Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-04-12
The Specialiics of Eastern Farming

We copy the following article, which is o.
importance to eastern farmers, from the Amer
lean AgicHiiVrist
The practice of the farmers in New York
and New England shows pretty clearly thai
il does not pay to raise grain to sell. The,
raise corn, rye, wheat, oats, barley and buck
wheat but it is nearly all consumed upon
the farm, and in many sections a great dca
is purchased for feeding. Corn grown upon
the prairies in very large quantities is con-
sumcd in all our scaboard towns and far 10.
land. We have not raised our own hour for
q whole generation. 1t might nay possibly,
hut it does not. We connot compete with the
West in those things in our markets. We
furnish but a small part Of the beef and pork
consumed in our large cities Every year
the city stretches out Its iron arms to great.
or distance, aud brings cattle from regions
where land is worth less than a dollar per
acre, aud where almost the only cost Of rails
ing cattle is the hordng Of them for branding
the calves and for sale to the droyer. 1t on.
~ pays to make beef after we have raised
aud used the cattle for teams, or for milk and
iis products We cannot compete with Texas
and Kansas steers We could not make pork
at o profit Il We did not need the manure.
Fattcning pigs in a corn6eld will not pay in
the Fast. Beyond the supply Of the home
market we shall have to give up these things,
for the very satisfactory reason that other
people can raise them cheaper and undersell
ms. But there are some farm products in
which we can beat the West. The dairy in
forest can be indefinitely expanded with profit.
Mix Is wanted fresh every day in all our cit
les and large towns at paying prices. Con-
dcnsed milk, brought from more remote re-.
gions, has not depressed the price very much,
and probably cannot Fresh milk, dis
tributed from the milk-cart every
morning, costs the consumer in coun-
try villages an average Of eight cents a
quart the year round. This pays the produ'
Ger. Butter has been about forty cents a
pound by the season, and in winter about il-
ty cents in the same regions. Cheese has
borne a corresponding price; and in many
sections, where they have cheese factories,
pays quite as well as butter. There is no
danger of an over production, for there is a
growing demand for our cheese in Europe.
A good calf for the butcher will bring from
twelve to eighteen dollars; and this is about
what We can buy yearlings for, after they
have been raised at the West, and sent to Al.
bany or Brighton markets. 1t will not pay
for us to raise calves, unless they are of extra
quality or thoroughbred We must keep up
our stock of deep mixers, and for this end we
want herd-book bulls and calves from the best
COWS. few Of these grade heifers should be
raised every year. Lambs, of all the mutton
breeds of sheep, pay well. We know of
small farmer who averages hundred dollars
a year from eight Soutb-Down grades. They
are easily kept, and there is no trouble about
marketing the lambs. Pigs too, pay well in
the neighborhood of all large towns. There
is very large class of villagers who keep one
or two pigs and make their own pork and