The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1878-10-19
A MODEL FARM.

Why should farming not be scienti6c7 Recause
the manufacturer labors in a scientific wav. his
prOhts are greater and surer than those of the 40
rculturist who has neither machinery nor system !:
Dut II Is the unreasonable custom of many to sneer
at all Innovations and to look at all methodic va
nations upon old usages the faneiful and un
Prohtable schemes of visiOnaries with more money
than common-sense. 1t is the people who sneer
mat are usually most deficient in the latter quail
", however; and had they little more of it they
might perceive that careful book keeping and the
| adoption OF improved methods and implements are
as necessary IN farming as in any other business
In a side hollow of that hill from which Iiteh
held first became visible to us several very distinct
echOes can be obtained and this responsiveness Of
the ''purple gens' gave a name TO this farm. II
Is hcho farin-a pretty and POLITICALLY suggestive
name, indeed, which eOnjures up visions of lowell
ness, and sets one TO dreaming of INTERVENING
vines knitting their plant tendrls and sweet
scented leaves through the hospital porch and
open lattice: the checkered orchard of frn;t,.
abundance; the garrulous brook that never tires
OF It's own mOnOdy the reyerberant hills that an
pease ifes trumOil with their easy undulations
loTty barns mOssy with age and catterine mills
Gown IN the seclusiOn Of grassy hollows But
alas dear reader, model farming is not idyllie or
Arcadlan; 1t is inhexibly utilitarian; it keeps all
ils Duhdhgs IN perfect state Of repair; it subor-
dlnates the picturesque if it ever recognizes IL IL
pulls down the old mill because that venerable Is
IN the way OF the rectangular new dairy: it dverts
the brook from its ferny course into the most com
monplace OF earthen pipes; it tears away the vines
that obscure the light and it looks upon every
thng with pair OF the most practical eyes set in
heaG that weighs, measures, audits, and analyzes
with chemical exaetness. The proprietor of Echo
Farm conducts it as a manfactory A record is
Kept OF the milk and butter produced bv each COW
Tor each day, each month, each year; all the feed
IS weighed, and the quantity entered upon books.
both that purchased and that prOduced and
separate account is kept of the yield of each field
NOtnlng Is wasted, nothing done by guessing and
nothing passes unrecOrded The implements are
OF the latest or most approved model Three sets
OF horse hay-forks are in use, by which hay is
unloaded at the rate of ton in four forkfuls and
IN four minutes including in some instances the
carriage OF the hay $50 feet The other machines
also embody some novel labor-saving PRINCIPLES
No manure or fertilizers found necessary ex-
cept the l,oOU loads made upon the farm, and n
sort OF muck, Ct which there are several beds.
The history of the farm is interesting A gen.
tleman of education, intelligence, and wealth came
to Lhtchheld some nine years ago in search of
summer home. He had the most superficial
knowledge of farming and entertained no inten-
ton OF entering that business. But having mr.
chased sixty-six acres and cleared them, he mr.
chased additional tracts, which became the nucleus
Of Echo Farm, whose area is now about 400 acres
His interest was enlisted in the raising of choice
stock, and beginning with herd Of fve he has
gradually increased the number TO lO0 all the herd
being pure Jersey, with authentic and valuable
pedlgrees. The rocky fields were cleared, laid out
md lnelosed by massive stone walls Old and in
adequate buildings on the consolidated land were
demolished, and new ones of improved pattern
erected, In 1873 barn &C feet by 25 was built;
N addition, 100 feet by 49, made the follow
ng year; and in 1875 another addition was made.
II l9l by 30 feet. These three buildings form the
1ree sides of the barn-yard. They are hnils Of
zine upon massive granite foundations about two
eet wide, which are laid in cement. All the wood
work is painted soft drab color, even the prOpri-
tors residence, and the telegraph poles that line
he roadway. desire for simplicity and dura-
'lllty IN preference to OrnamentatiOn or showness
visible everywhere; there is no litter, and there
re no gaps In the fences or walls, which are from
Eighteen inches to twenty -fos-:
cted like three charms. When the fields were be- -
ng cleared, such large quantities of stones were
athered that some perpexity arose as to where
hey should be put. Many hundreds Of loads
Tere used in the foundations of the buildings, in
he fences, and in filling ravines, but more remain
d, and these were deposited upon several sterile
ilocks of no value, where masses of swamp grass
ere laid over them, and covered with light
ressing of soil. Grass seed was sown upon the
OIL and it took we'll, soon transforming the bar
en- heaps to verdant knos, whose blades are re-
aarkably hardy. 1t was not so much for the sake
f the land gained that the stones thus dis
osed of, but it was rather to prevent the forma-
ion of nurseries for weeds, shrubs and brambles,
Ihich the heaps would have quickly become.
Two aud half acres are planted with beets,
Ehich are the only roots fed to the cattle the crop
veraging 900 bushels an acre, and more than
900 tons of hay are housed year.-H. N. Ride
ag, az HdTper's Magazine for October