed men
were willing to lend him all he needed
After some years he purchased fifty acres
adjoining his original farm, the owner Of
which said that manure would do no good
on his land. In the barnyard there were
three years manure accumulated, which
Mr.. Johnston obtained with the farm. lie
paid $1,000 for the fifty acres, the most of
which lie borrowed; but, said he, THAT
manure paid every cent for the farm"
"He has always raised large quantities
of corn-sometimes fourteen or fifteen hun
dred bushels in single season-never sell
ing buslel 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 thous-
and sheep in single winter, buying in
the fall and selling when well fattened. Tn
addition to the grain used, he has always
fed considerable oil-meal, solely to increase
the value of the manure, although he OBJ
tanned the value Of the meal in increase of
flesh on the sheep, thus getting back dou-
BILE 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 ofthis manure, Mr.. j. showed us
a spot in wheat field where he had VIM
tered flock of sheep in yard around a
hay stack tifty-one years ago. Although
not MANFRED since, that wheat is thicker
and larger where this yard was located
than in any other portion of the field which
had been well MANFRED From long con-
tinued and thorough comparative trial he
has found that the application of barnyard
manure gives the greatest returns when APP
piled 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 exam
pie 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"