Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-11-08
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did not 90 into this operation expecting IT
would he remunerative, and in this he has
not been disappointed. On account OF Its
nearness TO the city, its first cost to him
was quite large. and the interest on that
and on the amount expended for farm
buildings and fertilizers. with the expense
of carrying it on, fully equals the income
and there is probably a balance on the
other side. Mr. Austin the foreman. is
an intelligent farmer and runs the farm to
the entire satisfaction of his employer.
Almost by accident, Mr.. Bodwell has
recently become interested in another
farming operation which he intends shall
be paving investment, and in now speak
inc of this after our lengthy preliminary,
we have arrived at the objective point Of
taking ND our pen on this occasion. Up
on the northern border OF Farmingdale
situated partly in that and partly in the
adjoining town of Manchester, was once a
large pond. though what name it then
bore, we do not know. Its overflow
formed an outlet which was tributary to
the Cobboseecontee. and in process OF
time the channel of this outlet became so
low by the action of the current. that n
large part of the waters of this point was
drained off, and two small ponds were
left, situated little less than half mile
asunder. instead of the larger one.
The northern of these two ponds is now
known as "Jamie's' pond. and the other
rs .Sanborn s. and the overflow of The
former. by a meandering course, runs in
to the latter after passing over the inter-
vening space of dry land which was once
the bottom of the larger pond A road
leading from the Vaughan road in Halo
well, north-westerly. passes between these
two ponds, in near PROXIMITY to Jamie q.
and so on towards Winthrop, and upon this
road near the outlet of Jamie's pond,
stands a set of farm buildings. The farm
to which these buildings belong consists
of about three hundred acres, made up of
upland on each side of what was once the
pond and of some seventy-five to hun
bred acres of low ground which was once
under the pond. Next to the road where
the buildings stand and sloping towards
the lower pond, is quite an area of low
upland composed Of sandy or gravelly
loan and excellent for tillage. Farther
down this slope, the upland changes to
meadow, and between the line of demar-
cation between the upland and the mead
ow, and the lower or Sanborn's pond. are
some seventy-five acres which have never
produced. anything better than coarse,
worthless grasses and bushes.
The farm has had many owners, but all
OF them until the present one, have re-
garded this meadow or bog as so much
waste land. Last season it was owned bv
Mr.. II. w. Campbell who did not do much
at farming. preferring to work for the
Hallowell Granite Company. The circum-
stances of its purchase by Mr.. Bodwell we
need not mention; he saw this meadow
and what Mr.. Campbell regarded as worh-
less. made sale for his farm. Mr.. Bodwell
bought the whole tract of three hundred
acres embracing some fifty acres of upland
moving land badly impoverished by con-
slant cropping. II large area of grazing
and woodlands, and lastly, the low mead
ow containing some seventy-five acres.
He Immediately set men to ditching, and
except during the coolest weather in the
winter, the work has since 60 on. The
ditching shows that the soil consists OF
from two to three feet in depth, of rich
vegetable mould or muck which rests
upon bed Of clay. An acre or more OF
that first drained was plowed last spring
and from portion of it, nice crop Of
oats was harvested. Another piece was
planted as an experiment, with potatoes,
turnips, and various other vegetables, and
all did admirably. The potatoes grew
large and were only slightly affected by
the rot. This experiment fully demon
strates the superior producing quality OF
this hitherto waste land. and the wisdom
and foresight of Mr.. Bodwel in his efforts
to improve it, A large number of bitches
have already been dug and the work will
60 on until the whole area is drained. In
connection with the upland it will then
make one of the most productive farms in
kennebec county.
The ditching is mostly done by labor
ers in the vicinity and costs MFR. Bodwell
only twenty-five cents per rod. The muck
thrown out in ditching is to be composted
with lime, ashes and other material, and
used as a dressing for the upland. And
speaking of lime which is Just what these
bottom lands need to sweeten them, there
is quarry on the premises within easy
distance of the place where it is wanted,
which promises to supply the demand. A
kiln of it was burned last spring and the
rock pulverized readily, and specimen
which we tried was very rich in lime.
This can be spread upon the land by the
thousand barrels at triiling expense. and
in our opinion is second for the purpose
indicated, only to the best wood oshes.
The low upland between the meadow
and the upper pond, when Mr.. Bodwell
purchased the farm. was covered with
small boulders which the former owners
had plowed and moved around from time
out Of mind. Mr.. Bodwell has had all
these removed and has utilized them to
fill up the slough holes which always
abound in land redeemed from the water.
Over them he dumps earth forever hiding
them from view, and rendering these
waste spots productive. The fields thus
cleared of the bouders. can be easily Gull
tivared and when laid down to grass the
moving machine can move forward unim-
peded. II is the purpose of Mr.. Bodwell
TO set out an orchard on part of this ter
ritory. including apples, pears, peaches
and plums. The barn on the premises has
already been enlarged b meet the demands
which will be made upon it at no distant
day. The pasture lands are to be improv-
ed by cutting down the bushes that have
been allowed to encroacb upon them and
by turning on sheep sufficient to keepthem
down .A.4