The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1904-08-20
INTENSIVE FARMING.
How Rev. Mr.. DIETRICH Got Remarkable
Results-His Methods Are Explained
\ Strict Application Of the Market
Gardening Method, With Constant Ma
nuring. Are The Secrets.
From the Baltimore sun.

From the Baltimore sun.
The talk given by Rev. J. d. DIETRICH at
the farmers picnic al Mount Airy, Md, Aug
ust 4th, wherein he explained the methods he
followed in what might very properly be called
intensive farming. has created more than pass
ing interest The results secured, according
to Mr.. Detrichs statement, are remarkable
in many ways. In some respects TO many
farmers II is a revelation of what can be done
by the soiliug system Of dairy farming. The
plan followed by Mr. Dietrich is a strict ap-
piication ofthe market garden method-heavy
manurng and constant use OF all the land
in growing season, one crop following another
ia rapid successiun Rotation OF crops, which
the farmer has been advised was quite neces-
sary to keep land in good Nth and help sup
ply hnmus and plant food, Mr.. Dietrich says
IS entirely unnecessary. BY his plan the char
acter of the manure returned 10 the soil fur
nishes plenty of material for humus, to retain
the necessary moisture and put the soil in good
physical condition. The farm Mr.. Dietrich
started with is located near West Chester, Pa,
aud consisted of 10 acres. When the space
occupied hy the buildings is considered there
were about Is acres under cultivation. He
secured possession in 1881 and with 81 200
mortgage upon II be started and the first year
lacked $40 in paying expenses. In the next
SIX years the mortgage was paid. When It is
known that in the trst year, 1881, that the
farm did not support the two COWS and one
horse he kept, an idea can be gained of the
rundown character Of the soil, which is a
reddish, somewhat gravelly nature.
The present results have been brought about
by the use of stable manure alone, all Of
which has been applied directly to the soil as
Il va made The practice was 10 Iced ON the
farms sll crops raised. The soiliug crops used
were green rye. beginning about May aud
continuing for four weeks or so, until the rye
was ready TO cut for hay. Clover and timothy
are fed until Canada peas and osis-grown
tugeiber-are ready. When the latter is cut
for hay the silo Is opened (abOut July A. and
silsge Is fed ull early corn tplanted about
June - ) is ready. Late cora Is then fed until
time arrives Ia pni il in the silo. From that
time on siiage Is led daily until the green rye
becom-s available again in the spring. No
abrupt change is ever made in feeding. Even
IA changing from green corn to silage the
change IS made gradually. The cows are given
four ounces OF salt each day, mixed with their
food Mr. Dietrich says they will eat their
food With keener relish aud more Of Il with
this amouni Of salt. which Is divided among
these three daily rafions or feeds Fine table
salt Is used. He wants his COWS to drink freely
ct water, aud that's the way be says to put
water into the milk SOjling crops and all
t4r rauehaes produced on the farm IS cut into
quarter inch la,tgths- This includes the straw
used Tor ;hr bedding also. Back Of the COW !
stalls are concrete cutters . inches deep and |
Is inches side which are kept hlled with cut |
siraw. These CUTTERS have no outlets aud are /
cleaned oul daily This litter at once absorbs |
rF 4 sak .faN f.la Of
the manure 10 the soil and piowing /
It under. allows no escape Of ammonia or M
iroEeaous elements.
There are two round silos on the farm. hav
ing about 100 tons capacity each, and thus |
qusuiity Of silage Is produced on about four /
acres. usually planted about June -. II re
1uirss assn. three teams and traction en-
sine to ruu the cutter in filling the silos. The /
work begins on Friday, so as 20 allow for the /
sesl,lng on Sunday. aud Monday the filling is |
Every green crop grown on the place is
mAiuIy used Tor soillng PURPOSES. The sur
plus. whsnever there Is any, either goes TO the |
sila or IS converted into hay. The crops |
rruwn are peas, oats, rye, timothy, corn, clo- |
yer and millet Not less than two crops a year |
are harvested from each plot.
The farm j. divided into what might be /
termed feaeeless fields. Mr.. Dietrich SAYS |
fences are worse than q nuisance, so he long |
ago hauled the fences to the woodpiies. These I
'.6elds vary in size from quarter OF an acre 1
10 y acres. Mr.. DIETRICH believes IN = mix
lure Tor hay, and SAYS with the ground rich no !
,nr need 20 be afraid TO SOW plenty of seed in 4
variety. His plan Is 10 SOW red clover, SIX /
quarts. timothy, i've quarts; alsike, ,! pounds, 1
and red top. one pound, per acre. The seed 4
he'd prepared for all crops IS most thoroughly |
ioae. Repeated haFroNing aud other meth. I
Dds are followed until the seedbed Is hne as 4
Su old time hand made onlon bed. Some OF /
the tields are kept IN rye in ~inter and corn /
10 summer indefinitely. Mr.. DIETRICH says 4
rotation cannot equal rich ground results and \
sitez a. a lac, worthy Of consideration that on /
one piece be has grown ensilage corn and rye |
for II years, with the crops continually i'm
proving each year.
Two bushels Of rye Is sown per acre, broad
-aS,rd and covered with springtooIh harrow.
Rive hay is readily eaten by the cows, and some
,f il is also used for bedding. Sometimes in
he early spring the fall sown rye Is turned
lnder. aad oats aud Canada peas are sown.
This crop always produces an abundance OF
nutritious hay or soiliag proSender.
4 Government expert who visited Mr..
Dietrich farm saws: The remarkable yields
IN this farm are due to the intelligent use OF
table manure. Most farmers waste more
han half the value Of the stable manure pro.
iueed on their farms. |, IS estimated that
iye.eigb,s s.i the plaut food in the manure of
arm animals Is contained in the liquids. On
his farm every particle of this plant food Is
utilized
At the Mount Airy meeting Mr.. DIETRICH
aid he never used any air slaked lime around
az harms and did not use any lime on his land.
He. however. disinfeets his stable barns twice
. week With ereolne. and the interiors are
reouently whitewashed. The absorbeutS used
n ihe cuws,all cutters are leaf mold. rotten
.od and the fine.cut straw. The contents OF
brse cutters when removed daily are spread
,n the land from which the crops have Just
,eeu removed. often the same day. On newly
eeded grass lands no manure IS used, but the
,rass fields during the second and third year
re heavily top. dressed with manure IN the
winter
50 heavy is the hay crop that each swath
ias TO be moved out of the way before the
machine can successfully work on another.
rhe curing method is to cut IN the afternoon,
$ il is considered the dew does no damage.
About noon next day It Is put into curing
,ocks." which are made quite fiat. The next
morning these cocks are upset aud in the af
ernoon four of them are put into one wealth
ring cock" After thus standing one day 1t
; then hauled and ricked or stored in the
,aru.
Mr.. Deitrieh's farm was a strictly dairy
arm, mainly of registered Jerseys. 1t was
considered on his farm that lit doesn't pay
q feed SIS worth of milk to a calf that will
EN- for Sl7." The male calves, when prom
sing enough. are saved as breeders. None is
,ver vealed. Ii it is not promising enough it
) killed at birth. Twenty five cents a gallon
or ali the milk the entire year is sold to State
Institution two miles from the farm. The
verage cost is SIS per cent. The milk is de-