The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-03-13

as well on our strong limestone ianu as y pun
sandy soil. A spring of most excellent
water rises just back of the mansion, and
is piped into the kitchen yard, most con-
venient for use, while large cistern has
its pipe and spiggot within the washing
apartment, providing an abundance of good
soft water for the purpose. There is
place for every purpose in the back build
ing. Besides the kitchen, there is pantry,
baking apartment, washing apartment,
driving apartment and place for fuel, all
conveniently arranged, so that the inmates
need not step outside the door. In the
rear of the dwelling is an ample vegetable
garden, and beside it considerable space
of ground devoted to the culture of Lawton
blackberries, raspberrics, Strawberries, with
cold frames for lettuce, spinach and other
early vegetables.
Beyond the space allotted to small fruit
stands the orchard. Two sides of it are
enclosed with Usage Orange hedge, which
has made a permanent fence for the last
twenty years. Fifty years ago there were
two orchards, containing several hundred
apple trees, comprising as fine collection
of the choicest varieties as could be found
in the county, but through severe cropping
and injudicious cultivation most of them
are gone. The present orchard contains
about one hundred trees, with some few of
the old trees left. There are twenty-five
pear trees, most of them in bearing, con-
sisting of Bartlets, Seckels, Flemish Beauty,
Elizabeth, Doyenne, Sugar and other vari-
cites. The grapes are Concord, Martha,
Lady Rogers, Hybrid No. 4, Catawba,
Isabel, and several other kinds.
The barn built by Mr.. Hollingsworth
was of brick. 1t was destroyed by light
ming on August 9th, 1852 This occurred
in the lifetime of Mr. Slingluff's father,
directly after harvest, when it was slowed
full of hay and grain to the roof. 1t oc-
Cured between II and l o'clock, p. m.
There were twelve head of horses in the
stable at the time, all of which we're rescued.
There were no rods on the barn, but there
was good sum of insurance. The present
barn is of brick, on the old site, but larger,
rs feet long by 46 feet wide, standing
mostly on a solid limestone foundation
The timber for the frame was taken from
woodland on the place. All the lumber
and shingles had to be hauled from Wrights-
vile and York, Pa. No railroad then.
The new barn was commenced as soon as
possible after the destruction of the old
one, and by the 18th of December it was
finished and the cattle and horses snugly
housed The farm contains all the neces-
sary outbuildings-wagon shed, tool house,
poultry house, hog house, corn crib, car
rage house, dairy, &c. The last building
stands over one of the best and largest
springs of limestone water in the county.
The water pours over natural level lime
stone rock surface, as smooth as cement
floor, on which the products of the dairy
are placed.
The crops are wheat, corn, rye, oats,
barley and potatoes. The rotation observed
is, first, corn, MANFRED, two crops of wheat,
clover two years. The average for 1882,
'83, '84, was over 80 bushels of wheat per
acre, and some fields made forty bushels
per acre. Corn yielded from ten to fifteen
barrels per acre, according to the season.
The last year eight acres produced fifteen
barrels per acre. OF wheat IS to rs bushels
used to be the average when the Johnston
blue stem was in its glory, and seemed to
be adapted to the SOIL He has 40 acres
that made 1000 bushels, and that was
considered at the time Drag crop. The
wheat nudge destroyed this variety in the
fields in after years, and it had to be aban-
doned Since then he has fallen as low
as IL to Is bushels per acre, and that Of an
inferior quality, not weighing Sc pounds
to the bushel The question arose in the
proprietor's mind how he could improve
his soil without the labor and uncertainty
of the application of lime in proper con-
dition. The old fogy idea was that it could
not be done without lime. The inferiority
of the wheat grown showed deficiency of
phosphoric acid in the soil. To apply it in
its most concentrated and available form
was what he wanted among the fertilizers.
He found Slingluff & Co.'S. bone ash to
contain large percentage of available
phosphoric acid. He commenced by ap-
plying 167 to 200 pounds per acre on all
the wheat sown, and the result has been
over thirty bushels per acre, weighing GA
pounds per bushel, with splendid grass
following each application, and general
improvement of the farm without the ap-
plication of lime.
The farm is keeping at this time, five
head of work horses, two roadsters, two
colts, twenty head of cattle and thirteen
head of sheep The cattle are Attorneys,
and Mr.. Slingluff was one of the first men
in the county to keep them, and carried
off several premiums at the Agricultural
Fairs in the county. The cattle are kept
for dairy purposes, and the milk is shipped
to the Wakefield Valley Creamery Co., of
which he is member. The sheep are
Cotswold crossed with Shropshiredown, the
fleece averaging from eight to twelve pounds
each. The hogs are pure Berkshires, and
in some seasons are quite source of profit
to the farm. They are beauties, well
housed and in first-rate condition. The
poultry is of the Plymouth Rock variety.
In one apartment we noticed there were
thirty-seven young capons, that would
average from eight to ten pounds. These
fowls command special price in market,
bringing considerably above the ordinary
price for poultry, generally selling at from
20 to 25 cents per pound.
The dwelling stands on an eminenee
commanding fine view of the meadow
which intervenes between the house and
the barn. Through this meadow flows
stream of pure water, convenient for the
uses of the stock, Trains pass the house
several times day, each way, presentinga
scene of life and animation, and making it
convenient for travel either to the adjacent
towns, the county seat, or to the CONNER
cial metropolis of the State. Avalon is
thus pleasantly and conveniently located,
rendering it one of the most valued Of the
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