The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-01-09

QulreS the closest applcation anu maVoni
ness on the part of the farmer engaged IN
this business. It is also shure way OF
impoverishing land, if the pastures are
grazed too closely or too long by the dairy
cattle. And the dairyman is too often
tempted to do that, in order to save
larger outlay in feeding his stock by pur-
chasing mill feed Whether the dairy
farmer pastures his stock, or soils them, or
uses chopped mill feed, there is no economy
in stinting them at any time, if he would
have their milk yielding qualities kept up
to the fullest standard
Clover Hill has large orchard Of 800
apple trees of the choicest varieties, and
also good supply of all other kinds OF
fruit, such as pears, ounces, cherries, &c.
Few farmers in this section, however, give
that careful attention and culture to their
orchards which is required for the produc-
ton of perfect fruit, and to keep their trees
from early deterioration. Orchards are
much neglected, not only in Carroll county,
but throughout the state. They are not
plowed and kept free from weeds, fertilized
and pruned from dead or redundant
branches, the limbs and the foliage are too
close together and too thick to admit the
air and the sunlight sufficiently to promote
the growth and perfection of the fruit.
Our people have come to rely annually on
the orchards of New York and Pennsyl-
vania for their winter supply OF good
apples, our own being so knotty and i'm
perfect as to make them undesirable in
flavor, and hard to keep through the winter
season. Just as good apples can be pro-
duced here as in the Northern States, if the
same care were bestowed upon their pro-
duction. A few of our farmers prove this
by producing the finest fruit. The orchard
may be made a source of revenue, and adds
much to the beauty of the homestead and
the comforts of the family. No farm is
complete without one; and yet it were better
to have none, than the struggling, half-de-
cayed orchards, to be seen on some OF our
otherwise fine estates.
A house for laborers, or for an overseer,
stands not far from the mansion. 1t is OF
stone, and is very convenient for the ac-
commodation of those engaged in the tillage
of the crops, and goes to make up the large
number of outbuildings required on all
large estates. The soil of Clover Hill is
naturally fertile and easy to till, and during
DR.. Buffers occupancy it was literally
lined lime kilns being burned from time
to time on the farm.
The present proprietor will no doubt
bring the farm up to still higher state OF
productiveness. He mas already done much
by way of improvement, both to the land
and to the buildings. Two years ago he
lined literally, and one field was lined last
year (1895). He has also put a bridge
over Beaver Run; ditched the meadow;
built stone addition to the house; put new
roof on it, and also on the tenant house;
improved the barn; built new carriage
house, corn house and two tenant houses;
also a new granary, and constructed an en-
silage pit under it.
Two years ago Mr. Tillard imported some
very fine Shropshiredown sheep. This va
riety he prefers both for the carcass and
the fleece. They make the best mutton,
and are good for an average of ten pounds
of wool each. He keeps of other sheep
flock of about So to 100, besides his i'm
ported stock. He thinks sheep production
profitable if dogs can be kept from the flock.
Many persons keep goats and horned cattle
with their focks, so as to afford them pro-
lection. Dogs will rarely attack sheep
when goats or cattle are in the same en-
closure with them, as these animals will al
ways attack dogs and drive them off.
He makes speciality of the grasses, and
proposes to put his entire farm in sod. His
Weld of corn the past season was III bar
rels per acre.
Mr.. Tillard is an intelligent English gen
tleman, and none know better than the
English farmers the capabilities of the soil,
when brought up to its best estate and
highest productiveness. Sixty-two bushels
of wheat per acre, and one hundred bushels
of corn, are quite within the possibilities of
Western Maryland lands, and we have no
doubt that these figures will ere long be-
come the sum of general instead of special
production by the intelligent agriculturists
of this part of Maryland. Agriculture is
advancing, and our lands now produce twice
as much as they did forty or fifty years ago.
But the getting of wealth through increas-
ed crops is not the sun,muns bonuns of rural
life. 1t is the quiet contentment, the in
dependence and true happiness it affords to
him who is not grasping after this worlds
goods, and permitting bis covetous desires
to absorb his thoughts, his time, his all.
1t is the leisure it affords to hold communion
with the best writers of the age, the scien-
lists, the historians, the biographers, the
poets, the men of thought. investigation and
analysis, who have stamped their genius on
the printed page that other men may have
the benefit of their labors. But, II have
no time to read" says the ordinary farmer.
Not so. "There is time for every pur
pose under the sun, says the wise man.
1t is your own inanition that keeps you
from study and from availing yourself of
this source of improvement. Elihu Bur
rift, the learned blacksmith, found time to
master score or more of languages, while
forging with hammer and anvil the incan-
descent iron. His busy brain was as scin-
tillant as the white heat of his metal, as his
brawny arm brushed the pearly drops from
his laborious brow. VIM. Cobbett found
time to study grammar, while soldier in
the British army, around the camp fire in
the midst of rollicking comrades who were
no helps to his progress. But man should
not be too much of reader and thinker.
He is social being, and needs communion
with his fellows. GAS iron sharpeneth
iron, SO does the countenance of man that
of his fellow" He who lives apart from
men, and dwells in the realm Of his own
reveries and fancies, will deteriorate. His
thoughts will turn inward upon himself
and become erosive or wearing, and too
often mental, if not physical degeneracy,
supervenes. Too much care, too much
anxiety to become rich and to add farm to
farm, will mar our existence and make one
unhappy, even in the loveliest spot that the
country affords The sentiments of the
author of "Homespun" are not inappro-
pirate here, and we append them at the
close of this sketch:
Not too much for me, o little will answer
A roof that lets down its warm sheltering caves,
| An orchard of fruit at the end of the garden,
With robins nests hid in its chambers of leaves.
Some red honeysuckles to bloom on the lodges,
e.. In. Fraa fnffn 1rrar