Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-01-27
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From the oxford Register
Meeting OF the oxford County Farmers
and Mechanics Club.

This club held its annual meetns :"
Andover Corner. Jan. 9Th aud 1th- l>'t'
The weather being very stormy anu TIE
travelling bad there was bur small at
tendance of farmers from other towns,
but good turn out OF the people in Ando-
yer. This town which Is situated on the
Ellis River. is one of the best farming
towns In the county, nearly all ct the
farms being of the best Kind Of intervale,
with plenty of good grazing lands on the
hills back IRON the river. We do not
think there is an other section in the coun-
~ OF the same size, with aS good farms.
a. good buildings, or that produce ~
many dollars worth of farm products.
We DO not need to say anything in praise
OF is inhabitants for their hospitality aud
courtesy to strangers is proverbial. The
only regret Ne heard during Tie couNcn-
ton was that there were not more strauS-
crs present tor them 10 entertain.
The President and Secrc,a ~ being ao-
sent. the convention was called to order
bv SylyauuS Poor, Esq. Rev. Il. Durham
of Woodstock. was chosen temporary
chairman. and \. NJ. Carter Of Bethel.
secretary.
llr. Peirce of Norway, made some re-
marks a. to the. object OF the county club.
RENOVATION OF LAND.
d.. :. Poor then moved tina; the sub
icct OF the renovation OF pasture and
moving lands" be discussed.
Mr.. Poor being called upon TO open the
subject. said that "a, they were town up
among the mountains and wi,hal rather
ba.hfll. hc had rather hear thc views and
experience of other, than To give hiS own
That in pastures he had had 40 expert
ence. but would recommend blowing and
r.-seedins when practicable, and Il wet
would ditch; that pastures were a. much
improved by SO doing a> moving and
crop lands That his practice on moving
lauds-aud ne believed Il TO be correct
~As pillow with the object both looScning
,hs soil and 20 Iii out the foul grass and
bushes, using all the manure possible and
seeding with grass and clover, with or
without cropins spoke OF oae piece ct
Ind which he treated a. follows: The
land was covered with Wild grass has
socks sud bushes, and had never produced
anything Of much value; first cut The
bushes. than gave a thorough PloWirg.
then with hook which he had made ON
purpose. and strong team drew OF the
hassoek. used a small amount Of manure,
seeded to grass and clover; this was done
some years since; the piece has produced
good crops OF hay ever since. That the
result OF his experience and observation
was that all dryjsh lands needed blowing,
manuring and seeding, but that on wet
upiauds. and low bOgy or swamp lands
good drainage was the first thing TO be
secured; had had some experience in
draining. and that hc found 10 10 be an Ell
tirely different process from what he az
first anticipated; found thar the cost was
less and the profits greater than lac eX-
pec,cd. would make his main ditch where
i, would carry on the most water, without
reference 10 wet places. then run side
drains from .t 20 all places where there
was water 70 De removed; had prNc.
ticed filling small bitches with river
sand or coarse gravel nearly To the sur
face, found this % WORK nearly as well aS
wood or tile drains. that Is on swamp
land. spoke Of one piece which every
body thought to De worthless. it was 80
bory and covered so much wiki wafer
THAI it served - fence between his pas
ture aud fields; could now raise any crop
on il that could be grown on the farm.
Mr.. Elbridge Poor inquired how land
could be made TO increase Ia productive
ness without using more manure than was
produced on the farm; that many farms.
his for one, had more land than they
could well manure; wanted 10 know ii il
could be profitably done with coucen-
tra,ed manure.
Mr.. Carter replied that with the present
mode Of farming iu this country. that he
did not believe a farm could probably De
improved by using concentrated fertilizers
thar with as hay was, and must always be
the main crop OF our farms, ana tina; he
did not believe manure ia a concentrated
form could be made 20 pay except a. a
forcer upon some special crop; could
make an exception iu favor of >ulphat- of
me-plaster-which he knew did pay
largely, and be thought could DE made 10
pay much better; could give no dchnit,
directions about using IL, but advised all
farmers TO try IL and IL it paid, 10 use H.
bur that he lid believe a farm could De
made 20 improve and keep improyin.
without any resources except the farm
that he did not have much faith M the way
most farmers tried 20 improve their grass
lands. viz TO cut the hay on a piece OF
land as long a they could yet crop worth
cutting. then pillow aud take of hoed
crop and one or two grain crops, using
meantime perhaps six or seven cords OF
yard manure per acre. which Ia many III
stances had been so leaehed by rains and
evaporated by wind and sun that it wa,
OF but little value. that by 50 doing We
might get fresh start and raise more
sraSS for year or two, bat that in re-
slty the land was poorer then when first
plowed. Thought fayOrably Of summer
ALLOWING; was doing something in that
way; could give the result better by and
by; would Use manure largely in toy
DRESSING on moist lands vou'l a1-D furu