The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1845-07-16
AGRICULTURAL.
From the Albany CultiratOr.
FARMING IN VERMONT.

In the monthof May last, we had the pleas
ure of making an excursion to the 'Green
Mountain State"
To one who, like the writer, has beer for
several years accustomed mostly to the COM
paratiyely level cerface of portion of the
..great vaIley''of the west the physical features
of Vermont are striking and impressive.
The differant geological character OF the two
sections, forms a wide contrast in their sur
face and aspect-the primative region we
have lately visited, being, 10 the traveller ca
pable Of approaching the attractions of ma
ture, much the most interesting. There is, |
It is true, beauty of surfrce 10 be met with |
in the west-the 'roaling'' prairie, the shady |
''openings," and in other sections the dark |
primeval forests, are certainly beautiful; |
but the scenery seldom, il ever, rises TO The
grand and sublime. In the west, the elevated
portions Of the surface have but little variety
what are called hills appearing TO have been
formed by gulleys having been washed by
rains from surface originally uniform, leav
ing the tops of the hills on a general level.
Here the upheayings ofthe earth have given
to its surface an almost endless variation, ell
evations of different altitude, from The green
hill, whose grassy sides, even in the most
sulry heats of summer, are freshened by the
ever-gushing fountain, TO the hoary mountain.
whose lofty summit arrests the career of the
storm-cloud.
The natural circumstances of Vermont,
mark it particularly as grazing region. Its
mountainous surface is unfavorable TO the ex-
tensive use of the pillow and the large cultiva-
! ton Of grain crops; while the richness and
permanency of its pastures, the abundance of
/ of pure water, aud the healthtulness of the
of the atmosphere, show its admirable adj
aptness to the rearing of horses, cattle, and
sheep. The advantages Of water which a
billy or mountainous country affords, are too
often overlooked, or not duly valued. We
have passed through sections where the far
mers, during drouth of not unusual CONT
nuance were obliged TO drive their stock
miles for water, and even then were forced TO
raise the water by slow and laborious pro-
! cess from deep well. II the Vermont far
mers should be placed for while in such a
situation, they would be able to form some
1 idea or the worth of their numerous springs
and mountain rivuets-
The time allotted 10 our exersiou was so
short as to preclude the possibility Of partic-
ularly examining a very large portion of the
State. Our observations were confined chief
! iy to The counties of Addison and Chitte ndcn,
|
pal Green mountain range, bordering on
| Lake Champlain, and comprising. perhaps,
the most fertile portion of Vermont. Under
their appropriate heads, we propose to speak
briefly ofthe different subjects 10 which our
attention WAS attracted.
SOFIA considerable potion Of the soil Of
this district is calcareous clay, often strong
| ly tenacious, based on what BIOLOGISTS term
! Gill -
more particularly the character of the valleys
and lower parts of the district. The soil Of
the hills and higher paris, lying above the
limestone, has in its composition a larger
proportion ofsand, and of couse partakes also
OF the nature Of the slaty rocks Of which the
hills are formed. In most cases gypsum OPP
perates well on these soils. We learned a
remarkable instance Of its effects from Mr.
Rodman Chapman, of VergenDes. He had
some casks OF plaster which had been wet
in freshet, hauled out on some barren clay
knobs, and spread over the ground. The
effect was to clothe the ground with the
most luxurlant growth of white clover, blue
grass, and yellow trefoil- plant or Two of
the latter having come up accdently, from
! from which it was spread over the nearly
the whole field. The sward on the lot,
(which we examined,) still fine, and product
heritage great.
CULTIyATIoN.-Asb before remarked, the
| pillow is not extensively used in this section OF
| the country-the object of farmers being gen
orally to raise only about the quantity ofgrain
and vegetables required for home consump-
| ton. 1t is however, stated by those best quail
flied to know, that Addison county produced
last year consider able surplus of bread stufis
beyond supplying the inhabitants. Wheat
has been less cultivated since 1880, than for
merly, owing TO the attack of the wheat
nudge, (Cecidomyid tritici.) For the last
, two or three years, this insect has been d.
minishing, and a knowledge of this fact en-
! couraged the farmers to SOW this grain more
extensively last season than they had done
several years before. Spring wheat is the
| kind generally sown-winter wheat being less
certain TO yield well. But since 1t has been
ascertained that the injurious insect before
mentioned is diminishing, some farmers have
concluded to try winter wheat, and we were
shown several small lots which were very
promising. The Backsea spring wheat is
considered most hardy, and on this account
las commonly the preference. Yield, twen-
| ty to forty bushels per acre.
| Indian Corn is cultivated with success on
some ofthe lighter and warmer soils. Onthe
best lands, and with good cultivation, it fire.
queutly yields sixty, and sometimes eighty
! bushels per acre. We were shown many
samples Of this grain which were as bright
! and heavy as we ever saw. Mr.. ). w. Jew
eft has variety. which, for northern latitude,
| we think highly superior. 1t is a twelve
rowed corn, but has been greatly improved
| by selection. The cob is SMALL and COM
| pleteIy covered with corn, packed IN the
closest possible manner. Oats are sure
crop. and produce from forty to seventy-hve
| bushels to the acre.
Potatoes flourish remarkably well, and are
of superior quality. The yield is Two hun
dred TO five hundred bushels per acre
| They are in some instances used for the pur-
pose Of fattening stock, and for feeding sheep
and store cattle through the winter. Those
who have tried potatoes for this purpose
speak very highly ofthem- Other vegetables
are 10 some instances cultivated for feeding
stock. Mr.. w. Chapman, of Middlebury, is
] -...h a, f,vor ~ the euoar-heef He has