Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-01-22

AoND, Agricultural Editor Oxford Democrat
| Paris. Me.
SHALL THE OLD HOME FARM BE
A8ANOONED!
A man aud his son came to US yester-
day for advice. The man was about 65
years of age and the son 20.
The father had farm of seventy
acres on which he was born and where
he and his wife had raised their family
Of boys and girls, all Of whom had gone
out into the world to trades except this
one, who was the youngest. The farm
had been productive but now was in poor
condition. The buildings are comforta-
ble and need but little repairs as the IA
ther and sons are mechspicslly inclined
and have kept things fixed up.
or the farm about twenty acres are in
wood, twenty-five in pasture, and twen-
ty-five acres in field. The soil is natural
ly good clay loan, running up to sandy
loan in the higher parts. The field is
quite free from stones and is all good
plow land, but very low In condition
now, as il has not yielded hay enough
to feed more than two cows, heifer,
and horse, for a number Of winters
past.
The pasture is naturally good grazing
land; mostly free from stones, but
good many bushes have sprung up on it
in the past few years.
This last son is bright, substantial,
active fellow and had graduated from
the high school three years ago, since
when he has helped on the farm at home
and worked out in the neighborhood,
cutting some eighty cords Of wood in
the woods for neighboring farmer last
winter. The father and mother wanted
the son to stay at home with them. The
son likes farm work, but did not see
how they could live decently on the old
farm, even with what he could earn by
working out, added to what it yielded.
They had been offered eleven hundred
dollars for the farm, and were debating
whether it was not best to sell it, and
90 to the village where the son might
Ilearn ioinering and live at home" with
them; and that was what they came to
talk over with US. We found, as we
talked, that the young man had rather
stay on the farm than go away from it,
If he could only get something for MS
work, and it was at his suggestion that
they came to see US. That he was will
ing to work was shown by his wood
chopping last winter. He was very
much interested in the cows on Mr..
Jones' farm, where he worked last sea-
son.
After talking it all over thoroughly,
we advised them to keep the farm and
home by all means, and undertake to I'M
prove il. and make it as profit returning
as any trade he might master.
And then we planned to plow six
acres of the best corn land in the field,
lust before corn planting, the last OF
next May, or the first of June. when the
grass will be green all over the field,
and the roots full of succulence so that
the inverted sward will begin to heat
and rot. and warm the soil and furnish
food TO the corn to be planted in it.
We found that they knew what good
cultivation meant, for an acre has been
devoted to gardening each'year, for
long time, and the sale OF vegetables
from it has been large factor IN sup
porting the family-indeed with the re-
turns from the two cows it was all OF
the money income from the farm. Near
ly all of the manure made from the
stock had been used on this small area
and this was largely the reason why the
rest of the farm was so unproductive.
We planned for the thorough prepara-
ton of the land before planting, and
weekly shallow cultivation, until the
corn should be shoulder high.
They will need to use about thousand
pounds of good fertilizer per acre, as
there is no cattle manure. The Bowkers
or Bradley's corn fertilizer or any other
good brand is all right. About four
hundred pounds should be drilled in
with the seed, and the remaining SIX
hundred pounds sown on broadcast ana
cultivated in lightly when the corn Is
two or three feet high.
We would use the Sanford, Leaning,
or Stowell's Evergreen corn, or some
other strong growing variety, and put
the drills three feet apart, and the plants
about eight inches apart in the drills.
They have lumber enough on the farm,
and can get out spruce, or good white
hemlock for the slaves OF sllo, this
winter, and have it sawed ready for use
next fall; only two or three thousand
feet will be needed any way.
The Young man said he could earn
large part of the hundred dollars re-
uuired for the purchase of the fertilizer,
before next planting time. They will
have TO hire team for plowing and bar
rowing the land, but their own horse
will do all the rest of the work until
harvest time, and much more. They
must keep up the garden, for tnat Is y
source of present and profitable income.
IL the season is an ordinary one the corn
should yield twelve or fourteen tons OF
silage per acre, If cut in the dough or
glazing condition. This would give
feed enough from the six acres to feed
six cows AN entire year if they did not
90 to pasture at all. Their grain feed
would have TO be purchased.
This would mean eight COWS on that
farm. instead of the two that have been
kept.
Combining the hay and silage in feed
ing, would give about three-fourths OF
the ration of silsge and one-fourth OF
hay, which with the grain would be
very good.
The $3.50 or $500 necessary for the
purchase of the cows will have TO be
hired. Ordinarily we would be very
slow to go in debt, but this money would
be for working capital, and there Is
every reason why it would be repaid
from the business.
There should be an income from the
six new cows Of $500 after their grain
feed has been paid for. This $500 may
not seem large sum as the results OF a
seasons work; but the work OF renovat-
ing old, worn farms requires more than
a single season in which to secure great
returns.
But this Is start, and the manure
Welded by the six silage and grain fed
cows will furnish fertilizers for crops
the following year.
By blowing six acres OF sod land each
wear and planting to corn; sowing to
oats and peas the second year, with
clover, redtop and timothy, will at the
end of four years, bring them around on
that twenty-five acre field SO that it will
have no old sod, and each year the crops
will be six acres Of corn, six acres OF
oats and peas, six acres in clover and six
acres in timothy and redtop.
The corn would mostly be put In the
silo, little being retained In the shock