The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1883-07-20
miscellaneous.
The Canning Interests MR.. W0OIsey's
Splendid Estate.


Bel Air, Md, July l0-ln agriculture and
kindred matters Hartford has made more i'm
provcment in the last twenty years than any
county in the State. More corn is produced
than IN any other county, and tine canning
interest is greater than in any county in the
United States or in the world II is claimed
by some that the pack Of the county last year
was worth S. 900, 600, but this is IN eXaggera-
ton, the pack was probably worth some
thing more than half that amount. There
are between 400 and 800 canning establish
mrnls, and additional ones are being establish
ed, Besides the labor furnished by county
residents from 10000 to $1,000 hands are
brought from distant points annually to
work in the factories in the busy season
Mr.. Geo. W. Baker was one of the pioneers
in the canning business. 1t is said that he
commenced canning operations ON an Ordi-
nary stove, and finding il very profitable in
creased his facilities from tine to time. This
season he has over ] 600 acres in sugar corn
alone. Farmers who could not get along at
anything some years since went into canning
and in II short time were buying farms. The
impression is now that only big farmers can
carry the business on successfully, so much
have the profits been reduced by competition
This, however, has been said annually for
several years, and yet all engaged in the in
tluslry seem TO thrive Men with farms
worth 81 800 have not hcsitatcd to engage in
| canning, and purchascH outfit costing about
SO 900. Heretofore all have been able to
gct all they wanted on credit, and so ial
there has been but one failure, and that, it is
said, through extravaganza. This year, how
ever, the canmakers and others are requiring
collateral security for goods advanced.
The pride OF Hartford is cattlc-gra1ing
This is followed in all parts of the county
but more particularly along Deer Creek val
ley. The cattle for grazing are bought il
Virginia and at the Baltimore cattle yards
When tntlcd they are sold in Baltimore ant
| Philadelph and number shipped Il
Europe Fine herds of short horns and Icr
scys are also raised in the county.
Machine shops and manufactures M,
wanted in Bel Air. The county has plenty
| of suitable timber, iron ore, mineral paint ant
everything needed to make fine agriculture
| implements People come here from Ohio
prepare the stuff, take il there, manufacture
| the farming requisites, and send them bacl
to Hartford. Farmers in need of castings
have to send ont of the county for them.
The exponent of farming in this section il
| Mr.. VIM Woolscy. He is said 10 be the hes
farmer in Maryland and second 10 mona il
| 1
| place is about seven miles from Bel Air. Mr.
| Woolsey is not theorist who has indulge
| his fancy and spent his money in Theoretical
farming, hut II practical, earnest worker, VIII,
| has made fortune from small beginning
| by the iutliciuuS culture of barren land. Their
are certain aXoms in farming which Mr.
| Woolsey states with an emphasis that vii
admit OF no mistake His iavorie fertilizer
outside of barn yard manure, is raw bone
Tie says: "a rich man may use 100 or 2O'
pounds of bone Ia the acre if he chooses, he
cause it is not material for him to raise
crop, but Il poor man must use from 900 Il
| 200 pounds To the acre or he will he ruin
ed" Mr. Woulscy's grand farm is in stron!
contrast to its former condition IS years ago
when he took charge Of il, as described b,
himself and ncighhors. For the 3l2 acre
constituting the home place he gave less THAI
81 900. Ii was then dead poor, and would no
| grow II crop 10 pay the cost ol cnlilValln
the land, Lime did not act ON the place
and he has improved with bone. After tw
years experimenting with guano he gave
IN, because he saw he was paying 10
much for ammonia and was not gettin
enough phosphate He has always lilrme
for money, aud has always made il. A mum
Der of persons interested in agriculture Vis
the scene of MIR. Woolscy's operations. an
all go away impressed with his mode Of farm
ing These not unirequently are oiiicla
; and others from Il distance. Some time sine
Governor Hamilton (who is II large hrme
and party came down for the purpose of il
J speeding Mr.. Woolsey's crops and cattle,
GOV Hamilton said he had not believed thu
such crops ms he saw could he grown. ii
was satisfied, he said, that prominent pol
tician of Hartford, who accompanied him, In
not overstated the case, though the gcntl'
, man was so in the habit OF shooting with
long bow that he could not believe him. Coz
Hamilton said he had never raised such
crop of corn rs he eaw before him, and neVt
expected to- but he would try to improve h
corn production. Mr. Woolsey plants h
com in rows 81 feet apart, with IL TO
between the stalks. His average crop is II
bushels to the acre on all the land cultivated
and in the last eighteen years he has on
gone AS low as 80 bushels To the acre on on
OCCASION He never uses any kind of manu-
ON corn but turns under II good sod.
Gov. IIamilton's request Mr.. Woolsey wro
linn the average yield of the field which Go
, Hamilton had seen. Mr. WoOlsey said th;
| i'm consequence of Il severe drOuth the vie
of corn was reduced TO % bushels per acr
hut added, with smile, few of them can
as well through large field
Mr.. Woosey, though over ~ years oil ag
il hale and hearty and rs active as man
40 He left his beautiful residence and big
" ornamenled and well shaded grounds
90 over the farm with n representative of Il
SIN without feeling that lie was doing an
thing unusual lie talked as he went, Al
took pleasure in giving To Others the bene
of his experience He seeds his wheat
corn stubble, using ton of raw bone p
acre, or if he seeds wheat on fallow, which