Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-02-05
The HOME FARM.


The article in Turf, Farm and Home
Abandoned?" have read with much
interest, and in fact have re-read it.
ln case of this particular farm the sd-
vice given the young man may be the
best that could be given. And certain
ly if the said young man acts upon il
We wish him the greatest need of sue
cess. At the same time we realize that
It would not prove successful venture
or undertaking in the case of u large
majority of the rundown or worn-out
farms throughout Maine and New Hamp-
shire, whether the same are abandoned
or otherwise.
myself have experimental with COM
mercial fertilizers with view TO reno
waiting old rundown land, on clay
loan. have met with some success,
but on sandy loan the experiment has
without exception proved a dismal fall
ure, and in no case, in my opinion, can it
be successful without the closest atten-
tion to details. In q large majority of
cases that have come under nv observa-
ton the returns have not been more than
sufficient TO pay the expense of the fer
tiliZer, and in not few cases inadequate
10 do even that.
lt appears that the father and son
have been successful in cultivating u
good garden and that has been remuner-
ative. Perhaps il one acre thus culti-
waited has made satisfactory returns, two
acres might be cultivated with equally
good results. Certainly it could be pro-
vided, they have 8 sufficient market for
their products.
Ii is not necessary to plant the same
acre indefinitely or continually, year In
and year out. That acre of garden sowed
the first of next June TO Hungarian
would in all likelihood produce not less
than three tons of fodder, equal TO the
best of hay, and if q liberal amount OF
alsike and timothy is sown with the Hun
garian, if the season is favorable, a good
catch can be confidently relied on, and
this acre the next year, barring drouth,
ought TO produce from three to four tons
of the best of hay, and at no extra ex-
pense for fertilizers. Turn up new
acre for the garden, put on what manure
you have and supplement il with some
commercial fertilizer; the new garden
will, If the soil is thoroughly prepared,
produce equal TO the old.
The finer the soil is pulverized the bet
ter the crop. On the hay raised on the
old garden two extra cows can be win
tered. have known three tons of the
best hay 10 be cut on an old garden lot
of one acre, for eight years in succession.
Two crops every year.
II had the farm in question | would
seed down the OLD gsr1en next spring,
take up new acre, use the barn drain
ings on the same, and in addition would
use phosphate in sufficient amount TO in
sure the best results. Adjoining the gar
den | would turn up another acre OF
sward land on which, by using 4OO
pounds of some standard fertilizer, |
would drill in fodder corn for the silO, or
To be cured in the shock and fed dry to
the cattle. Dry fodder corn is, in my
opinion, as good as silage, in case II can
be properly cured. i once cured a guam
tity of corn fodder under cover and con.
sidered it equal, pound for pound, to any
fodder save the best of hay.
The next year if did not wish to en-
large nv garden | would use 600 pounds
of fertilizer on the same, and SOW TO oats
and peas, to be cut for fodder, and used
without threshing, and take up a new
acre for fodder corn, and after about
three years on the new garden L would
treat it the same as the old has already
been treated. The application of twenty
bushels of hardwood ashes applied TO
grass land yearly that is in fair condi-
tion will keep it so for a long time, and
will more than pay cost.
Much is said by the agricultural press
and by speakers at farmers meetings
about improving the abandoned farms
throughout New England, but think
that it must be apparent to all who are
really conversant with the conditions
appertaining thereto, that these farms
will not be taken up again as residences.
There is much that may be said about
these abandoned places, the cause and
the remedy. may some time in the
future have something to say thereon.-
L. j. Alard in Turf, Farm and Home.