National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1869-10-15
Mr.. Greetey on Northern TermOni

tural FAIRS, gives IN the Tribune his
views of the country, the people and
the productions, as follows:
spending part of last week in
Northern Vermont, attending the
Agricultural Fairs of Orleans,
Franklin and Lamoille Counties re
spcctively, learned with pleasure
that the seasons yield of Indian
Corn. which in August promised
very little, has been so signally i'm
proved by the persistent warmth OF
September that it will hardly fall
below an average. The stalk is
small and short, but the ears abun-
dant and will mainly attain maturi
t.. No frost has yet been seen in
the State, save in a very few low
and cold valleys. The potato crop
is bounteous and the quality excel
lent. The Chill seems to be the fa-
vorite variety, though Early Rose
and other new sorts are everywhere
grown, and no longer selling at 81
per pound. The potato is Yer.
mont staple, and about the only
vegetable food that she grows for
sale abroad. Wheat, rye, and oats
all grown rather sparingly-have
yielded well this year; wheat espe-
cially so. | met farmers who as,
sured me that they had measured up
forty bushels per acre.
Nine-tcnths of the soil not covered
by forests is in grass, including
many long ridges and hillocks that
ought to he reclad with timber forth
with. 1t is the curse of grass farm
ing that it impcls the farmer to
clear all his land of wood whereas
much of it is so steep, rocky, sterile,
as to yield little pasUurage; whereas
if covered with trees, it would Iadi-
ate moisture and fertility to the bet
ter lands below. Vermont is no
worse Chan other states in this re.
spect but her intelligence should
make her better.
The rivalry of Durham and Ayre-
shine breeders is very keen at the
Fairs; and each class exhibits very
winning specimens of It's favoritc
breed, | do not consider the Dur
ham well adapted to State where
feed is so valuable as in Vermont,
and where milk is more regarded
than meat but men far better in
formed on the subject Judge differ
emily. a breed of Dutch cattle
(black with Streaks of white) smal
as the AyreslIire, but plumper, and
seemingly better calculated to take
on flesh when no longer valuable f0l
milk seems growing in favor. Wise
saws are frequently uttered as tC
the capacities Of our Native cattle, il
carefully bred for generations; as il
the more esteemed breeds had no,
been introduced on purpose to obvi
, ate the necessity of waiting half {
century for such improvement to b,
made. No one doubts that grca
things might be done with native
stock but these had been alreal,
done with the Ayreshrc, &c, an,
! our breeders chose to realize the i'm
pIovement at once, instead of wait
l ing fifty years to effect 1t.
' Butter and cheese were liberall
: displayed at the fairs, especial
+ in Franklin County, which annu
+ ally produces more butter than an
t other Of like population in ethc
i. hemisphere. st. Albans is a lead
t ing butter market, t,constantly throng
!, ed with buyers, mainly from Boston
!. Lowell, etc. The quality of th
E better varieties, not even Philadel
q? phia can excel. Excellent chCcs,
$ both factory and family .made,is e>
hibitcd; but most of Nermonts da
$ ry-men, having an enormous ma
l. ket ut hand, think they can do be
S ter with butter.
e Maple sugar, as white as loaf an
d as fine as powdered Havana, is G
It hand at the Fairs, with the sirrl
e that can nowhere he cXccllcd. Brea
Il that is bread, ,and not spoiled doug
II adorns every Floral Hall, ,as iragraI
tlS tI1C ilohNiS anu vi iii'i' ''NNt
ing of attcntion---and premiums.
& is quite possible that more money
y made somewhere else but no pc
+, pie live bctter,or welcome visitors
If better fare, than those of Vernon
+, The weather was admirable throug
$. out my hurried visit, though the fir
is day at Barton) was cloudy but raj
n. less: the two following (at Sheid'
T. and Morrisvillc) were bright rs hi
y summer and as warm as June.
III was glad to note that long.wooI
~ or mutton sheep are gaining dccl
II edly on the mcrinocs to which V,
III mont was formerly addicted. We
II is low, though higher in this cou
VI try than anywhere else; while mi
D ton brings cash and good price
II must he that the Cotswold, l0
cester and kindred breeds, are d,
W. tined soon to prcdominatc. We
~ can he transported thousand mil
III for five per cent. of its value VIII
u choice mutton is worth far more
y New England than IN Texas or Mi
'' ucsota. Breeders must COVE
u, themselves accordingly.
So much IL said of intcmpcran
in states where liquor selling is oI
NJ lawcd, that | have reason for addi
u that | saw no person even partial
p intoxicated among the 2l,OOO
~ least whom met at these Fairs,a
nd saw no bottle set out, no glass
liquor drank, during my visit to