Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-10-02

Mr.. Webster's Farm.

woodland. and salt marsh We learn that the ORR
pinal purchase. which included the homestead, COM
prised about 300 acres This was the Thomas es-
tate. The homestead was built two years before
the Revolution broke out, by Mr.. Thomas, who
was highly respected in the Old Colony times, and
was a member Of the Council. When the war
broke out, he sided with the mother country-while
nearly all his neighbors took sides with the patriots
The Governor sent guard Of sixty men, from
Boston, to protect him and his property This ex-
asperated the people so, that Mr.. Thomas had the
guard sent back TO Boston, 10 which place he soon
followed. lie afterwards went to the British set
Elements in Nova Scotia His wife and son re-
NAMED at Marsh6eld during the war, neither taxi
ing an active part for or against the county
though the son rather favored the Of the Col
onies. After the war, the Legislature passed the
Confscation Act. By this act it was decreed, that
all those who had assisted Great Britain, and had
fed the country, should have their property taken
from them; but in cases where the wife had re-
NAMED in the country she should have Of the prop
erty the portion which would have fallen to her, in
the event of her husbands decease. The wife,
therefore, Of Mr.. Thomas, who was then refugee,
had the homestead and three hundred acres of land
given to her out of the estate of her husband-the
whole Of which estate comprised some twelve or
fifteen hundred acres. BY a subsequent act Of the
Legislature, the son, who had remained with his
mother, was made the legal heir Of her property.
As soon as this act was passed she babe adieu to
the estate, and joined her husband in the British
Provinces, where they lived and died. and the
came in possession of the property. He married,
nd ,rad larn fou nf tvaa n
worthy and respected citizen He held possession
of the property till about fifteen years ago, when
he sold il to Mr. Webster, who has, by subsequent
purchases, added to the original, until now the farm
numbers about 1900 acres.
The farm has been greatly improved under Mr.
Webster's care, who is one of the best farmers in
the Union. The present season he has cut 200
tons of English hay, and about the same quantity
Of salt hay. His stock of cattle, sheep and hogs,
is the very best breeds, and bring high prices. He
prefers the Ayrshire breed of COWS to any other,
and he has large number Of the finest two-year-
old hefers we have ever seen.
After dinner he took us in his vehicle around the
whole of his fine farm. In one field Of about eigh-
teen acres he is trying this season, which kind of
manure is the best suited to corn. He had the
whole eighteen planted with corn at one time,
on which he hes tried four kinds of manure, viz
guano, stable manure, kelp, and fish (menhadens).
The stall manure, the keIp, and the fish were spread
upon the land and powed in. The guano was put
upon the hills after the corn was through. AT pre-
sent it is impossible to say which kind of manure
will produce the best crop. We have not seen
corn field, this season, which looks SO finely. The
corn on which the guano was put, is as yet not so
high so stout that other parts Of the field,
but it is improving rapidly, and may yet produce
the heaviest CROP
Passing on, we came to the old Governor Wins
low house, which was built $50 years ago, and is
without doubt the oldest house in the State The
house and estate remained in the Winslow family
until within few years. II is now included in Mr.
Webster's estate. 1t is large square frame house,
with chimney in the centre, the top Of which is
ornamented with a sort Of cornice work. The cor
ners Of the house, also, have woodwork ornaments,
which were designed we presume, 10 initiate blocks
Of stone. Otherwise it has no peculiariiies which
distinguish il from other old fashioned houses. In
field Of rich grass, Immediately in the rear Of the
old mansion, were number of COWS and calves of
the Ayrshire breed. This field had not been bro
ken up for many years, and produced scarcely any
thing. By spreading upon it fish it has become
completely renovated, and the present season, two
tons Of hay to the acre had been taken from it,
Turning round, we took another road, which led
towards the sea. Opening a gate, we entered a
large field, in which some twenty or thirty head of
two-year-old Ayrshire heers and steers were feed
ing. This field has not had pillow in it for perhaps
half century. TWAS large, and contained at least
one hundred acres, thirty of which are now being
broken up, the burrows being about half mile in
length In the middle OF the field, the ground RI
ses to an elevation Of about sixty or seventy feet
The cattle were fat, and their smooth glossy sides
almost reflected the rays Of the departing SUM-
From the top Of the hill we had view Of the whole
farm, the sea, and the surrounding country. Away
to the south lay the towns of Duxbury and Ply
mouth, with the bay and harbor, into which gded,
225 years ago, the little Mayaower. with its pre-
cious band Of pilgrims, the founders Of one Of the
noblest Commonwealth the world ever saw. Look
ing in another direction we had the open sea be-
fore us, We also got glimpse of Cape Cod, which
lay thirty miles across the water. Turning round,
we had fine view of Mr. Webster's house, the ex-
tensiye marshes, and the main land beyond. Near
where we stood, was a small enclosure Of about
rod square, in which were four graves, where were
buried two favorite cows and two dogs. From this
eminence we saw field of few acres about half
mile distant. From its fresh verdant appearance,
we thought it was a field of young wheat or rye.
Mr. Webster said that fortnight before, il looked
precisely the same as the field in which we stood
but il had become so astonshingly changed merely
ku G.l.. a H. Az Ill. l. A.