Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1903-03-12
Written for the Formers INSTITUTED
How | Would Improve A
Southern Maryland Farm.

In taking up this SUBJECTIVE
most important question confront
ing our farming communicative deal
with il from the standpoint-of one
whose experience has been entirely
from practical contact, without the
scientific aid that our brothers in 9th
err sectionsturn tosuch profitable ad-
vantage The subject TO be discus
sed-"H How ] would improve a South.
ern Maryland Farm 2-is SO broad
and comprehensive that am at a
loss to know just where to start the
entering wedge. As you will sell
dom find two farms alike, each diff
fering from the other in character
of soil, location as TO drainage, or
special adaptabiIity, it will only be
on general principles, leaving the
minor details, that we find so i'm.
portant, unmentioned
The first step would be the laying
out Of the farm; and, as we prefer a
three year rotation, would have only
three fields for cultivation, leaving
a large part Of the most undesirable
portion Of the farm for permanent
pasture. The timber land would be
/ fenced in with in with this perma-
nent pasture, II contingent, II not, ii
would be enclosed separately for hog
lot, The three fields | would d.
vide as nearly as possible intoequal
tracts. As our crops are tobacco,
corn, wheat and clover, would aim
TO get the tobacco soil divided as
nearly rs possible ia these three
I fields. The fences would be run as
straight as possible, list cleared Of
all briars, bushes and other obnox
ious growth all stones that were In
sight removed, and useless trees
taken up Foul fence rows we have
cleared very eheaply by removing
the fence and the growth 70 the sur
face. Then starting the pillow crossing
the line, one man with a grub hoe
to take up stumps and another with
an ak 70 cot the roots the width and
depth the plow would take. would
be- all that vas necessary in this
way we have successfully aunihilat
ed the rankest growth Of briars Ina a
much more effective aud cheap way
than by carefully grubbing. The
| pillow in turning up the heavy turf,
draws out the root entirely, aud cx-
posture kills the growth
As our lands are in a great meas.
ure naturally drained, little atten-
ton is mere required, but where
bitches are needed they should be
kept IN thorough working order, the
springy and wet places should be
drained and the following process
has been highly satisfactory Where
there is u moderate fall, narrow
drains cut as closely together as
necessary flowing into a main ditch,
the drain filled in with four poles ut
bottom I'VE use CEDAR then Oh IN
with stones to about 10 or II inches
Of the top. After laying on a cover
ing Of pine brush, oil IN with soil,
and we have the richest part Of The
farm the most productive, BY this
! method we make a double stroke TO.
ward Improvement, that Of remoY-
ing the stones from the surface and
the surplus water beneath. Where
we do not have the proper fall we
have used drain tile successfully.
The mistake should not be- made OF
ditching too shallow Where the
outlet will admit, nothing less than
three feet should be allowed then
the work will always prove satisfac-
tory.
Manuring is the main point on
which devolyes our success. I'm
der this head we have three classes:
Home compost, commercial fertili-
zers, and green bumus. AS Tobac-
co and wheat are our money crops,
we feed all the hay, straw and corn
products, to be returned to the land
Stock enough is kept to consume
this, and is kept as much as posi-
BILE under cover One great mis-
take we have made in the past has
been to allow our stock TO have the
run of an open yard, and to have to
let them out daily for water. The
manure made in this way is not OF
much value after the rains OF win
ter leach out the manuriai elements.
or course the humus is left as IL was
before, which will do the land good
mot always the crops), but we have
lost the large proportion gifts value.
Keep the stock under shelter and