Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-12-29

MENTOR, o., December 16.-Gen Garfield
finds much rest and recreation in attending TO
the details of work on his farm. Calling on
him yesterday, found him tramping about his
fields Ill q rough suit of cashmere, his panta-
looms tucked into his boots and a sloueh hat
ornamented with hayseed, protecting his head
While the general was inspecting his winter
wheat, and observing the condition of his cat
tie, Mrs. Garfield was standing in the back door
of the house, giving directions to the ''hands ~
about the sLil ment of a dozen barrels of cider
which she was sending away to market. Tine
scene led me to make some inquiries in regard
to Gen. Galfieid's farm and farming, and the
facts elected may be interesting to many read
erS.
The farm contains one hundred and fifty-five
acres, all under cultivation, except few acres
OF timber 1t hes twenty-five miles east of
Cleveland, fronting on the old wagon road from
Cleveland TO Buffalo, and the Lake Shore rail-
road runs through it. The soil is o rich, sandy
loan, and Is very productive. The fences are
kept IN good repair, and are the best in the
township. When Gen. G rfield purchased the
farm, about eight years ago, there we're eight
acres of swamp land near the centre of it,
which were considered almost worthless. The
generals knowledge of engineering here came
IN practical Use, and under Lis personal su-
pery1slon the swamp was drained. 1t is now
very valuable laid. Besides the drains furnish
constant and abundant supply of pure water.
which by means OF % hydraulic ram Is forced
up TO the elevated site of the house and barns
where 1t Is used. The very simple and mex
pensive kind of water-Works is
MODEL FARM
Improvement, which might be adopted With a6-
vantage by many farmers.
When Gen. Garfield made this Improvement
it was much talked about among the farmers in
this vicinity, and many visitors came to see it.
One old farmer i'll Geauga county heard of the
hydraulic ram, but got wrong idea of its
nature. He came to see the general one day.
and said. s. Central Pm told you hey hy-
what dye call it?-hydraul1c ram. Now, I
don't know nOthin' abou. tlIet breed. Lut I've
been improvin my sheep o. late years, and hev
got some mighty fine Cotswolds and merilos:
and i thou hit as how, Eletbe, as YOU ere q
congressman, you might got hold of sumthin
little high toneder; an jis druv over to-day
to zee tibet ram o yourn."
The old farmhouse has been entirely recon
structed within The Last year. 1t is now quaint
but slightly building, apparently new through
out, and cont. luin- about twenty rooms. 1t is
plainly but tastefully furnished. The exterior
Is paiuted white, with red roof and green W in
dow shutters. There are forty windows. TIE
generals public Office Is a small building stand
ing few feet from the northwest corner of lis
house. In the rear, a few rods away, are other
outDuildings and the barns, One for horses and
another for catte,-the sheds for cattle and
sheep, etc. The barns are models of neatness,
ClodluueSS, anu convenience. j mere are i've
horses, a matched team of light dapple grays.
a very fine pair of matched blacks, and Ken
lucky mare which the general bought OF Orville
Grant.
Gen. Garfield is not very exrert horsenan,
and he sometimes shows little absent-minded-
ness that amuses his neighbors. 1t is Lis habit
to drive to church on Sundays with his family,
Unattended by servant. He Will not allow his
team to stand out in the cold during service.
but unhitches and puts his horses id a friends
barn near the church. Last Sunday, af Ter SER
vice, he hitcLed his span of black colts to his
wagon, aud forgot to buckle the lines to the
bits. Tie consequence was that when he got
into the wagon aud started the team he came
very near having runaway. When the te I'M
was stopped and the lines buckIed, an old far
mer gravely remarked: General, you'll have
to do better than that when you take the rejns
of government, the political mule will git
away with you -
OF cattle there is herd of twenty-six, mostly
grade DuIhams, but there are three Alderney
COWS and one thoroughbred Attorney bull.
The latter was presented to General Garfield by
the Hon. A. s. Hewitt. before the unfortunate
unpleasantness growing out of the Morey Chi
mere letter.
''TuEREBY HANGS TALE"
At the last session of congress, after the hot
debates on the "riders " to the appropriation
bill, Gen. Garfield and Mr.. Hewitt were engaged
in friendly conversation. 1t will be remcm--
DereU Iudt Oarueiu naO denounced Inc aCUOn
of the Democrats as revolutionary. Said Hew
It'll: g General, have some very fine Alderney
stock, and l viii send thoroughbred bull Calf
to your farm on one condition" s~What Is the
condltion?' asked Garfield. s'That the bull
shall be named by me" said Hewitt. ''AlI
right" replied the general, '.and what name
will you give aim % Revolution" said Hew-
lit. "WelI," rejoined the general cit shall be
that, if you say so, but think q more appro-
pirate name would be Congressional Rider"
The calf soon came to the farm, and bears the
name that the donor gave it.
The milk from Gen. Gar6eld'S dairy is carted
to the railway station every morning and even
ing, and shipped to the Cleveland market.
Near the barns is small building in which is
kept q steam engine, which was manufactu ed
by the J. I. Case Threshing Machine Co., Ra-
cine, Wis, used for saving wood, cutting feed
for stock, etc. Besides the stock already men
toned, there are eighteen thoroughbred Cots
void sheep and dozen swine Of the Berkshire
and Poland-China breeds
Notwithstanding the alleged depredations of
visitors, very fair crops were harvested as the
result OF
THE PAST SEASONS WORK.
From fifteen acres Of corn there was husked
one thousand and thirty bushels; seven and
third acres of wheat averaged thirty-three
bushels per acre; fourteen acres Of oats yiel led
five hundred and sevenTy-6ve bushels; eight
acres of rye, two hundred and sevelity-two
bushels; from thirty-dye acres of meadow were
harvested seventy-tive tons of hay; and two
acres of mangel-wurze,s yielded FIVE hundred
bushels. There is also small buckW heat crop
not yet threshed. There are fifty acres of
pasture. There is a small orchard, which bore,
this year, about five hundred bushels OF apples.
The farm, with the improvements made on it
'ly Gen. Garfield, is estimated to be worth
$4,000
Gen. Garfield has the reputation among his
neighbors of being good farmer-one of the
best, irdeed, in the region, where good farmers
abound. They tell me that he manifests . deep
interest in everything pertaining to agriculture
and stock-raising. He finds
RECREATION IN FARM WORK,
and personally taken hand in it whenever he
can find time to do SO. Although he has three
men employed on the farm, and several servants
about the house, he is in the haDit of doug any
little chores or errands that may come III his
way. Itis not an uncommon thing for him to
go to the post-office half a milo away, ON horse
ba X, and carry home the pommel of his
saddle large and we'll filled nail bag. His
plain and falm-like manners and habits greatly
endear him to the country people about him.
1t is unjust to mention the other animals on
General Garfield's farm and say nothing of his
bi black Newfoundland dog, ''Veto." He is