The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-05-02
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.

THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Cost of Stocking a TenAcre Farm.
The question of the cost of commencing
operations upon small vegetable or fruit
farm is one of great Importance to those per-
sons who contemplate engaging in this bust
ness. TO count the cost before entering into
it is prudent and necessary to success. The
money needed to bring it into a productive
condition will depend somewhat upon the
condition of the soil. LoW-priced land is not
always cheap. Land that is run down and
out of condition may need greater outlay
for manure and other fertilizers than the eX-
ira cost OF better piece purchased at high
er price. For high culture, it is best to pro-
cure soil rich enough to produce fair crop
without manure free from stones and stumps,
and well-drained naturally. For such a soil
the outlay for fertilizers can be estimated very
nearly, while for poor land no safe estimate
can be made, because no amount of fertiliZ-
ing will bring it into good condition the first
season. Soil of fairly good quality on the
other hand will respond at once to an appli-
cation of stimulating fertilizers such as Peru
Wan guano, or blood-guano, and receives both
immediate and permanent benefit from stable
manure. If the land is to be cultivated in
vegetable crops, the only outlay is tor stock,
implements, fertilizers and seeds. One horse,
harness and wagon, plow, cultivator, seed
drill, hoes, rakes and other necessaries will
cost about $3.50. A cow, two pigs, and so
chickens can be procured for 500. Half
ton of Peruvian guano per acre or its equiva-
lent in other fertilizers may be needed at
cost for eight acres of $240. Sashes for the
hot-beds, which are the first outlay, being
needed now, and horse manure for the beds,
will cost 500 or $50. These are for the growth
of early plants, such as cabbage, tomato, egg
and others. The seed and plants that cannot
be raised in time will cost about 800. All
these will have to be provided, not at once,
but during fhe season, before any outlay for
labor is made. These amount to more than
$500. 1t is impossible for any person not
well experienced to become thorough mar
ket gardener in less than two or three years,
but such staple crops as potatoes, tomatoes,
cabbages or melons may be raised by tyro
who knows anything at all of gardening, with
very fair success and profit. For instance, a
crop OF early potatoes may be made by July,
and crop of late cabbages may succeed them,
which should give $50 bushels of potatoes and
1900 marketable heads of cabbage, realizing
for the two crops about $500 to $500 per acre.
Tomatoes generally pay equally as well, and
melons less, the latter being sold sometimes
as low as 81 per barrel; but the latter crop is
either second crop or a 'catch CROP" If
the land is in part planted to small fruits, the
cost of stocking will be about as follows: Of
strawberries planted in hills two feet apart,
which is the best plan when large berries are
desired, nearly II 900 plants will be needed
for an acre, and it planted in rows three feet
apart, and one foot apart in the row, l., 500
plants are needed. The plants will cost, &C.
cording to variety, from $50 to $50 per acre.
OF red raspberries about 5000 plants &C to
the acre, two being set together in hills four
feet apart each way, or, in rows, four feet
apart, and the plants.w feet apart in the
row. The plants Cost by wholesale from $40
to $40 ners thousand. Red and white cur
Jeits require to be set four feet apart each
way, and 2, 700 plants are needed for one acre;
two-year old plants cost $40 a thousand.
Blackberries should be planted in rows eight
feet apart, and three feet apart in the rows,
or in hills five feet apart, and about 1900
plants will be needed for an acre; the plants
sell for SIS thousand. As from one to
three years elapse before the plants come into
full bearing the delay will add something to
the expense. With the purchase of plants
and manure together, the plantation will not
cost less than 500 per acre, taking one sort
mentioned with another. Unjust be remem-
bered that high manuring is needed to bring
a small-fruit plantation into profitable bear
ing rapidly.
The books that give the most practical and
trustworthy directions for setting out and
cultivating vegetables and small fruits are
Henderson's Gardening for Profit, and E. P.
Ree's Manual of the Culture of Small Fruits.
In these books very full and particular in
structions are given in very plain manner.
II will be seen that considerable amount of
money will be needed to engage in this small
culture. but it is not at all necessary, nor
N odu for -
tempt to put 10 acres into cultivation until by
gradual work and through some experience
he had learned how to conduct the business
on smaller scale. There are men now at
work and making living on gardens of two
or three acres, but these are adept at the bust
ness. Strictly speaking, a market gardener
has his hands full when he cultivates 10
acres.
To cultivate 10 acres in thorough manner
in market crops would require a capital of
about $1,000 for hot.beds, sashes, cold frames,
tools, fertilizers, and labor, which would re-
quire to be provided before the crops are
ready for sale. But, when cultivated in this
extensive manner, the crops produced should
amount to an average of considerably over
$1,000 per acre during the season. 1t is quite
possible. however, to begin in smaller way,
and work up in the course of a few years to
the most perfect culture. When the money
can be afforded it will be found profitable to
provide some way of irrigating or watering
the crops. This may be done from well or
cistern, and by hand pumps, horse power,
or small steam engine. A gardener who is
also mechanic, and who can run a small,
cheap engine, and pump and do the work of
fitting for himself, can secure the means of
watering several acres for about $500. The
whole cost may be saved in the preservation
OF vegetables or fruits in one dry season. In
fact, no fruit or vegetable farm can be con-
sdered completely furnished without being
provided with some means for saving the
crops in dry season.
To sum up, then, it may be considered that
a very good beginning may be made in work
ing small plot of ground on capital of
$1,000. That with twice that amount the
full productiveness of the garden may be
reached year or two sooner than with the
smaller amount. That with even smaller
capital than $1,000, a capable, industrious
man may begin in small way, providing
himself with necessaries the first year, and
something besides to sell, but he must exer-
else the strlctest economy, and be very judi
cious in the selection OF his plot of land.
Lastly, that while on a well.selected piece of
ground success is probable if not certain under
favorable circumstances, the man who unfor-
tunately selects poor piece of ground is
almost certainly doomed to disappointment
and failure, or else forced to employ such an
amount of money in fertilizers as will newt
ably postpone the period of his success for
very inconvenient length of time.-N. Y.
Times.
Lessening the Draft ofTeams,
M.Fehrman has invented an ingenious appar-
atus, the account of which says: at is meant
to diminish the fatigue of horses in drawing
vehicles. as also the chances of rupture of the
shaft or traces 1t consists of lot of rubber
rings, separated from each other by iron rund.
les; the whole is contained in cylindrical me-