The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1878-05-21
A Visit to Judge FullertOn's
Farm.

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to produce it at the next club when
it was not asked for; but, having
since somewhat overcome those
feelings, I now offer you a brief and
hurried account of visit to Judge
Fullerton's farm in Fairfax Co., Va.
While on visit to a friend at that
place he kindly showed me this
farm, amcng other objects of inter"
est. 1t lies about six miles west OF
the court house; you approach it
through very poor country, mal;'ly
Of pines. After crossing a small
creek and ascending hill it all
burst out before you, q beautiful
oasis in tie desert, and the con-
trast is most striking. l was in
formed by a gentleman who seemed
familiar with Virginia lands that it
was probably some of the poorest
land in the State, certainly in Fair
fax Co. When Judge F. made the
purchase of 400 acres, he was told
by land agents that he was getting
the poorest land in"the State.
"That, gentlemen" he replied, us
Just what I want ; and [ want to
prove that there is no tillable land
in Virginia that cannot be made
productive" was disappointed
not to see his manager, who could
have told me the system they pur-
sued. I observed that much of the
corn land was sown in clover at the
last working of corn. the clover
looking very fine and vigorous.
The corn-stalks indicated an unu-
sual growth-20 barrels claimed
and the old sod l never saw ex-
celled but the Improvement Is not
so hard to understand, when you
know he has bone-mill on his
farm, supplying all of that article
needed, with immense quantities OF
salt, shipped from New York. Added
to these is the manure from ~
cattle, a large number of hogs and
horses necessary to conduct the
farm. No small grain is sown corn
and grass exclusively, save patches
of winter oats, rye and fodder.
This large number of stock is soilcd
almost entirely: no cross fencing,
the outside fence being mainly of
boards. There are two large barns,
each about 100 feet long, one for
hay and the other for cattle, with
commodious apartments in the
second story OF the cattle-barn for
feed of different kinds. At the
lower extremity of the barn-yard
was fine spring, supplying water
for the stock, end a dairy nesr by.
We saw a little boy who told us
that bis father was in the field a
long way of, aud would not be in
until night We inquired if he had
an older brother who could tell US
about the cattle /; be said his brother
was in the barn. In passing through
the yard VIC saw about so pure
Holstein cows they had just been
fed with chop Of cutrfodder and
meal, MIXED and turned out TO wa
ter. We found the stable divided
in this wise two long rows Of stalls
on one side, with stanohions. The
cattle faced each other, with an
aisle between just wide enough to
allow the cattle to eat clean across.
At one end is q funnel, down which
the hay is thrown. and evenly
scattered along the aisle. Getting
impatient to make the desired
inquiries 1 looked up the funnel,.
where the hay was then being throws
down, to speak to the young man,
but he adroitly kept out of my
sight, only being able to see the
fork. Ny attention being attracted
by the cattle coming in, damsel
Of sixteen glided down with fork in
hand, which fully explained the
sbyness of the supposed boy in the
funnel. The girl moved about with
wonderful alacrity, scattering the
hay fore and aft; ] remarked to nv
friend that L believed she would
hay more cattle than two colored
men left to their usual gait. After
finishing her work, she, with her
brother. lad of fifteen years, gave
US valuable information in regard
to this fine herd. They are mostly
pure Holstein, with a few gardes-
half perhaps imported, very large;
and one he was offered a thousand
dollars for when she landed at New
York. We were shown one that
gave 10 gallons of milk per day. L
inquired whether a heifer calf could
be obtained; they said the Judge
declared that until he had increased
his herd to $50 he would not part
with female to the best friend III
the world. The bulls he sold for