The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1906-06-15
THE FARM.
An Example Of Modern Farming.
INTRODUCTION.

uAC NONS IA iA-Ahs e-AA MI koAi " - T.
Of interest to farmers in all parts of /
the country. The farm in question
Is situated in southeastern Pennsyl-
yania, near a large city. About lS
acres are in cultivation, the remain
ing acres being occupied by build
ings, yard, etc. This farm came into
the possession of the present owner
in 1881 with a mortgage of $1,000
upon it. For the first year the farm
lacked SAG of paying expenses Dur
ing the next six years the mortgage
was paid.
HOW THE SOIL WAS IMPROVED.
The soil Of the farm is a reddish.
somewhat gravelly clay. 1t was SO
run down in 1881 that it did not sup
port COWS and horse kept upon ii.
1t has been brought up to its present
remarkable state of fertility solely
by the use of stable manure applied
directly from the barn. as ii was pro
duced. The system of handling ma
nure is such that none is lost, either
liquid or solid. No commercial Ter
tilizers have ever been used, and no
manure has been hauled frcm the
city. The crops are Ordinarily all
fed. and are thus largely returned TO
the land in the manure. OF course
much valuable fertilizer is added 10
the farm annually from the rich mill
products fed the cows. The roughage
is all raised on the farm, but all The
grain is bought.
Upon assuming management Of The
farm the owner. a minister with no
previous experience in farming, be-
gan to read what agricultural litera-
tIre was available. One of the first
books secured was Quincy's little book
on the soiling of cattle. written early
in the last century. and now very
much out Of date, there being much
better treatises on the subject.
As in many parts of this country
the practice of "soilsng" is not COM
nrn. It is permissible 20 state that 1t
consists IN cutting and feeding green
feed in summer instead Of allowing
the animals to run on pasture.
This practice did not prove sauBfac-
tory the first year, because no other
feed was used, and the COWS did not
do well. The manure was also diff
cult to handle, and it was not easy
20 keep the barn clean. Before the
next season the new farmer had pro-
cured Stewards book on feeding ami
mails. and from II learned his first
lesson in "balaced rations." He also
learned to feed some dry hay with
the soiling crops. thus giving the
manure a proper consistency. Thence
forward the management Of the con
stantly growing herd Of cow wax q
simple matter, and the farm beg)1
not only to pay a profit but to In
crease IN fertility.
SYSTEMATIC MANAGEMENT
The writer has never seen anoshei
farm on which system is so pro-
nounced a feature. Without referrin:
to notes OF any kind. the owner DE-
tailed the crops growing ca each
small subdivision, the crops that mar
been grown on each for Two to thre'
years past, and those that would b,
grown for as long in the future. l.
most cases the dates of seeding AMI
harvesting were given. A peculiar
feature OF the management is ina
each of the principal operations Il
performed on a fixed day each sue
\ ceeding year, or as near to II as th'
weather Will permit. Not a pound O
solid or liquid manure goes to was
on this farm. and the soil is in sucs
condition that It is more nearly inde
pendent OF weather conditions tha'
any other soil the writer has eve
seen. Torreltial rains are soaked u.
IN a very short time. so that the sol
may be handled after rain mucl
sooner that that OF adjacent farms
II is therefore not difficult to atiher
approximately to a prearranged pro
gramme. For instance. early corn 50
soiling is planted May S; late corn 10
sflage. June %: grass seed abol
August %, and so on.
THE PRODUCTS SOLD.
The farm is strictly a dairy farm
the only products regularly sold be
ing milk and a few head Of ycnn'
cattle each year. The cows are al
registered Jerseys. except one or NV
picked up at sales on neighbcrili
farms. They are not only pure bre
hut they are well bred. There is no
a star boarder In the herd. Nal
calves, II worthy Of 1t, are reared 70
/. hreeaspx- papees -hgt none is eve
vealed II a male calf is not fit .
far5-sf5s- o, -
birth. 1T doesn't pay TO feed 81
worth Of milk to calf that win re'
for ST." said the owner. The younl
49, 49,. ~.