Home / Scharf, J. Thomas, ed. History of Westchester County, New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II. Philadelphia: L.E. Preston & Co., 1886. / Passage

History of Westchester County, New York, Vol. II

Scharf, J. Thomas, ed. History of Westchester County, New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II. Philadelphia: L.E. Preston & Co., 1886. 280 words

Thus we remain, fifty-four miles long, north and south, twenty-eight miles wide in the southern part, thirty-three miles wide in the middle part, and thirty-one miles wide in the northern part, and having a total area of one million and fifty-six thousand acres.

And no more boundary fights for ours; no, not one.

AGRICULTURAL AND LIVE STOCK INDUSTRIES

The southern part of Garden county is a high plain about three hundred feet higher than the North Platte river bottom. This is the wheat country par excellence, and is not a bad country for diversified farming. Alfalfa seed potatoes, and sorghum cane are among the most profitable crops.

In the south part of the county there is a solid body of wheat land over 250.000 acres in extent; of course some of this is unbroken prairie, but at the present rate of development, it will all be in cultivation within a few years.

Breaking, discing, drilling, and harvesting is now practically all done with big machinery run by motor power. Although there are many headers, and combined headers and threshers, the most popular method of harvesting is by means of several binders drawn by one large oil burning tractor engine.

The Campbell system of farming is not popular here, although spring grain is sometimes cut down to about half a normal crop because of drouth. A good crop can be raised every year by rotating winter wheat and other crops. The last failure was in the year 1895.

The average crop of winter wheat is twentytwo luishels per acre, but a yield of thirty-five bushels per acre is nut uncommon. This land is now selling at about $70.00 per acre, some