Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-11-11
October, and the CrOps Of 1917.

October Is the farmer s pay day, LOT ne theh
generally receives the reward Of his labors dur
ing the previous season in the gathered crops,
and in the healthy and invigorating GOODNESS OF
the weather which begins to prepare him for
the approaching winter. If the spring is the
season of preparation and hope, and the summer
the season of care and encouragement, autumn,
as exemplifed in October, is season Of reward
and thankfulness 1t is busy month. The
pressure Of business upon the farmer, as he
looks around upon his fields of maize and pota
toes and his orchards, prompt him to be up and
doing. The evenings become cooler and longer
and he can enjoy himself in the merry husking,
or in social life around the kitchen fire He
must be active and industrious to secure his
crops-to place his barns in suitable conduit IN
for winter and see that his hogs and cattle, de-
signed for slaughter, should be in way to thrive
and grow fat.
He can now calculate upon the profit and loss
of his operations during the spring and summer
and by the experience gained, if he be careful
and observing man, learn how to manage fol
the better in future. AS it regards the crops Of
l347 in Maine, in our vicinity they are, on the
whole, such as ought to satisfy any man. Grass
and hay have been abundant More than an av.
erage crop having been secured, which, in addi-
tIon to a considerable supply of the last years
crop not consumed, will make hay sufficiently
abundant during the coming winter. Our grain
crops have not been first rate. Much of the
wheat was damaged by that little scourge Of ar
no all cd
Oats are an average crop and nothing more. The
spring was too wet for barley, and the crop has
not been more than middling Some good crops
of winter rye have been harvested, but there il
not enough Of this grain cultivated among us
The potato crop comes in very light The ear
ly rains prevented the planting of them in du'
season-but they nevertheless grew well anc
promised to be abundant, but the rust struck
them in August and prevented the growth of the
TUDOR, and consequently they were small and moi
of good quality, The disease called the rot i;
not so prevalent as it has been formerly. Oul
farmers will endeavor to plant earlier another
spring, so as enable potatoes to get their growth
before the cool part of the season. Indian corn
though generally planted late, has done extreme
ly well, and as the autumnal frosts have beer
withheld remarkably the crop will be more than al
average. Apples are not abundant. Some few
orchards are well loaded, but as a general thing
there is not quarter of crop. The bloom il
the spring was abundant, but we noticed that
for some reason to us not known the pollen Of
dust of the anthers so necessary for lertilizine
the germ, did not form or ripen very beautifully
and as consequence the young apple fell al
most as soon as the young blossom leaves them.
selves. In the stock line our farmers are doing
brisk business The various kinds of cattle
especially good, smooth, heavy, active oxen, arr
in excellent demand, and command higher price,
than we have ever known them to. We arr
glad to see this not only because it gives tn,
farmer fair remuneration for his care, labor anC
expenditures, but it will also be an incentive t.
raise none but the best kind of cattle, horse
and other stock. In conclusion we have all rea
son to be satisfied with the blessings that bene
6cent Providence has spent upon us, in tn
production Of so much material for subsistence
comfort and happiness, and for the continuance
of health and prosperity; and we trust tina
amidst the tolls and innocent festivities of tn
season, grateful hearts will everywhere be foun
among the recipients of countless favors of ON
impotence, whether in the field or in the workshop
the country or the ciy-Maine Farmer.