The Newtown bee., 1893-12-08
Live Farm Topics.
PROFITS IN NEW ENGLAND
 FARMING.
An Exceedingly Interesting Article from the Weekly Tribune.-The Farm of Charles H. Hurd of Roxbury


 Hurd of Roxbury.
 Is farming a failure in New England i? Many clam it does not pay, and their opinion seems substantiated by the un- thrifty appearance of their buildings, poor mowings and ush-covered pas tures' But this condition of affairs am led to believe is more the fault of the man than of the vocation. I believe this, because occasionally find an ex- ception to the rule, which is as signifi- cant as interesting. The exception is usually man of bright intellect, studi- ous habits and positive and persevering character, such as would achieve success in any of the trades or professions.
 With letter of introduction I called upon one of these exceptional farmers few weeks ago while on carriage drive through Western New England with my wife. His name is
 CHARLES II. HURD OF ROxBURY. one of the hilliest towns of hilly old Litchfield County, of scenic fame. Be- fore reaching the house any careful ob- server will notice Mir Hurd has faculty of keeping down the brush. Thirty beautiful Holstein cows, with their ud- ders distended ready for the milk pail, tells the passer-by that dairying is the speciality, and, when little later he is told that these cows are all of MT Hurd's own raising, he begins to understand that there is here considerable of old time practice and thrift. Mir Hurd's latest impression he is about to follow out, in grading up his great milkers to greater production of butter fats by the use of thoroughbred Jersey bull just bought.
 "Why do you raise your own cows?' 1 inquired.
 ''lf 1 don't 1 am not sure of getting good ones, and often have to look a long time for what I want. have to lav by three or four cows every year, because they have got beyond their period of profit. If l raise my own I keep my herd good without great expense and trouble. Again stock that raise is or derly, and it is not always so with that I buy"
 ''I stopped to see you that I might learn the
 SECRET OF YOUR SUCCESS IN FARMING. ;, The pleasant gentleman stopped, laugh ed, and rubbed his hands.
 1.-The sum and substance of it all is steady perseverance and care-taking. I have been here 365 days in the year, and do about as much as any two men I can hire. l stay at home steadily, because 1t is so difficult to get hired men I can trust. During the last few years I have been fortunate in having a good man who IS one of our own sort. Care-taking consists of putting up rail here, fasten- ing board that is loosened there, pull ing out weed or bush that has not found root in the right place, and in having every tool, wagon and implement under cover every night. The things that I buy last twice as long as those that belong to other men who do not take care of them, hence my money goes twice as far.''
 "How large farm have you?"
 II have now between 300 and 400 acres; but l began small"
 "You did not have big farm and for tune then when you started in?''
 "No, I began with only $500. I l calves for thirty years. I then tried feeding steers, but soon went into milk.'
 'Does milk bring great price in this distant region?'
 ''No. The price
 MIGHT BE CONSIDERED SMALL. and still, by having the right kind of cows, raising my own feed and knowing how to use it to best advantage, make t pay. The prices average half cent per quart less than New York prices in summer, and quarter of cent in win ,er."
 ''Is your milk shipped to New York r' sNo, it is taken by factory in the. vicinity. learnad some years ago how profitably to utilize skinned milk and outtermilk from the factory, and have made this quite profitable also. Come put and see my pigs.'' I found four handsome pigs in a tight, neat house ad- oining roomy yard beyond, and the yard connected with a field of perhaps quarter of an acre.
 It is bard to convince farmers that it pays to give grass to pigs. was brought up to believe it all nonsense, put having heard it urged so much, de- 'ided to try it. My experience has led ne to keeD on in this line Thoao n;re