Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-02-19
For the Standard.
Orleans County-Now and Then.

Mr.. EARLE In l849, / passed thro'
this county, making observations of its
soil, scenery, inhabitants, institutions ard
the condition of agricultural, mechanical
and architectural improvements. am
now just completing another trip over
your county, and, l assure you, l am
much interested in the changes of the
nine years last past. cannot now Gin
winter) so we'll attend to the quality of
the soils, but of its productiUeness l have
the most ample proof in the universal
plenty of the good things of this life,
which find among the inhabitants ofth
county. And even as to the qualify OF
the soil, am quite satisfied, from con-
versation with {" Father Hall" of Brown
ington, your learned geolegist, that l
Judged correctly, when in the county be-
fore, that Grand Isle Co. excepted) there
is no other county in the State of Yer
mont which can compare with Orleans
in the feasibility and fertility of its soil.
l observed considerable reductions of
YOUR forests, since here before, but there
- remains much land TO be possessed
as S. E. and S. W. of Craftsbury, south
of Glover, east of Bloomington, as well
as between the valley of the Missisquoi
and the center of the county, containing
rich and abundant treasures in wood and
lumber.
notice that, while the county is still
engaged in keeping up its character as a
stock groaoing section, the business of
hop raising has become quite common
whether profitable 10 your farmers and
consistent with strict temperance princi-
Piles or not.
But l seem TO be getting before my
story. cannot pass over the beautiful
and varied scenery of the county without
recording my increased wonder and adj
miration. When here in 1849, l was
forcibly impressed with the appearance
of your beautiful Lakes (N1emphremagog
aud Willouehby) and the strange open
ing in the range of the Green Mountains
ion the east, at Westmore. But / did not
take any elevated commanding position
for general view. Soon after enter
ing the county, this time, began to ex'
anime the scenery more carefully and
from better points Of observation. From
g Craftsbury Common l looked fortl
to every point of the compass and feltre
manded. From DIR. Humans, in Hol
land, also took an extensive view of the
county and the mountains, especially oil
the west. But it was at Br01cningt0'
: that 7 found the GROWING obSerrdtor.
point. With Father Hall | assembled TIL
W. n. west of the Academy, and theme
witnessed a scene which / never say
, surpassed, certainly in the winter season
l need not give you all the details. Blu
face to the north, turn to the right from
Canada. Shall give the points Of at
traction BLACK Mountain, the cha,
stack the tremendous projections a
Lake Willoughby, and Burke Mountain
> seen through the rent where the brigh
water sleeps-as we'll as Barton Noun
> tain on the S. East? SHALL speak of til
rich and nearly boundless landscap
spread out OF the south, with farmin
seats and villages as they catch the eye
turn back and begin from the NORTH
and, without stopping to describe the Dol
Canada mountains at the northwest,
!" take the western range of the Gree
Mountains" Jay Peak, Montgomer.
Sterling, Mansfield, CameTs Hump, E
more, Eden, Lowell''-Ilot stopping +
b" speak Of "Hogan's NOTCH then motto
the valleys OF the four principal rivers
your county-Black, Barton, Clyde an
Missisquoi, and last, though not least, th
lake connecting the two greatest cour
tries in the World-on a small scale il
deed-where the steamers, in summe
;, may be seen as moving things Of life
- and, without speaking of the many bear
tiful ponds, lying in this range, the grove
meadows and noble sugar orchards,
submit whether it can often fall to tt
lot of mortals to enjoy anything more d
>" lightful and rich in the matter of scener
The mechanical and architectural in
" provements attracted my notice in seve
&c al parts of the county. But | cam
~ specify to any considerable extent.
:, might sketch, and group, and dispose
all in sentence. And perhaps hs
. better speak Of these things under Il
" titles of town and village improvement
81 As l touched Crafsbury 1 found
:" brisk, thriving village on the Sout
;" when nine years since there was scar