Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-12-19
Farm and Household.
Farm Improvement During the Past



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Farm, improvement During the Past
Forty Year,.
rYrom the Albany Cultvator and Country Gentleman j
At the close Of q very successful year with
many farmers, few reflections naturally sug-
gest themselves An occasional retrospective
view Of recent progress often furnishes valu-
able hints There is no question that Oh the
whole the cultivators Of the soil in this coun-
try are more successful than forty years ago.
1t would be an exception TO everything else
If We had not made some positive progress.
The truth is, great revolution has been made
in certain department. A Rip Van Wrinkle
after forty years trnnce would hardly recoR-
nize the present agricultural world Oh wit
Messing the old scythe, mandrake and fail
replaced with hundreds Of thouaands Of NOW
ing and reaping machines, grain drills,
threshers and sepRrntors. hay-forks and hay
carrier farm engines and innumerabie
smaller contrivances for abridging labor and
improving tillage A large portion Of the
work Of the farm is now performed with one
sixth Of the labor required for the same work
hRh century ago Improvements have been
made in the growth Of crops as well IL
machinery We remember when the remark
was common that the average product Of
wheat per acre was only twelve bushels, and
was actually diminishing At the present
time large districts Of country may be cited
where the average year after year exceeds
twenty bushels Thorough understanding
and the use of clover, manure and superphos-
pilates have, ut least doubled the entire
product Of the soil IL some of the best farm
ing districts Again, the infusion Of the best
blood into cur herds Of cattle sheep and
swine mas produced a great change.
We cannot suppose that the highest point
Of productiveness has been already reached
There are still too many defects in farm man
apement Labor-snving implements Of til
lage could be more generally used by clear
ing land Of all distractions. Improvement
Ill seeds and in varieties of farm crops would
improve the quality of products as well as
augment the quantity. Such variety Of
wheat for example as the Clawsou, shows
that more productive sorts may be secured
with excellent quality added greater profits
might be obtained at no additional cost
Of corn It is to be presumed that the best
variety Of the potato has not yet been raised.
Machines for separating grains supplying
only the best seeds for reproduction. promise
lnrge gains at little or no additional expense
The more general adoption Of good rotations
of crops, with modern facilities for tillage
have already reduced the quantity Of those
profit consumers, weeds IL the best regions
of the country but here there is still much
room for improvement The general adop-
ton Of these facilities, Rs may be easily uu-
derstood would add hundreds Of millions to
the farm products Of the country.
1t Is still disputed point with intelligent
cultivators, whether high expenditure in in
proving and enrichine land is warranted by
strict regard TO economy and profit There
Is no question that tine degree Of improve
ment would vary much with the Judgment
and skill Of the manager EItravagant out
lays might be indiscreetly applied, not to be
warranted by their results greater effects
might be produced by constant or yearly
turning of everything to the best advantage,
through the agency Of thorough underirain-
ing blowing under green crops and manur-
ing by animals and purchased fertilizers
Nurseymen have understood the necessity of
placing their land IL the best condition for
the successful production OF young trees, and
markable farm crops from the land thus pre-
pared, after the trees were removed, of which
single example may be cited few years
since, during season so dry that the potato
crop generally through the country was near
ly failure and prices ran high, a twenty
acre piece of ground belonging TO a large nur-
sery, after the first crop of trees had been
cleared from il, was planted with this root
The land had in previous years been under
drained and cultivated in the best manner
but not highly mRnured. The deep and mel
low bed of soil retained and gave out the
needed moisture, and the potatoes averaged
100 bushels per acre, or about a fair product
for moist season They were all sold at
the neighboring city for - cents per bushel,
or for So $50 for the 5000 bushels 1t will
be perceived from this example that al in
portant advantage of well prepared land is in
supplying good crops IN scarce seasons, when
high prices are realized. and farmers who by
gradual good management have brought their
farms TO this condition, have not only made
the operation pay in augmented crops as they
have progressed year by year but possess al
immense advantage in the end.
Some of our readers will have observed
that in some years when drouth has reduced
the potato crop, We have had at the same
time large products from orchards, and the
consequent remark TINT while IL one season
a bushel of potatoes would buy four bushels
Of apples, il the next one bushel of apples
would buy four bushels of potatoes. Il Is
well known that manure and tiliago tend
greatly 10 equalize the apple crop IN different
seasons, and this treatment Of the orchard, IL
connection with deep and good tiIage for
roots, would IN great measure place both
above the influence of drouth
An examination OF these and similar facts
would tend 10 satisfy farmers that they need
not have a wide domain IL order 10 obtain
the largest profits, but they should aim 10 do
everything IL the best manner Improved
machinery, clear fields, clean cultivation, in
proved seeds, the best animals, and a con
slant aim at advanced husbandry promise
much for the country in future and agricul-
tural papers and stated fairs will be potent
agents, as they have already been for carry
ing on this improvement
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Preparing soil for stra Wberries.
In the garden lpht Soils can he fyivep a