The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-11-05
Prom the Albany Cultivator.
Visit to the Shakers.


Visit to the Shakers.
The present settlement of Shakers, or
United Brethren, at New-Lebanon, was the
first spot on which this sect ever located
Thoy commenced here about forty years ago.
The society consists at present Of about 600
persons, more than halfof which are females.
From small beginnings they have gained large
possessions, holding at this time not less than
seven thousand acres Of land, mostly lying
CONTINUOUSLY. We spent a few hours eXamin-
ing various objects connected with this COM
munity.
Their buildings are all built in the most
substantial manner, and are constructed with
particular regard to convenience. One Of
their barns is, considered in all respects, the
best contracted and most perfect OF any we
have seen. 1t one hundred and forty one
feet long, fifty feet vide, and twenty five feet
high in the walls. 1t consists Of three stories.
The basement is devoted to the stock and the
storage of vegetables in winter; the second
and third to hay and grain. The main en-
trance for produce is in the third story, which
from the barn being on the side of hill, Is
nearly level with the ground. A floor runs
lengthwse through the barn, on this story,
downward into the bays on each side. The
barn is capable of containing two hundred
tons of hay, and tits SO disposed that scarcely
any Of it has to be raised higherthan the wag-
on from which it is thrown. Only two hands
are necessary to unload-one to pitch off, and
one to keep TIE NOW level, thus saving great
amount oflabor compared with what is requir-
ed in barns Of common construction.
The apartments for the cattle are complete.
The walls which are of very solid stone work,
are pastered, and though cool in summer, we
should suppose they would be so warmin win
ter that no frost would be found there; VIM
dows il each side permit free ventilation
The fodder is thrown into racks, from the
''feeding floor" in the second story. In front
of the racks are hangers to catch any straws
that drop from the racks as the fodder is pull
led out by the animals. An open space is
left between the racks and managers, which
allows the animals ready access to fresh air,
prevents the hay in the racks from being
made unpalatablc by their breath, and gives
room also to slip in boxes when it is wished
to feed with slops or roots. The man who
had charge of the stock, said he could feed
and take care of hundred animals in this
barn with less labor than he could manage
twenty in any other barn he ever saw. The
cattle stand on platform with a gentle slope,
which renders it easier to keep them clean
and dry The COWS are tied by chains
around the neck, and are always MIXED in
their stalls summer and winter. They are
MIXED exactly at fixed times. So punctual
are the attendants to this that clock is kept
in the apartment, and the hordsman told us
at what moment the COWS would be in
their places,
The barnyard is so contrivcd that none Of
the manure is wasted 1t iskept Uttered with
straw and such waste matters as can be pro-
cured, and the manure from the stalls is made
into compost with that in the yard, mixed
with muck, and is not used till it has become
fine by decomposition.
WILD GEESE. On the premises occupied
by one of the families of Shakers, we saw the
largest flock Of these birds we have ever seen
in domesticated state There were about
forty in number, all of which and about as
many more, which have been sold, sprung
from one pair procured about twenty years
ago The man who has charge of them, Dan
icl Hawkins, gave us some facts in regard to
their habits which were new to us, and may
be worthy of note. 1t is known that wild
geese 90 not DTceu Ill lnree years Olu 'Duu
friend Hawkins states that they always mate
in the fall, preceding the spring when they
are to breed. He states that the new pair Sc
ccts the site forts future nest in the fall soon
after mating, and that they carefully guard it
ever afterwards till the young brood is bro't
off. The ganders appear to be strict monog-
an1ists, choosing but one female, and adhering
to her with the srictest fidelity till death or
force separates them. This seems to be their
natural state, but we cannot say that the male
would not unite with more than one female,
where the number of the latter was greater
than the former.
This family of geese furnish an example of
din and-in" breeding In discussing this sub
iect in former article, we stated that abort
ginal or pure races Of animals were not known
to degenerate from this course of breeding
Friend II. informed us that the original pair
of geese from which these have descended
belongedto one brood they were therefore
of precisely the same blood and their off
spring to this time, have been produced by
the strctest in-andn breeding. But have
they degenerated? is the question. Not il
the least degree, so far as can be discovered
:, They breed as well as they ever did, and thu
young are as large, as hardy and as perfect a
the old stock were.
These geese, besides being a curiosity ant
go. e,.uo,,orl IN n Dlocn GRO THOUGHT tn h