Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-04-08

Farming in Barton. Vermont.

From the New England Farmer
Farming in Barton. Vermont.
The pleasant and thriving village Of Bar
ton, Orleans County, VI, was for a few years
the terminus of the Passumpsc River Rail-
road, and received great benefit from the
business transacted here with the surrounding
country, and some thought it would hardly
survive the withdrawal of business consequent
on the extension Of the road to Canada line.
But a very superior water power had 50 at
tracted capitalists that the village still con-
tinues to grow rapidly in wealth and popula-
ton Another desirable feature is the co-op-
GRAFTON of the village residents with the iarm-
ers in carrying out plans and enterprises for
the public good 1t was this regard for each
Others welfare that enabled them so easily to
raise three thousand dollars to tit TAP "a fair
ground aud present its use to the County Ag-
ricultura Society for five years, This socic-
Is has one executive committee in each town.
Barton is represented by Thomas Baker, whose
stock and farming operation, are worthy of
extended notice. During recent visit there
| made few notes, the substance Of which
may interest my fellow farmers.
lis farm consists Of seven hundred acres.
lie has now four hundred sheep. well bred
Mcrnos, that yield washed fleece of about
five pounds each. They are divided into four
principal flocks aud occupy tha lower story Of
his barns They are fed from racks around
the side OF the sheds, after the pattern de-
scribed in the " Practical Shepherd" Light
/. let in through window and not through
cracks, and when the door are closed the air
is warmed by the breath of the sheep 50 as
to be very comfortable. At the time of my
visit he was iattening about one hundred
wetbers that were to 90 to market about the
first Of March. They are fine wooded, yet
yasable as mutton sheep He has no inten-
ton of abandoning wool-growing, but is still
improving his flock
MIR, Bakers dairy consists of twenty-seven
cows Of good size and thrifty appearance.
Many of them were raised on the farm, aud
appeared to he Devon grades There is here
also the commencement of herd of Dutch
or Holstein cattle, aud rs there are but few
Of the kind in this section | will more partlc-
ularly describe them.
They are in degree connected with the stock
of W. W. Chcnery Of Belmont, Mass, but
Were bought Of Carlos Pierce, Stansiead, +.
q. The color is clear black, with spots of
pure white. The horns black and short A.
no scales were convenient will give the
measurement of the animals-the length be-
ing from the base OF the horns to the back end
Of the body.
The bull Hollandie" , years & months
grit & feet 4 inches length q feet inches
height, feet 1 inches.
Heifer Beauty" year 3 months; girt
> feet one inch length, feet q inches
height, 3 feet ; inches
Calf, months old; grit, feet inches
length, 4 feet.
Cow, years old; length, feet, but THU
in flesh on account of allowing the calf to run
with her the first month. 1t is now allowe'
to suck at regular hours.
This COW is good satisfactory mixer, bu
is now kept solely for stock COW. Thes
four are all the full bloods Of this stock, bu
nearly all the cows in the dairy will hay
half blood calves this season.
Mr.. Baker has been breeding the Whit
Chester hogs and is well satisfied with thei
early maturity and great weight. lie ha
four sows that are likely to breed this year.
This stock with the addition of six oXe
and several horses, requires the constant AT
tendance and all the time of one man.
The large quantity Of hay for the cattl
was of excellent quality, which accounts i
SOME degree for the fine appearance Of III
stock, yet a root cellar, twelve by thrty-tw
feet, well lathed and plastered under tn
barn floor, now partly filled with turnip
might be considered valuable auxiliary I
the usual winter feed.
Our winter has been very steadily col,
the thermometer constantly going below GER
and sometimes as low as 30 degrees sc
Feb 18th, these turnips were not frozC
enough to interfere with cutting and feeding
indeed, but slightly touched with frost. tn
| regard as valuable experiment for Ne
England farmers, for in tue minds of mar
there is greater difficulty in preserving tn
nps than in raising them | think if plent
Of turnps were raised, the expression, "sprir
poor" would soon be obsolete, aud the cond
ton of cattle indicated thereby would be IL
known.
The buildings to accommodate this sto,
consist of one barn 32xl00 aud sever
smaller ones that in the aggregate more tn,
equal the main one. The large barn is
level land and two stories high, the secoi
story being entered by embellishments to ca,
barn floor. II is double boarded outside wi
one-inch boards end the stables are lath,
and plastered on the north side, and sing
boarded inside.
Every stable and sheep shed was 80 We
finished that the breath of the animals or a
imal heat would make the temperature abo,
freezing, and the animals looked better ths
those belonging to farmers who advocate op,
sheds aud free ventilation.
Mr. Baker now employs four men prepa
ing to build house that in size and oonye
fence will correspond with the farm.
choosing site he has avoided common
ror, which Is to place the house very near d
highway, allowing no room for drive lawn
landscape embellishments The place chos
Is slight elevation near the barns and De
haps twenty rods from the road. In front
depression that can be easily transform
INTO beautiful pond aud fed By lar
spring near by. Such mansion approach
By drive that curves around pond, wi
other additions that readily suggest themsely
must complete perfect picture of II ru
home At the season Of mid-winter il is b
perhaps 10 leave the crops and farm manay
ment for another communication.
H. y. JAMESON.
Barton, W., Feb. 1868.