Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-11-25

We recently had call from an enter
prising farmer from Norway, Mr. Icha-
bod Preble. Although Mr.. Prcble is
seventy-fye wears old, he has been farm
ing only eight years. He was brought
up upon a farm until is years old, when
he learned the trade of a mason. and
worked at that for forty-eight years.
Eight years ago, having met with reyerscs
and losses in taking contracts, he bought
a small farm Of thirty-five acres, in Nor
way. running in debt $500 He has
been able TO get living trom his farm,
and paid of nearly all the debt, and has
not had 20 work 50 hard as he did at his
trade. This speaks well for farming. as
compared with other employmentS, IN
ob;airing a livelihood
Mr.. Preble thinks that farmers miss T.
in irving % cultivate too much land.
thereby expcnding a large amount rs:
labor Tor the amount OF crops returned.
he cudeavors 20 husband the amount g
labor expended, by cul,ivatins a small
area, and increase the profitable return.
5y highly mauuring what Is cultivated
This season he planted half acre ot
corn, and applied about the same amoua,
of manure as his neighbor shannon dill
10 an acre. He told his neichb0r that be
would have as much corn on the half acre
As there would be on his acre. When
the corn was husked this fall. il vs.
measured from both fields, and Mr. Preb.c
had as much on his half acre within -four
bushels, as did Mr.. shannon on his acr.,
while the labor and cost of cul,ivatiu-
the former was much less than that of The
latter Both carried traces 10 the Oxford
County fair, and M Prcble took pr
MUM Of 81. and Mr.. Shannon one O.,
25 cents
Mr. Preble has been trying some use
ful experiments in improving his seed
corn. When he first began 10 raise corn.
be found there were many stalks withoa,
any ears upon them. BY carefully select
ing seed he tired 70 get nd of these Il.
had at first planted a mixture of Sma.
eisht-rowed, large eight-rowed and Dat
ton corn. He selected for seed the best
of ears. where there were TWO on q stalk.
and soon got rid of most of the barren
stalks. Then he used for seed both OF
the two ears occurring on the same stalk,
and this wear be had no barren stalks. and
nearly three-four,hS Of his stalks had
three ears on each, and the ears measured
from seven 10 eleven inches in length.
Mr.. Preble ENJOYS quite a notorety in
his section, as a winner Of first premium,
on vegetables at the Oxford County tair,,
having won the first premium every year
for the eight years during which he has
been farming. His example in raising
good vegetables has been contagious, and
Others have tried it At first he had only
SIX competitors at the Fair, which have
/ increased until this year he had thirty
SIX. The more competitors, the better
suited he is, because he sees that his eX-
ample is increasing in power for improy-
/ ing vegetable raising.
Mr.. Preble's example Is worthy of i'm
ita,ion in two respects: in that Of cult
waiting small area of land, manuring il
highly, and carefully selecting seed corr
so as 10 get nd of barren stalks, anc
secure a large yield. Much Improvement
in farming might be effected in this way
Of course It may not be always advis-
able in selecting seed corn to choose from
those ears only which grow two or three
upon a stalk. BY 50 doing, the DANCE
would be incurred of diminishing the sil,
Of the corn, since where two ears grow
upon a stalk they are usually smaller thar
single ears on a stalk. The selection OF
seed from the two-eared stalks Is good &c
a certain extent, but should not be pur-
sued so exclusively as to reduce the Siz,
Of the corn too much. The best ears L
a certain extent, irrespective of the nun
Der on a stalk. should be selected in ordel
to effect the greatest improvement Of thc
corn. We commend to the attention OF
our farmers the matter of greater care II
selecting seed corn, with view 10 I'M
prove the productiyeness Of the corn crop