Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-11-07
DaiIu Kfnnebrt Journal.
New England Farming.
From Mirror and Farmer.l

opinion be grand one. 1t will be, and
always has been, an excellent place to
raise strong minded men. sturdy farmers.
mechanics. and business men, who make
their mark wherever they go. Farming.
| il properly mixed with brains. and a
strong determination to succeed, will pay
as well here, everything considered, as in
any section of country, because we can
sell all we raise at good prices. We must
work. which Is true everywhere; but !
have seen. during some 2000 miles travel
among the farmers this summer. as many
| indications Of substantial. enduring pros
psrity, where farms were carefully and
lintelligently worked, as | believe can be
| found elsewhere. On the other hand |
also find MANY farms neglected and bushes
and rocks obstruct the pillow and mower,
showing thriftlessness TO be deplored.
As ''Harragansett" says, have good
farms and good orchards like to EN-.
phasize the word drchard. for the money
| from that comes easier than from any
other source | have seen plum trees,
only three years set, well loaded with fine
fruit this year; but they were not set
out in grass to struggle along and
| finally die of starvation, and al
low the owner to complain 'that
| fruit raising don't pay" Take care of
the orchard; keep it cultivated. at least.
till it is well established; feed it and you
can make large profit from the abundant
crops.
| One four-acre orchard in my native town
one year ago netted Sl400 from the sale
OF 700 barrels of Baldwin apples, which
is the apple for profit Where can you get
that amount $3.50 per acre. from any
other crop so easily? OF course, apples
are cheap some years, but a thrifty orchard
will bear some apples every year, and you
will make good thing sometimes; a low
price even will pay well for handling
Set what is we'll suited TO your own farm,
whether peach. plum. pear or apple trees,
and graft. prune, and enrich what native
apple trees you have, and you will find an
increase in your receipts, which will be
very acceptable.
As to manures we must save all we can
scrape together. and leaves, sods or any,
thing that will rot is good do not agree
with Mr. Perkins advice to pillow it in
Nature sets an example to us in the leaves
| that fall and the grass that dies on our west
ern praires OF surface manuring, which
think practice will prove to be the best,
as rule, which. like all rules.
has some experiences, one of which is
with coarse. strawv manure, which cannot
be disposed OF otherwise. Thoroughly
| pillow the land. have the manure fine and
work in very carefully with good har-
row then put in the compost which he
| speaks of. and which is a very good one,
and think better results will be obtained
A very easy way to tell will be to pillow in
manure on one strip. and harrow it on the
other. and experimenting will prove more
than all we can write for what we see
| and know, that we believe. Careful cul-
ture, keeping down the weeds, thorough
ness in every part Of the work will effect
wonders. After all is done that can be,
we need more and more manure to make
the crop an extra fine one, which is the
only kind of crop that pays much profit.
How we can best achieve the results de-
sired and still pay our way,is the question
which disturbs those of us who like myself,
have iarmed on small capital. We cannot
do what we wish to do for the bank accounts
is small but we must do something. In
favor year by year. and prove enduring
and very profitable. There is some dis
pute rs to leached and unleaehed. Both do
we'll. aud have used leached to good
advantage, last year | tried one car
load of dry with good success and be.
lieve they will prove much more durable
also tried one-half ton of pure bone
meal, mixed with dry ashes; then wet
down. covered with bran. and after living
a week, thoroughly mixed and narrowed
in piece OF land which turned over and
reseedrd. believe this is the best, most
durable manure possible to procure. tar
exceeding phosphates, which are high
priced and do not last. The German pot
ash salts may prove good; | cannot
speak from experience.
| believe rs "Narraganset' does, tina,
slow farming will prove sure. A farmer
who will work intelligeutly is better off in
all that constitutes real worth than the
masses are in the cities. To keep the
boys at home, give them little potato
patch, strawberry bed, a hen, pig, two
or three fruit trees, AS they begin to grow
up, for their own. and teach them to be
careful of the money received from their
sales; and also careful and thoughtful
of how crops grow the best methods OF
growing them; to think for themselves
to be thorough in all they do, and they
will be fitted to be good farmers, or to &C
out into the world where only bard work
| ae rnla tha