Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-02-11
From the New England Farmer.
SOIL AND CLIMATE OF ORLEANS COUNTY,

SOIL AND CLIMATE OF ORLEANS COUNTY.
/ think it is of some importance that
the readers ofthe Farmer should be made
acquainted with some facts in regard to
our climate and soil, of which many are
probably ignorant.
This entire county lies north of forty
four degrees of latitude, but we are not
on that account so buried up in the snow
as the citizens of Massachusetts and
southern New England might suppose.
1t is, indeed, a very rare thing that we
are incommoded with snow or drifts, so as
to impede travel or prevent business du-
ring the winter. Frosts have been later,
usually, in autumn than they have in
Worcester county. Tomatoes were green
in my garden, both last year and the year
before, till about the first of October
This is not uncommon.
The soil Of large portion of Orleans
and Caledonia counties is made by the
decomposition of the calcareous mica
states which constitute prevailing rock.
These states are an instratifcation of clay
slate, lime slate, and horn blend. The
rock is friable, and decomposes so rapidly,
that there is deep soil now, where the
lodges appeared on the surface twenty
years ago. The lime, clay, slick and mi
ca are so well mixed, that they furnish in
great abundance the elements required
by vegetation, especially wheat, barley,
grass, corn and oats. Should the soil ev-
er deteriorate, we have immense quanti-
ties ofthe richest variety sphagnour muck.
much of which lies above shell mari, in
the beds of ancient ponds ard beaver
meadows. This mari, when converted
to lime, and mixed with the muck, makes
manure worth from fifteen to twenty
per cent. more than COW dung. have
taken pains to survey most of the muck
beds in our town, and ascertained that
there were more than 730 cords for ev-
cry acre of land in the town. Many 9th.
er towns are equally well supplied. This
will, in future ages, therefore, be a rich
farming territory, when the German
Flats and Western prairies have become
impoverished. There are found few re-
sources for supplying what is transported
from those regions by the export of wheat
beef, pork, &c. There is aconstant drain
of the richest elements of the soil which
in time must produce the same effect now
experienced in Virginia and some portions
of New England. In this portion d
Vermont are resources adequate to pre-
vent any impoverishfng of the soil fol
scores of centuries.
If you foot up the number of cattl,
and sheep from Vermont, taken to Brigh
ton and Cambridge, as reported in tn,
Farmer, for the year, you will find tha
the little State Of Vermont furnishes nor,
at those markets than all the rest of New
England. This, to many, has been sur
prising. The question is often asked
How is itpossible?' Perhaps few fact
obtained from the President Of the Coun
| ty Agricultural Society, a few years since
may aid in answering that question anc
also show the productiveness of our soil
i have in grass thirty-five acres from
which wintered last winter four larg,
oxen, ten cows, and two-year olds, twr
horses, three colts, one, two, and threr
year olds, and twelve sheep, and sold twr
or three tons of hay. raised 800 bush
els of oats, 125 bushels of corn, and Il
bushels of wheat The stock was full,
equal 70 forty cows! The amount Q
straw, &c, fed out was only what is com
mon on farm of 100 acres.
S. r. HALL.
Bloomington, Vt, 1859.