Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1871-08-12
0ermont farms.
THE FARM OF II. A. SUMNER, BRAN
DON. VT.

trip to Brandon in June, many things are
worthy of record that must be passed by. In
the Champlain Valley, through Shelburne, |
Charlotte and Nergenncs, the scenery is very
attractive to one who admircs good farm
there are level fields and pastures, thrifty |
orchards and we'll kept f;irm buildings As
we swing into the valley of the Otter Creek,
from Middlebury to Brandon the good inter-
val land continues. In some cases it lies so
low that many acres are yet unreclaimcd
from swamp and bog.
Brandon we find to be village so shaded
by trees and irregular in shape that one OBJ
servation gives no estimate of its size. Its
small but tidy park is shaded by about sew
enty-fve nice naples. Its hotel is well kept;
its side walks are of white marble: its indus
tries are all about. Around this corner is n
large establishment for making Howe's
scales over the brow of the hill an iron
foundry; away, among the hills are the
Brandon paint works. In the valley, in II
low building surrounded by huge marble
blocks to be sawed, and innumerable slabs
already sawed, are frames holding the smooth
steel blades that are drawn back and forth
by power until. with sand and water they
separate the large blocks into pieces of any
desired thickness We look down the road
and see a siXhorse team with u piece of mar
BILE about by by 3 feet. and weighing some
six tons. Two stones day. is the daily task
of this team, working between this mill and
the distant quarry.
Bnt all this manufacturing must got cause
N IN ba e., C,r
cepting the hospitality of II. A. Sumner,
ESQ., enjoyed ride of two and one-half
miles to his home, behind n span of horses of
his own raising, 3-years-old Clifford Morgan
stallion, well matured in size and substance,
and bay gelding mate that is Il credit to
the Morgan blood in style, in carriage and
endurance IN farm work. Mr.. Sumner has
farm of 100 acres where he lives, and
larger farm several miles away The grass
and other crops on this home farm are cred
table and show good management. His
method of applying manure is upon plowed
ground on the surface, interminglng it with
the soil by narrowing. He has just appre-
citation of the value of roots, and raises tur-
nips to feed to the steers in winter that are
summered in pastures on the distant farm
To farm detached lots profitably requires
very different plans from those carried out on
compact and well arranged farm. So, in
stead of cows there is kept lot of cattle
growing to maturity for beef, and by skill a
rapid growth is secured. | saw the eight
steer calves that are being raised this year.
They are fastened in stanchions when fed
morning and evening with skinned milk.
In the manger is strcwcd some dry corn-mral
and bits potato which they soon learn to
eat. Through the day they are kept in u
small pasture near the barn. The calves are
good ones and will be kept growing summer
and winter, and doubtless make weight ut
four years old of over 5000 lbs. as has been
reached in other cases. In feeding turnips
to growing steers from peck to half bush
el per day has proved more beneficial than a
larger amount.
The specially in which Mr. Sumner cxcels
is evidently rearing turkeys. The variety
kept are the so-caled Bronze turkeys. By
Keeping for breeding stock the largest of the
llock each year, and by feeding well when