The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-02-26

Let mc go 70 my home, in the IN distant
west
TO the scenes Of my youth, that love the
best, sc.
And go he did. Having changed BIS
slate and pencil for the rife, and the
bow and arrow, he seemed as eager in
the chase, as the most unlettered savage
among them.
The soil and climate Of this state is
finely adapted to the growth Of fruit and
vines. The apple, the pear, the ounce,
the peach, aud most Of the cherry and
plum varieties, grow and produce a.
bundantly. Melons grow and ripen in
great abundance, ant the gardens, in
autumn, are richly loaded with this kind
of fruit. We saw a vine which sprung
from one seed only, tha; produced tcen>
ty pumpkins varying in size from pint
bowl, to wash bowl. A gentleman in
formed us that he had raised them Of
such size, that man of ordinary strength
could not load one into cart-that when
placed upon the scales they had bal
anced 1856 lbs. Such pumpkin, made
into a mammoth pic, would look very
well, we reckon, on the table. along side
the huge cheese, made last summer in
Ohio, which weighed 1900 lbs.
The wages of common school teach>
ers are nearly double those obtained in
Vi. Ladies sometimes receive in the
winter season SIS per month. There
is pauciiy of efficient teachers in the
state. 5000 young men could find ems
pIoymcnt in Michigan at good wages.
There is great scarcity Of help. 1t
cannot be had-it is not there. There
is demand-a stern necessity for more
help, aud yet the farmer, for the want of
it. does what he can himself, and has to
be content with that The facts are,
that young men who 90 west work out
but a short time, and then purchase for
themselves a farm, and fall to work,
clearing it up. Laborers command s so
per day in the season Of securing the
wheat and hay crops, and good wages
the remainder of the year.
There is at present but poor market
for fat cattle, at the hands Of farmers
The cattle are bought up in the fall by
the merchants, driven into the state Of
New York, and sold to farmers TO be fat.
tened for the Albany aud New York
markets. Thousands Of young cattle
are thus disposed of yearly. The wool
growing business is beginning 10 assume
quite a relative Importance in this state.
The time is not far distant, we appre>
hend, when this branch of agriculture
will be second to no other in the west,
and when she will vie with the eastern
states in the size of Eer focks, and the
quality Of fleece. 1t is now supposed,
by competent judges, that Michigan has
already over three millions Of sheep,
and in successful hands, will soon ex-
hlbit thousands Of fields, covered with
extensive hocks of the merno, furnish
ing not only supply for several millions
of looms and spindles, propelled by her
own waters, but also large amount for
export to other sections Of the Union.
Some have their fears, that their western
neighbors are about 10 overstock the
market, and lessen the price Of wool
Let such remember, that we raise,
throughout the Union, only a trifle over
half we annually consume-ihat we in-
port wool and cloths equal to 65, ,000,-
600 lbs and that if, instead of 80 mil
lions, there were 60 millions of sheer
in the United States, we should find q
market for all at home. Away then
with such fears. No branch of bushes:
promises better return for capital in.
vested, and none more congenlsl to the
feelings of the American farmer, than I
scientific and successful shepherd. Suc
cess TO this enierprlsing state, in thu
laudable and lucrative branch of agri'
cultural wealth. s. D. R.