Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1874-05-28
Aarifaltnral.

IMPROVEMENT OF WoRN.OuT MOVING
LASDs-The remark of our correspondent, d .
Ii. T., Clear View, Kenpebec, Me-, on this sub
ject, given below, are well worthy of considera-
ton:
"How to do it, is the great question with
farmers in the Older portions of Maine. Many
OF your readers in the fertile regions vf Con-
necticut, New York, and the West, as well as
those who handle the alluvial lands and clay
loans OF Maine and New Hampshire will say
Don't let them wear out. That, gentlemen, is
good advice but the trouble is thousands Of
acres Of these lands are already worn out. 1t
is humliating fact to state, but it Is fact that
i Is no very rare occurrence TO find farms In the
fertile County OF kennebec, where fifty acres
are moved annually, to gather twenty-five or
thirty tons Of hay. 1t Is no good to disguise the
fact or condemn the short-sighted band.to-
mouth system of husbandry which has brought
about this state of things. will go little fur
Their even. 1t Is no very rare thing to find
farms OF from one to three hundred acres, upon
which families have lived and gained compe-
| tence besides, built comfortable buildings plan.
ted orchards and built stone wall BY tile hun.
dreds OF rods, upon which no one now lives,
and upon which no one i'll live 10 future, up-
less the land grows again 10 timber aud is clear
ed anew. What shall we do 10 escape the same
fate' l would certainly counsel no one to 20
upon these forsaken farms aud seek to bring
them TO living standard Of fertility. Better
| far TO take the unbroken prairie or the forests
of Aroostook. But what shall We, WHO are on
the old farms of Maine, and wish TO stay ihei .
TIL called over the river, do to restore our old
| moving Fields? l have already given your
readers my views upon the injurious effects o
Autumn feeding, and wish to reaffirm all that
was then said.
In lS60 had field Of sixteen acres of high
dry, rocky land that was pretty badly run out
1 M moi -fpn I L..
from il 10 the brook, and turned in as many
sheep as thought could possibly live there
| During the best Of the season few young cat
| lie were put in to keep the feed down,as want.
ed 1t all fed closely. rhe field was fed in thi,
way till the Fall Of 1870, when il had grown q
strong, thick turf or sod, tho weeds and bushe,
Killed, aud it had the appearance OF fertility
now what shall do? Take it up and take one
OF two crops OF oats? Not at all, Sir; not at ali
That would just undo all my sheep had done
| Tor Ten years. and leave ME where | starle,
| IRON. Just fence off another lot Tor the sheen
aud NOV this again. Now Tor the result. Th,
year ISL was the memorable grasshopper year
aud the held was eaten cleaner by the pest.
than IL ever was by sheep; but in 1872 aud 1877,
IL Afforded good crop Of clean, fine hay, auC
VIII probably continue 10 do so for two wear,
more, when We will turn on the sheep again
on see, reader, this has been brought abonl
Without any outlay u money or labor " orti
| naming, The lot was fenced with store wall
and took some old cedar rails, cut them in Nv,
Tor stakes, had some poplar logs sawed int,
narrow boaris and nailed just at the top OF tb,
wall, aad the thing was done. The sheep psic
then own bills while enriching the field, and
could expend all my resources Of labor and ma
hure upon the balance Of my farm This ex
pertinent has solved the question 10 nv entir,
satisfaction, and now my sheep are fenoyatinc
| another held. One word Oh PASTURES We
bear much and See much ia the papers on i'm
proving old pastures. find 1t tile hardest III NC
Try to do. Some dry pastures grow to moss
Harrow such with harrow and four oxen, an,
80" clover and plaster. Many are coming uI
10 bushes This is nature trying hei hand al
| b} all means lei her work. lthalf oilr rock,
inihs "rir sf""n - wond, aud all our fesour
te' expended On Tie other hat w. suould b,
| TT better III.