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Farm Buildings of D. D. T. More, Middlebrook Farm, Watervliet.

Farm of D. D. T. More.

1. My farm consists of one hundred and eighty-five and a half acres of land. No waste or woodland.

sand; am not aware of any limestone existing on the 2. Soil, a sandy loam; subsoil, principally a coarse farm; no stones worth mentioning.

3. I found the best mode of improving my land was by plowing under clover; the growth of the clover was much aided by a liberal application of plaster, say 250 lbs. per acre."

4. My experience is decidedly in favor of deep plowing-not less than eight inches, and often deeper. tering hickory, poplar and sassafras trees, were the 7. Yellow and white pine, white and black oak, scatprincipal trees originally. Sorrel and couch grass were the principal weeds.

This farm, which received the second premium of the New-York State Agricultural Society in 1850, is situated in the town of Watervliet, on the Albany and Mohawk Plank Road, two miles from Albany. It has been in Mr. MORE's possession and occupancy for the last six years, and during that period has presented one of the most striking examples of successful and profitable im. provement that we have ever known. Previous to Mr. M.'s purchase, it had been for fifty years subjected to an exhausting course, under the leases of various tenants-the annual rent of the whole farm being but one hundred dollars, and that deemed too large a sum by the tenant as the whole amount of produce was only worth $400 to $500 a year. Mr. MORE, in fact, bought the place in opposition to the advice of all his friends, who deemed it impossible that the land could afford him and his family "a living." But notwithstanding the soil was so much reduced, that, in Mr M.'s language, almost the only crop he could raise at first was white beans, his clear judgment and practical knowledge of agriculture induced him to make the purchase, at $60 per acre, and the result has more than realized his anticipations. The 9. My means of making manure are from the keeping of about thirty head of cattle, and from four to six benefit of his good management has been of no small horses, and mixing in various ways, all the straw that my value in the promotion of improvement in his neighbor-farm produces. I make in this way about three hundred hood. His "good works" have stinulated others to "do likewise,” and much of the land adjoining his, and which, at the commencement of his operations, was in a similar condition, has advanced in price more than 100 per cent., and is made to yield a bountiful return for good cultivation.

Mr. MORE has accomplished his results under many disadvantages. For a large portion of the time since he began, he has been in feeble health, and has been only able to exercise a general supervision of his affairs, without attempting bodily labor, but his constant vigilance and care has well verified the maxim, that "the eye of the master will do more work than his hands." Neither has he derived any benefit from the labor of his family. In his statement to the Society, he says-"My family consists of wife and five children, the oldest but fourteen years old, so that my children have been of little assistance to me-the balance of account being decidedly against them."

8. I find from my experience I derive the most benefit by applying manure as a top-dressing." I use much of my manure on my rye crop, in the following manner: After the grain is harrowed in, I apply from twenty to twenty-five loads of manure, (double loads, say thirty bushels each,) spread evenly over the surface. I have never failed to get a good crop of rye. The grass seed is-sure to take, and the growth is much aided by the manure; the clover being plowed in, leaves my land in I manage my excellent-condition for a crop of corn. it covered with earth, to prevent as much as possible the manure by heaping in the yard, turning it, and keeping escape of the gases. I have no cellars for manure under my barn, but have cisterns for collecting the urine.

loads of manure, and usually buy as much more.
My usual mode of applying manure has been as follows:
10. I prefer to have my manure pretty well rotted.
Plow under clover, plant corn, follow with potatoes, and
then rye, with a top-dressing of manure, not so much
for the benefit of the rye as for the clover, and future
crops. I am satisfied that my land has improved rapid-
ly from this mode, in fact at such a rate that I shall not
be able to follow it, so far as the rye crop is concerned.
cheaper than by purchasing it, being so near to Albany,
11. I am not aware of any way of increasing manure
where it can be bought from twelve to thirty-seven
cents per load.

12. I have used lime, guano, and plaster. Lime I have applied to a considerable extent, usually as a topdressing. Have used plaster, principally upon clover, with much benefit. Guano I consider too dear for common use. Stable manure and lime I consider the cheapest, considering their effects.

13. I tilled this year one hundred and forty-four acres, as follows: ten acres of wheat, thirty-five acres of rye, twenty-seven acres of corn, thirty-five acres of buckwheat, twenty acres of potatoes, twelve acres of broom corn, one acre of sowed corn, two acres of melons, fifty rods of asparagus, and one and one-half acres of strawber

14. I have cultivated wheat more as an experiment than anything else, as for the last few years it has been almost a total failure in this section of the country. My manner was as follows: I sowed after potatoes, spring wheat of the Black Sea variety, about the 15th of April; har. vested about the 4th of August, at the rate of six and crop, I sowed part of it after potatoes, and a part on a a-half bushels per acre. In the cultivation of my rye clover lay; sowed the last week in August and the first week in September, one a half bushels to the acre; har. vested about the 15th of July; product seventeen and a hail storm in the latter part of June, to the extent I half bushels per acre. The crop was much injured by a

When Mr. MORE took possession of his farm, all theries. buildings on it were reckoned as not worth more than $100, and "the fences had all rotted down, or become nearly worthless." He sold the dwelling for $50, to be taken away, and the barn he pulled down. All the buildings and fences now on the premises have been put up by him. In making the purchase he says "I paid all the money I had, or could raise, which left me more to pay as interest than the former occupant paid as rent. But notwithstanding I have since put up my buildings, fences, and all other improvements, I have paid the interest, and reduced the principal, besides this year's (1850) profits."

We take from the Transactions of the N. Y. State Ag. Society for 1850, the following, from Mr. MORE's answers to questions propounded to the competitors for the premiums on farms:

In reference to Mr. More's mode of applying manure, it should be remembered that he plows "not less than eight inches deep, and often deeper." Therefore in choosing between plowing in manure to this depth, or top-dressing, the latter is, perhaps, preferable, esgrowth of clover. Still, we cannot but regard it as probable. that if pecially when, as in this case, the main object is to promote the the manure was fairly covered with earth, say to the depth of two te four inches, its effects would be greater in the end than if it was left entirely on the surface. EDS.

think of eight or ten bushels per acre. I did not discover much difference between the manured potato ground, and the clover lay, which confirms my previous opinion, that a clover lay plowed under, is about equal to a dressing of manure.

I cultivated corn as follows: twenty-two acres on clover lay, part plowed in the fall and part in the spring. After the clover had got about ankle high, I plowed it deep, passed over with the roller, harrowed well, marked both ways three and a half feet apart, and planted from 4 to 6 seeds in a hill; planted the last days of May and first of June; as soon as I could see the rows I went through with the cultivator; in about a week after, went through with the cultivator again, followed with the hoe, making it perfectly clean, and thinning it to four stalks in the hill. I kept the cultivator stirring the ground as much as possible, till the corn was about three feet high, then went through with the shovel plow, and hilled moderately. As soon as the corn was glazed I cut it up by the ground, and set it up in small stooks. I consider stalks as the most valuable cured in this way. I planted part of the eight-rowed white, and part of the eight-rowed yellow. I found the yellow corn some ten days earliest, but the white yielded best; I did not keep it separate. The whole averaged fifty-six bushels per acre. Five acres of sweet corn I planted the first days of July; the ground was well manured by top-dressing, cultivated the saine as the common; picked the 15th to 30th of October. It sold in the market principally, at 62 cents per hundred ears, amounting to $257.33. The stalks are much more valuable than the other corn, as they contain a larger proportion of saccharine matter. I sowed this year thirty acres of buckwheat; after mowing, I turned over a clover lay, and sowed between the 15th and 20th of July, about three pecks to the acre. Harvested about the 10th of October; produce eight hundred and thirty-one bushels, twenty-three and three. quarter bushels per acre. On fifteen acres I sowed rye with the buckwheat, which looks well, and bids fair to be a good crop.

I cultivated twelve acres of broom corn, on an island in the Hudson river. In consequence of the late spring freshet, I planted the first week in June, ground plowed deep, well harrowed, rolled and marked three feet apart, and planted with Campfield's Drill Barrow, hills eigh teen inches apart, ten seeds in the hill; it was tended much the same as Indian corn, cut when the seed was in the milk, cleaned and cured in the shade, to keep the brush green. My usual crop is about seven hundred pounds per acre. This year, in consequence of having been twice overflowed, the crop is much injured, and will not yield more than four hundred and ten pounds per acre.

One acre of corn I sowed for fodder. Sowed the last of July, cut and fed to the cows through the month of October. I find it excellent for late green feed.

I have cultivated usually about an acre of strawber ries, with success and profit. I have cleared over two hundred dollars in one year from one acre. My mode of cultivation is to take a clean piece of land in good condition, plow it very deep, harrow thoroughly, and spread evenly from two to three hundred bushels of leached ashes to an acre, mark the land in drills three feet apart, and insert the plants from eight to twelve inches apart, in the drills. I transplanted in April, or early in May. I obtained no fruit the first year, of consequence. I cultivate between the rows, as long as I can get through with the cultivator, and then let the vines run together, they will cover the ground entirely by the first of August. I do nothing with them again until the next spring, when I take a double team and heavy harrow, and go over the beds thoroughly, until the plants are sufficient. ly thinned; this loosens the ground and takes out all the weak plants. If the ground does not appear to be sufficiently rich, I apply another dressing of leached ashes; after this is done, the ground is laid off in beds, about five feet apart, and nothing more is done till the fruit comes to maturity. After the fruit is gathered, the beds are cleared of weeds, and left till the next spring. The second year I repeated the above method.

One great benefit I find in using ashes as a manure, is that it brings no weeds. I consider strawberries one of my best crops. I failed, however, entirely in my crop this year. I had one and a half acres of the pine apple variety, a variety much recommended for its prolific crops, and the superior quality of its fruit; my beds never looked so well as they did last spring, blossomed finely, and bid fair for an abundant crop, but after blossoming no berry appeared, and I had therefore a most splendid failure. I had not a full grown, perfect berry in the whole field, they were all pistillate plants. I have been setting rows of the Iowa variety through them, with the hope of better success the next year.

18. I usually sow clover and timothy seed on winter crops. Timothy in August and September, clover in April. Four quarts of timothy, and usually twelve quarts of clover to an acre. My land being upland, I pre. fer timothy and clover for pasture.

19. I mowed thirty-two acres this year, and averaged about one and a half tons per acre. I cut clover when the heads begin to brown, and timothy when in full blossom. Cure as much in the swath and cock as possible. To preserve the color and keep the leaves from shelling, salt in the mow, at the rate of four quarts to the load."

24. I was in the milk dairy business till last October, when I sold out. For the last two years previously Í kept on an average about thirty cows. Since then seven. Nineteen I pasture for others. I keep for use on the farm, four mules, one horse, and one yoke of cattle. My cows are of the native breed.

25. I have made no experiment in the breeding or use of cattle. Have used for farm work, horses, mules and I cultivated two acres of melons; watermelons, citron oxen I prefer mules for general farm purposes. Oxen melon, and preserve citron. Planted the first of June. the second best. I consider two mules as good, and will After the land was put in good order, by deep plowing, do as much work as three horses. I can keep three I marked out the ground six feet apart each way, and mules as cheap as two horses, besides saving much in put three shovels full of street manure in a hill. I plan- shoeing, and costing nothing for farriery; they will work ted at least twelve seed in a hill. Calculated about two-when very old, and I could not be induced to do without thirds to be lost by the bugs. The produce was very them. large, as the family consumed many, many were pilfered and given away, and sold over one hundred dollars worth.

Fifty rods of asparagus, I cultivated as follows: sowed the seed, transplanted the third year to the bed for cutting. I prepared the bed by plowing deep, and highly manured with well rotted manure; when the bed was thus prepared, I took a large plow, and struck a furrow about twelve inches deep, set my plants in the bottom of the furrow, about ten inches apart, cover, then struck the second eighteen inches apart from the first, and so on until all are set. Top dressed with well rotted barnyard manure and salt. My asparagus was of an extraordinary size and quality. Sold $69.66 worth at eleven cents per bunch, besides what was used in the family. I cannot tell how much fertilizing matter is taken from the soil to produce twenty bushels of wheat. I wish I could.

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26. I stable my cattle, and cut my feed principally and give them as much as they will eat. Water in the stable. 34. The depredations of the common peach worm I prevent by digging round the trees twice a year, and destroying them. This is the only troublesome insect I have had so far, except the common caterpillar, which is easily got rid of.

35. I keep the ground cultivated for two or three feet round the trees, and keep the ground covered with com. post, when the orchard is in sod, which is not more than one year in four. I endeavor to keep my orchard well manured. I wash my trees with a preparation of lime and oil of soap, which keeps the bark smooth and thrifty.

37. I have a story and a half house, 24 by 36 feet, with kitcken back, 18 by 30 feet, 12 feet taken off for store room. The upper part of my main building is devoted entirely to sleeping rooms.

My main barn is 30 by 80 feet, standing upon a sidehill of gentle slope, end towards the hill; under the end where the ground is lowest, I take off twenty feet for a horse stable, making room for seven head of horses; the next twenty feet is a root cellar; the remaining forty feet is a cow stable with cisterns underneath for catching all the water that falls on the building. My water cistern occupies about twenty-four feet under this stable, and will hold something like two hundred hogsheads; the other sixteen feet is occupied by a cistern for collecting the urine from the stables, the floor being caulked and pitched, with a trough behind the cattle to conduct their urine to the cistern.

My manner of building the cisterns is this. I dig ont the earth, of the requisite shape and dimensions, take cement and coarse sand of equal parts, mixed with water, and spread evenly about half an inch in thickness all round the sides, and on the bottom, and cover with planks, with earth over them. A cistern of the capaci ty of one hundred hogsheads can thus be built, with pump, complete, for less than twenty-five dollars.

The cow stable is arranged to accommodate twenty. four head of cattle in two rows, with an alley way between. The sides are filled in with brick. One part of the barn, over the horse stable, I use for hay, and the remainder of the space, over my thrashing floor and cow stable, for grain and fodder. Attached to my barn I have on the north a wagon house and tool shoop, 18 by 50 feet, with room overhead for hay and grain, opening into the main barn. To the south of the main barn, attached in the same way, is a building 18 by 100 feet; fifty feet is occupied as a cow stable, the remainder is open shed, with room overhead same as north wing. To the south of the southern shed I have my hen house, 12 by 18 feet, with large windows on the south side, to admit light and warmth. East and south of this shed is my barn-yard, protected from the north and west winds. The yard contains about three quarters of an acre, divided into two parts, the front one for most common use; in the rear one I have four barracks for coarse feed, where I fodder in the middle of the day in pleasant weather. East of my barn, some forty feet, I have a wagon house, 28 by 36 feet, with corn honse and granary overhead. About one hundred and fifty feet in the rear of my house, I have a shop 16 by 24 feet, story and a half, with sleeping rooms overhead.

38. I have but one kind of fence, post and board, or plank, principally chestnut posts, and inch and a quarter cul led spruce plank, four planks high, of which I have sixteen hundred and eight rods, costing about eighty cents per rod. I have no wire fence, and have seen none that I admire. My fences are all in good condition, all having been built within the last five years. As an evidence of the good quality of my fence, I have not received a shilling's damage to my crops for the last year, from either my own or neighbors' cattle.

39. I measure my grain, seed, and potatoes; weigh my beef, pork, and hay, and keep an account of all.

40. I keep a general farm account, of all my sales, receipts and expenditures; and can strike a balance at the end of the year, and thus ascertain my profits or losses.

ACCOUNT OF EXPENSES OF FARM.

407 days labor at 50 cents,...
Yearly and monthly labor,

One girl one year...

66 four months,..

12 bushels grass seed at $2 25,

clover seed at $4 50,.

Seed corn and garden seeds,

$203,50

500 bushels of oats at 41 cents,

Blacksmith's bill,..

665 00 52 00 16 00 205 00 97 81

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39 00

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45 00

12 do

seed wheat at $1.25,.

15 00

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10 00

26 bushels seed buckwheat at 62 cents,.

16 25

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Barley, 33 acres, produced 895 bushels, weighing 48 lbs. per bushel-sold in the aggregate, $671.25, from which, deduct the total expense and charges incident to the crop, $262.75, leaves a profit of $408.50 besides the straw, which is valued at half the price per ton as hay. Asparagus, 50 square rods-sales $71.70-charges on same, $20-leaving as profit, $50.70. Potatoes, 12 acres

from which 602 bushels have been sold, at 50 cents per bushel, $301-400 bushels on hand, $200-aggregate value $501; total cost of the crop $205-leaving as profit $296. Indian corn, 14 acres-aggregate produce estimated at 560 bushels. Buckwheat eight acres-sold from the same to the amount of $62.50, at 50 cents per bushel. Hay, from 30 acres, 50 tons. Kept on the farm 17 cows-sold butter to the amount of $300. Kept 40 pigs, worth $5 each.

Since last year, Mr. MORE has increased the number of his apple trees from 1000 to 1800, and has now set to apple, peach, pear, plum, and quince trees, 52 acres. The spaces between the small trees, are set to raspberries, currants, strawberries, &c. The raspberries and currants, except such as were used in the family while fresh, were made into preserves and jellies-several hundred pounds of which are on hand unsold.

Farming in Pennsylvania.

In the early part of October, we paid a visit to Pennsylvania, for the purpose of being present at some of the agricultural exhibitions, and learning something of the agriculture of a part of that state. The first point of destination was Newtown, and after attending the fair of the Bucks County Agricultural Society, at that place, we took the opportunity of examining some of the farms in that neighborhood.

Bucks county has long enjoyed a great celebrity as a

farming district, and if that portion of the county which we saw is a fair representation of the whole, its reputation is not undeserved. It may be pronounced an interesting section. Its surface, though comparatively level, is sufficiently diversified to afford a pleasant aspect, numerous streams of excellent water, and roads which are easy to be traveled over. The proportion of wood, and its situation with respect to the cleared land, is such as imparts an agreeable variety to the landscape, and with the general neat appearance of the farms, and large and substantial stone dwellings and barns, few sections of the country present more attractions in respect to rural enjoyment and comfort.

From Mr. ADRIan Cornell, Jr., we obtained some facts in regard to the agriculture of the neighborhood, and especially in regard to the agriculture and products of his own farm, which we think will interest and benefit our readers. His residence is about three miles from Newtown, and about twenty miles north from Philadelphia. The place has been occupied by the ancestors of Mr. C. for several generations; a portion of the dwelling house was built by his great grandfather, in 1745, and the remaining portion by his grandfather, in 1762. It was a well known mansion during the Revolution, and while the British army was encamped in the vicinity, was more than once subjected to search, from being supposed to shelter "rebel" officers.

tion. But the suggestion may be worthy consideration, whether a deeper tillage, which could be effected by a sub-soil plow without burying any deeper the manure or surface soil, would not be beneficial. In spring, about the last week in April, the ground is thoroughly worked over with a large cultivator, which brings the soil into excellent condition for planting. The corn is planted the first week in May. Furrows are made four feet apart for the rows, and the seed is dropped in them with a hand drill. The drill does not cover the seed, and to do this a harrow is drawn, with the teeth upward, in such a way as to fill the furrows. When the plants are fairly started, they are thinned so as to leave one every nine inches. The crop is gone over once with the hand hoe; the rest of the work is done with the cultivator. Strict attention is paid to the thorough eradication of weeds. For the twelve years Mr. C, has managed the farm, he has made it a rule that no foul plants should be allowed to go to seed, and the effect has been to almost teen acres, scarcely a weed could be seen, and over the wholly prevent their appearance. In a cornfield of sixwhole farm nothing of the kind obstructed the growth of crops. The corn is cut up and shocked, as soon as it is ripe enough to cure. The yield averages sixty bushels per acre, measured as husked in the field. The cost of cultivation is 20 cents per bushel. The price it brings in market is usually 624 cents per bushel. The fodder produced on an acre, yielding as above stated, is reckoned in order that the waste parts may be converted into maworth $6- The fodder is all fed out in the barn-yard,

nure.

Oats follow corn-sown as early in spring as the soil will admit of plowing, three bushels seed, broadcast, to No manure is given to this crop. The average yield is 60 bushels per acre. The average price which this grain brings in market, is 40 cents per bushel.

the acre.

to the acre.

averaged over 25 bushels per acre-has sometimes gone The yield for the last ten years has brought in market for the last ten years, is 110 cents per as high as 30 bushels per acre. The average price it has kind raised in this part of the country, is the Mediter bushel. The kind raised by Mr. C., and almost the only

The home farm consists of 144 acres, exclusive of wood-land. It is devoted to mixed husbandry, as are Wheat succeeds oats. The preparation consists in most other farms in this section, a system which is gen- first spreading on the stubble, fifteen two-horse wagon erally found most profitable where circumstances are loads of manure to the acre, which is immediately plow. ed in, three and a-half to four inches deep, harrowed, adapted to it, and especial so, where, as in this case, and left to rot till about the middle of September, when the products are regularly marketed from week to week. the ground is cross-plowed, about five inches deep. The THE SOIL is of very uniform character over the whole soil is then reduced to a fine tilth by the barrow and rol farm, and varies but little over a large extent of countryler, and the wheat sown by a drill, two and a-half bushfrom the Delaware river westwardly. The surface is mostly a fine, friable loam, underlaid, generally, with a grayish yellow clay, (probably impregnated with iron,) resting at various depths on sandstone strata. It is an excellent soil as regards mechanical relations; being easily tilled, not liable to pack closely under the effect of rains, nor to bake under the effect of drouth. This constitution renders the crops comparatively independent of the weather, as to wetness or dryness, and with good cultivation insures a certain return. We have before mentioned that a very protracted drouth had been experienced here the past season-scarcely rain enough to soak the ground to the depth of two inches, having fallen from June to the 25th of October; and yet on Mr. CORNELL'S farm, and some others which we visited, the crops were nearly all good. It should be understood, how. ever, that there appears to be an inexhaustible source of water through this district, at no very great depth in the earth, as is seen in numerous unfailing rivulets, and the abundant supply afforded by wells.

COURSE OF CROPPING.-Mr. CORNELL's farm is divided into lots of 12 to 16 acres, each of which (except what is devoted to orcharding) is in regular rotation, brought into the same crop. This rotation is the following: first year Indian corn, second year oats, third year wheat, fourth, fifth and sixth years clover and timothy-mowed two seasons and pastured one.

The sod for corn is usually plowed in November and December. From five to eight two-horse wagon loads of manure are spread before plowing. The land is then plowed to the depth of three and a half to four inches. This will appear to many persons as much too shallow. Mr. C. defends his practice by the argument that the sod and the manure should be kept where the crop will derive most benefit from them, that is, as near the surface as practicable, without suffering loss from exhala.

ranean.

and wheat-midge, and is also less subject to blight. The It succeeds better against both the Hessian-fly grain has improved very much in quality, since it was first introduced, but in acquiring this quality, it has lost something of the peculiar habit by which it was enabled to resist the Hessian-fly. The straw was formerly very stiff, and the husk or sheath which enveloped the stem, adhered so closely that the insect could not obtain a lodgment for itself. The subject is agitated of making a new importation of this variety of wheat, for the ob ject of securing the property for which it was at first specially valuable.

Clover and timothy seed are sown on the wheat at the close of winter, on a light snow, or early in spring, while the ground is very soft. Mr. C. likes the mode of putting in wheat by the drill-thinks the crop is usually better so than broadcast-but it has an objection in reference to the clover and grass, which is regarded as of some importance. The drill leaves the surface somewhat in ridges and furrows; the clover and grass-seed, though sown broadcast, tends to collect in the furrows, which causes it to grow in rows like the wheat, leaving the field imperfectly swarded over. The yield of hay is about two tons per acre. The whole amount of hay cut on the farm annually, is about 80 tons. Its average market value is $12 per ton.

FRUIT.-Mr. CORNELL has about twelve acres devoted to apple and pear trees-three or four acres of which are set to an apple orchard, as yet too young to bear much. In general these fruits are an important item of farm pro

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