Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-03-21
Agriculture in Orleans County.
No. 6.

ton in the Standard, on agriculture III
Orleans county the last of which was
published, think, in June. Since that
time, the attention of your readers has
been intensely occupied with the prog
ress of the rebellion. Subjects Of home
importance have been left in the back
ground. The post Office has been throng-
ed with eager inquirers for the latest
news" from "Secessia," Washington, and
the Border States" These things have
been natural. No others could have
been expected.
But it is to be hoped that the back
bone of secession has been broken by
the recent series of glorious victories, at
tending the efforts OF our army and gov
eminent 1t is time now to give por-
ton of our attention to things Of home
concern. The rebellion has not ended
our armies have not been disbanded-the
sinews Of war must be provided-and,
while commerce is greatly crippled, tle
snews of war must be provided, to a
great extent, from the agriculture Of the
country. Mother earth must be nMSea
that she may give IA her strength, TO
provide for the necessities Of home and
The government. We have, as a state.
done our part well in giving our sons and
brothers to the army; and in furnishing
them with hospital and tent supplies
But we must do more. The government
cannot carry on the war without funds
These must be supplied, and their supply
must be provided from the cultivation of
the soil. Agriculture is the great inter
est of our state, and especially SO Of our
county.
The inquiry, therefore, GLOW can we
render the soil most productive, and de.
rive the greatest revenue from agricul-
ture ?" should receive from every one a
high degree of attention.
Were to say, the profits of aggicuI-
ture in the county are not half so large
as they might be, should state only the
sober conviction fastened on my mind
Our soil is excellent-our seasons are
generally sufficiently favorable to mature
the most important crops. We have
abundant resources for improving the pro
ductiveness Of the soil. Adequate means
Of information are within the reach of all.
But purpose to secure it, and profit by
it, is, in many cases, wanting. There is
not man that has an acre oil land to cul-
tvate who is rich enough to do without
the New England Farmer, or some equal
ly valuable publication, might have
omitted the latter clause, perhaps, for
do not believe there is any available pub
LEGATION equally valuable to the citizens o
northern Vermont. The Country Gen.
tleman may be nearly as much so to agri-
culturalists in the southern part Of the
state. I have been gratifed to know that
the Farmer is taken more extensively
than formerly, but the increase should be
ten-fold.
| will call attention to one other subjec
only in the present number. The tint
is near when the sugar season in the coun
ty will commence. In the present higl
prices of foreign sugars, it is an object o
great importance TO draw from our oVr
maple trees supply for our own wants
and the wants of our neighbor5 who live
in villages.
Its generally true that those who hav,
large resources for sugar making, employ
them but little more than to obtain a sup
ply for their own families. How many
sugar naples have you ?" | inquired re
Gently of ncighbor. "A thousand o
more" was his reply. How many di,
you tap last spring. "Nesrly four hun
dred," was his reply. From these h
made three fourhs OF a ton Of sugar, st
cost probably of not over three or iou
cents per pound, lie suffered a loss o
from sixty to one hundred dollars by fail
ure to use the rest OF his trees,
The sugar tree is not injured by being
tapped every year if pine plug is insert
I'd when the spout is withdrawn. Wood
will form over the place in a few years, i
this precautlon is taken, and the growtl
Of the tree is not retarded, Probably
not more than half Of the trees in th,
county were tapped last year that nigh
have been. If SO, how many hundred
dollars were lost that nigh. have beer
saved?
1t requires an outlay Of about twenty
cents to tap an additional tree, and if only
three pounds OF sugar is the result, this
at eight cents per pound will cover the
entire expense the first year aud the tut
be las good as new" for the ensuing year
No other investment Of the farmer vii
yield as large interest. The tub will
proper care will last ten years. Ii thirty
pounds of sugar are secured in the tel
years, the worth Of which is $40, anc
we allow twenty cents for repairs, tn'
whole actual expense is but forty cents
and the gain two dollars. Allow one hal