Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-08-01
From the Boston Courier.
Two Days in the Valley Of Connect
lent River.

On the western bank of the Connecticut,
directly opposite 10 Walpole, is the pleasant
village Of Westminster. The main street
runs along the foot Of the hills which form
the Vermont side of the valley. Between
the street aud the river is a broad expanse
Of meadow, chequered with patches Of grass
and clover, corn, potatoes, oats, rye, &c
The crops are yet in embryo, but the rich
aluvial soil of these intervals never dsap-
points the expectations the tiller. At the
lower end of this principal street is a farm,
purchased few years ago by Mr. William
Stickney of Boston, on which he intends to
retire at some future time from the laborious,
and sometimes, vexatous pursuits of mer-
camille life. He is now engaged largely in
building new barus and repairing old ones,
and will replace soon, the old and leaky
dwelling house-one Of the Oldest in the
town--with one of more fair proportions and
better adapted TO impart comfort and con-
venience to its inmates. The farm embra-
ces meadow, hill pasture and woodland, in
suitable proportions, and affords ample
bounds and materials for the employment
and pleasure Of man who retires from The
active business of city, with the intention
to spend the remainder Of life in the ration
al aud gentemanly pursuits of agriculture.
Mr.. S. is rapidly improving his stock Of
neat cattle but his attention has been par
ticuarly directed to the improvement of
swine. He has imported swine Of the IA
nous Suffolk breed, which have cost him
/ FIVE hundred dollars and richly, we think,
will he be recompensed for his money and
labor. His piggery exhibits some remarka-
! BILE specimens of swinish beauty, if beauty
can be discovered in pig ; and if beauty
consists in the symetrical adaptation of
parts to the ultimate purpose for which the
whOle is designed, there is as much beauty
in well formed pig as any other animal
There is always beauty in utility, or there
is no truth in philosophy; and pig is uni
versally acknowledged to be useful animal:
therefore, there is beauty in pig +; and the
authority, to which we have before referred,
pronounces Mr.. Stickney's pigs the most
beautiful he has ever seen. He has them
of all sizes, from that of the stately boar,
which crossed the Atlantic ocean TO become
the progenitor of an Anglo-Amcrcan race
Of swine, to the sucking of ten days old H.
with backs us broad as a side saddle, aud
their hair (what little they have) as white as
INC vi lhC1 iGtu VIC dONlSc
all who love pork in any Of its esculent
forms whether il be the solid or mddling
or the more delicate spnre-rib, the fragrant
ham or the corned shoulder, the souse, the
sausage, or the "rasher Oh the Goals" TO Wis
it Mr.. Stickney's piggery, and if they can
leave it, ''nor cast one longing, lingering
look behind" we should doubt their qualif-
cation for membership in all Agricultural
Society
Leaving the farm of Mr. Stickney, we rode
thro' the villages of Bellows Falls, Charles
town and Weathers6eld TO Windsor, where
the Railroad mania RACES to a heat that
would vivify the day-star. Two or three
gentlemen from Boston have recently pur-
chased farms in this neighborhood, and com
menced the practice Of agriculture. Mr. E.
S. Robbins, two miles south Of the village,
can sit in his parlor and overlook his mead
ow land, TO the extent Of ninety-eiglt acres
soil that is not inferior TO any in New
|, England, and which is susceptible of the
highest degree of culture. From such a
tract Of alluvian, were it within daily reach
of a market, an independent fortune might
be derived in few years. Mr. Robbins has
taken great care to stock his farm with the
best Of neat cattle, sheep, and swine. His
flock of Merinos number about seven hum
dred. A bull from the "Cream-pot" Ten
Hills breed has lately given his farm exren-
sive notoriety. Another, ofthe same breed,
but Of later generation, is pronounced by
Col. Jacques 1--WE like to quote undisputed
authority to be a perfect animal,
, In Weathersfeld, ten miles below Wind
sor, is the farm of the Hon, William Jarvis.
This gentleman, educated in Boston, accus-
toned to the elegant luxuries of an Ameri-
can metropolis, and having had the adyan-
/ tages afforded by an official station in one oil
the commercial cities of Spain, purchased
: large tract Of land in this place, and has
resided on it thirty-four years His resi-.
dence in Spain gave him an acquaintance
with the various liocks of Merino sheep for
which that kingdom is SO justly celebrated
; and enabled him to procure sufficient
stock for his extensive pastures. He has
e been emincntly successful in the growing o.
: wool, which always commands the highest
price among the manufacturers. His exam
pie has been followed by many of the farm
: ers in the vicinity, who have found out thai
the sides and SUBMITS Of their hills, too pre-
cipitous for the plough, and too rough fol
I the scythe, afford sustenance for countless
flocks of sheep. Wool has become one o
the most important products of the State
Mr.. Jarvis's mansion-house is the seat o
hospitaiity,-t natural and agreeable hos
/ pitaliiy, which, in its unaffected exercise
\ seems TO make the guest feel as he confer
y red favor on the host by participating il