The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-08-15

who at first regarded his purchases CT
land and his plan with envious eyes
now speak of him in the highest terms.
They perceive how much benefit his
experiment will be to agriculturists
generally, as well as to the lovers Of
good roads, since he has ample means
to carry out these experiments on the
Droadest and most comprehensive basis
The general name for the Vanderbilt
estate is "Biltmore. A drive two
miles on the main road leading south
OF Asheville brings the visitor to the
boundary of the property, which Is the
Swannanoa river. Crossing the bridge
you see long dirty-lOolSing shed of
building, with no sign to indicate that
1t IS the general Office Of the estate
where a dozen clerks are employed.
Back Of It is a large plant for making
brick. It is equipped with modern
presses. DRYERS, etc, and furnishes al
the brick used in building the mansion
while millions are sold IN Asheville and
vicinity. AL Of the clay for the brick
Is dug at Biltmore and hauled to the
works on steam tramway four miles
long. This and standard gEage rail-
way seven miles in length traverse the
property, every foot of each being
laid on lands owned by George W
Vanderbilt. Passing the brick works
you come to the Bntmore farming
district. At present fourteen hun
dred acres are under cultlva-
ton. divided into six farms,
each In charge of q foreman or farm
boss with four or FIVE negro hands.
The land is selected from fertile parts
Of the estate and Is in different Sec
items. the parts nearest the approach
to the estate being the largest. Tho
farm furthest ofrom this particular
piece is eight miles distant. 1t Is the
Intention to increase the farm acreage
until it viii comprise five thousand
acres, making one of the largest agri-
cultural properties N America, TO feed
the largest number of cattle, horses,
etc.
Special attention is being given to
fodder which is growing on twelve
hundred acres. What is known as fod-
der or ensilaee plants are being plant
ed extensively as an experiment. Su-,
perinteQdent d. Allings believes they
can be grown successfully in place OF
timothy and other kinds Of nay, which
are a failure in this as well as many.
other parts Of ths south The alfalfa,
teosinta and ;athyryus silvestris, the
latter European production, are new
kinds of fodder plants which have
been raised successfully. They are
used In ensilage Of which seven
hundred tons have already been
made this season. Corn, rye, wheat
and oats are the principal cereal
crops. while on twenty-acre
garden patch gre grown asparagus,
peas, beets, lettuce, onions berries
and a variety of other vegetables, all
of which find ready sale in the Ashe-
vile market, when not consumed at
home. The most modern methods of
agricultural are employed and the best
utensils. Mules furnish most of the
hauling power. Fertilizers are used
z bundantly, while all the dead leaves.
etc., arc mixed into a compost, which
also serves 20 manure the land. As q
result the yield OF corn TO the acre Lass
year was fifty-fve bushels, Of rye, fS-
teen; wheat was twenty-five to thirty. |
FIVE, and oats, forty.
Stock raising Is 10 be 4 feature at |
Biltznore. At present one hundred and !
sixty horses, principally draught ami |
mails, twenty grade Jersey and other
COWS, two hundred Southdown sheep, F!
one hundred and ten Berkshire pigs, |
about forty heifers. four imported
bulls and Clydesdale Percheron stall
lion are in the stoclzyaTd: also stocks
Of Toulouse geese, Pekin ducks, bronze
a hen house TO cost three thou 4
sand dollars, with artificial hatch 4
cry, nests and other special /