River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-03-08
AMERICAS GREATEST FARM
A Description of Gen. Harding's A.
600 Acre Farm Down in Tennessee.

Those unacquainted with the Southern
States will be surprised when told that wha
IS as a whole the greatest farm in America
in the state OF Tennessee. 1t IS owned b,
Gen. w. G. Harding. 1t contains 4, 600 acre
of land in one body. in the highest state o
cultivation, without single rod of waste il
the entire tract, and cultivated in the mos
intelligent manner. 1t is called Belle Mead
It IS six miles from Nashville. The turn
pike leading to it is lined with shade tree
ard adorned with the well-kept lawns ant
villas of merchants and professional men
The land Of Belle Mead is gently rolling, al
tiilable, and with grass growing on the high
est points. There are no stumps, although
originally covered with a heavy growth o
timber, and there is no part of it on which
the most improved implements cannot b.
used. Dish-shaped, it is surrounded By
hills which gradually slope inward to Rich
land Creek, live and most valuable stream
running through the farm. The Nashville
and Chattanooga railroad also passe
through it from east to west.
The farm is well fenced with a stone wal
on the outside, of which there are some six
teen miles, costing so cents to 81. 40 per run
ming yard. The inner fences are post anC
PLANK and rail. The farm is planted about
as follows: Two hundred acres in wheat
700 IN oats $50 in corn, so in barley 400 IL
timothy, 200 in clover, 100 in orchard, 15C
IN padioeks, the latter sown with barley
and blue grass for winter
a deer park contains 425 acres, and there
are 1 500 acres in woodland pasture, in en-
closures of 200 to soc acres each, sown to
blue and orchard grass for beef cattle and
sheep. All of the woodland on the place,
including the deer park, affords good pas
ture land. The timber embraces almost
every species, including shitiim-
wool of the Bible. II is all
of original native growth. In one pas
ture Of loo acres the wood is all walnut; an
other IS a black locust forest for fencing
posts. On the hills are fine yellow poplar,
white oak, and ash of the finest growth.
The average produce ofthe fields to the acre
is: Wheat. p bushels; corn, 50 to 60; oats,
40 70 so; hay, l. to tons.
Belle Mead farm is conducted by master
mind. Method and system are everywhere
shown. Every fence rail is in It's place,
every corner is clean, every rood of land
shows effect of intelligent cultivation,
and every animal presents an appearance
denOtitg intelligent breeding and proper
care. The teols and implements are in their
places the yards are clean, the stables very
plain, but commodious ami comfortable,
and the highest bred, purest- blooded, most
spirited horses in the land, one alone repre-
sentinga value of $50, 600, are as gentle
and ;ractable as any ordinary horse. Four
ofthese noble animals are worth about $780,
0Oa together. And yet the methods EN-
ployed are within the power of every farm,
for everything is done on the simplest
plan and in the most xpensive way. 1t
is only common farming done intelIigently.
The $50, 600 horse is not surrounded by any
more fancy conditions than the $500 all
imaIs of foolish city people, bat they are at
tended with more common sense.
The system Of farming employed on Belle
Mead is, first, deep p oughing to pulvenze
the soil thoroughly and subject it to winter
freezing by which it forms a reservoir for
water to supply the roots of vegetation with
moisture in the heat of summer Ii is sub
sOiled fourteen inches in depth. Manure is
only used to get it out of the wav, and artif-
ciaI fertilizers are not employed. Good re-
suits have been derived from the use OF
ground limestone, which is found better
than the burnt article as burning is believed
to destroy valuable properties of the stone.
1t is applied the same as land plaster. Ro-
tatiou of crops is practised to proven, wear
ing out the land. Red clover is put in for
two years. then wheat then corn two years,
followed by oats and clover. Red clover is
found to be great renovator of the soil,
, likewise keeping the land in good heart.
For tired, or what is known as "worn out
spots" peas are sown broadcast to rest and
restore the soil. There are fields on the
place that have be II in continuous cultiva-
ton Tor seventy years, and are better now
than they were originally.
While marketing some 5000 bushels of
corn 500 bushels of wheat, and 200 to 300
tons of hay per aunum, the principal pro-
duct Of the farm is live stock md in one
brancn ofthat industry it deserves to rank
first il the world Three to four hundred
head of high-class grade Durham cattle OF
different ages are kept for beef,
about $50 head being marketed per
year. They are sold in Nashville and
shipped to eastern markets, where they COM
mand top prices. They average in weight
bout 800 pounds, and are sold off ofgrass
without being fed any grain or hay thai
could be marketed. A sale the latter part
of last summer of no head brought 81,
cents on the hoof for 60 head, and 5 Ger t
for 20 yearnngs, $s,647.7O, or about $50 per
head, in Nashville. They cost 81 cents
originally, and paid over seven per cent. net
on the Investment.
A herd of forty or fifty of as fine milch
COWS as we ever saw is also KEEP. They are
grade Jerseys. The original stock was poled
and of what is known as the Patton breed
crossed with Durhams. This breed was
started by Gen. Harding's father and him
self, and is noted tor the quantity OF milk it
yields, producing on test as high as eighty
pounds of milk per day. A cross of these
animals with the Jersey constitutes the
present herd. They are generally polled,
are large mixers and superior for the dairy.
the cross with the Jerseys adding richness to
the milk. The animals are line looking
somewhat larger than the Jersey, squareiy
buil- aad well adapted for beef, in size equal
ling very nearly the Durhams. The meat is
delicious and tender the animals fAtten cas-
iiv. and are harder than the Durham OF
any cattle except Devon. For milk, butter
and beef combined, they are unexcelled, ano
are nearer the breed so much talked OF and
aimed at that shall combine all these qua :
ities than any we know of. Gen. Harding
K cps his herd only for the purpose of sup
plying milk for his family aud help, and il
is given freely to support the children ofthe
negroes on the pace.
One hundred head Upgrade Leicester and
Southd wn sheep are kept for table use, and
2gO head OF grade Angora goats for browsers,
10 keep the pastures cleared OF brlers and
weeds as the deer in the park keep the land
there clear of shrubs. The wool of these
goats brings q good price, and the young
make good food Sufficient hogs are raised
for home use. 100 TO 125 being necessary.
When killed they average $50 to 800 pounds
each.
The 425 acres devoted to the deer park IS
covered with a natural growth # timber, in
which the grass grows and cattle run. The
deer number about 900, and may be seen at
any time. leapjng and running over the vast
tract. TLey represent their own increase
from a few animals since the war. The herd
was started with one animal caught on the