River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-10-25
HOUSE. FARM AND GARDEN.
English and American Farm Manag'
meng.


English and American Farm Manage
ment.
Thinking of the ideas about farming,
which are entertained on this side the
Atlantic and on the other-in England in
particular, it is very singular how they
differ. A gentlemanly common farmer,
an associate of tenant farmers, and friend
and companion of the farmer whose
thoughts appear here-at least he was IN
days of yore. OF over a quarter of cen
fury since-has been writing respecting
former occurrences, and future facts and
prospects.
To show the difference it is only neces-
sary to state, what everybody here knows
to be true, that it is considered that a
farmer in America must not only have
hourly supervision of his laborers, but
nine out ofte suppose 1t to be essential TO
lead the workmen, literally saying ',come
along boys Indeed it is nothing uncom-
mon to see the "boSsm take hold of any
tool or implement, and put it right for
working with, while the maa looks o.,
and moreover it is customary for the
farmer to do all his errands after supper,
going to the store and obtaining seeds,
and leaving there butter, eggs, vegetables
and Other-farm produce.
Now, this English farmer manages sew
eral hundred of acres belonging to Lord
Redesdale, at Batsford, and has general
supervision of several thousands rented
by the year in farms of from $50 up to
500 acres. He also has the same to do
for Sir Chas. Rushout whose estate joins
the other, the only intervening land be-
ing the Rectorial farm of about 500 acres,
which was the home of him whose
thoughts run there, for his boyhood be-
came merged there into manhood, and he
afterward managed an extensive baronial
domain in the vicinity. This land stew
ard had also charge of another smaller
place called "Banks Fee adjoining Leg
incote and at the East of both the last
mentioned places he rented farm at
Longborough, the property of Lord Lee,
so that it will be admitted he had ample
opportunity of knowing all about the
tenants circumstances.
1t is a fact that on all this tract of land
and among this numerous tenantry, not
one farmer could be found to turn out
with his men to work, although they
would not be idling or sitting still. There
is much mere labor done on an English
than on an American farm, so there is
much more to be looked after, and more
than treble the number of live stock is
kept, so that a farmer has more to SIC to,
especially as sheep are in great numoers
on every farm. Now from what has
been said in the correspondence, there Is
little change of habits among farmers
since 1850. Yet during the 26intervening
years, wages has risen from 60 TO 20 Per
cent, SO that with the heavy taxation, and
the rents which run to about SO per
acre, exclusive of taxes, il is astonishing
how they meet payments and yet keep
up very respectable homes. For the
smallest farmers keep at least one serv-
ant girl apiece to help their wives, and
riding horse for each of themselves.
The explanation of this seeming super
iority in management is, first: the greater
quantity of cattle and sheep to be sold as
well as of the wool, butter. pigs and
wheat; and second: the mu heavier
crops of every variety resulting from the
amazing quantity of manure dropped by
so many animals; aud third all the best
farmers use so much oilcake, etc, TO fat
ten to the best quality of meat, that me
| beef and mutton make top prices, and the
rich manure forces extra yields of grain
as we'll as extraordinarily heavy root
crops; so that it is not exaggerating TO
say the yield of grain is at least four
times CD more than on American farms.
Then the grass land is no expense to
English farmers, for ii never needs re-
newing in any way, and the pas
tured portion of every farm is never ma
nured otherwise than by the cattle which
Craze it, for the dairy fields do not be-
come in the slightest degree exhausted,
excepting it may be in some parts of
Cheshire, where it is not customary to
put sheep on in winter In all other
parts of England it is usual to put breed
ing ewes in the dairy fields directly
the COWS are taken to the yards. There
they are foddered with hay placed in
racks, thus giving good dressing OF
sheep dung. Nor is their cropping the
grass injurious to its growth the following
season, so far as the quantity of milk
Welded by the cows is a criterion, be-
cause the ewes are removed by the first
of March to give ample time for sutfi-
cient grass to grow for the COWS by May.
No English farmer delays preparation
for seeding till April. The manure is
hauled in the winter as fast as made, or
whenever the weather permits. The
farmer then has it turned over once or
twice, or a third time, if not well mellow
ed, after which it is applied, so that it is
in a condition to feed the crops from the
start.
Commercial fertilizers are used for the
turnip crop, but the favorite way is to
feed the land with food for the plants by
feeding the cattle and sheep with rich
food; oiIcake being the chief and most
general, because the dung from the ami
mails fed on it, enriches the soil more than
that from any other kind of fattening
food.
Now. if American farmers who own
their farms were to keep lots of live stock
and use quantities of oilcake, meal, bran,
etc, they would have rich land, grow
three-fold the crops they do now. Ashley
have no rents TO pay. they would become
as wealthy as the English landowners;
for they would have & ne same support for
their housekeeping and families as the
English farmers, and the rent these pay
to their landlords as well. This winter
then is a good time to begin, but 1t IS no
use TO buy the stock unless there is cour-
age enough to feed without stint, for there
is no such pitiable sight as TO see a man
with a quantity of cattle, sheep, &c.,i afraid
to give them sufficiency OF good food.
of course the animals will have to be fed
according to what il is intended to do with
them, and any one who has not judgment
to do this is not a genuine farmer. and has
to suffer loss at first, till experience gives
him practical knowledge.
Condensed food for horses, the manu-
facture of which has lately been begun
in Russia, gives entire satisfaction, ac-
cording to the Journal of St Petersburg.
1t is composed of crushed oats, gray-pea
flour, hemp-seed oil and salt. The paste
is cut into thick cakes four inches in
diameter. weighing, when dry, one