The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-08-08
Albany correspondence.
Albany. Y. Y. Jnly %. Isl

ALBANY, n. Y. July 20, 1871.
Mr.. Editor The week Just closing
has been remarkable ior--humidity Last
week the weather was so cool, intcrmixed
with occasional showers, that no one
thought of leaving home in search of sea
or mountain breezes, and lately the rain,
and uncertain skys, with weather-vanes
fronting "South by Northeast" have had
like effect upon the patrons of fashion
able watering places We have, however,
the long month of August before us, and
when the "dog star" and the season are
at their zenith, let us hope the "catererS"
for the American people, whose harvest
time is so short will find "fortune" rain
ing on them.
This reminds me ofmy promise to your
agricultural readers in my last A drive
through the country, anywhere, during
the summer season of the year, is pleas
ant but made through Albany County
is certainly one Of the most delightful
imaginable, especially to ermontanian,
who, on every side, in the features of the
country, in the methods Of farming, and
in the manners and customs of the peo.
pie, will see much worthy of observation
and reflection not to be seen at home
and which, therefore, will possess the
attractive feature of novelty, at least
The prominet thoroughfares instead
Of being macadamized, ARE laid with plank,
which makes an easy, quiet surface for
1ri but On ooooupt ~ ,,icoipn apd
misplaced planks in many places are
very hazardous. Gates are of frequent
occurrence, at which heavy toll is exacted
from travellers for the purpose of main
tanning these plank road horSe-traps.
The intersected crossroads are well con-
structed and kept in good repair but, for
some cause or other which | have failed
to learn, the prevailing mania for big
gates has placed one every half mile, and,
though no toll is required for the priv.
lege of passing through, the labor Of de-
scending the arc of circle in the deep
sand every five minutes, on hot sum-
mer's day, is anything hut refreshing.
when your Vermont correspondents
have fully discussed the merits of their
respective road-repair systems, will they
not favor us with their views of this New
York MystcryN The Heidelberg range
of Mountains, with their wondrous le.
gends, extend through the southern end
OF the county, and are visited every sum-
mer by tourists, on account Of the wild,
romantic scenery, and the numerous nat
ural curiosiiies in their immediate,vicinity.
A very interesting description of them,
with illustrations, was given in lIarpers
Magazine for October, 1869, to which
your readers are referred The principal
productions Of the Heidelberg are hop.
poles, wildcats, and flag. stones, the latter
of which are fast taking the place of the
old bricks in the sidewalks of Albany.
A casual glance at the uneven surface of
the country as you pass along is sufficient
to convince any one that Albany County
is not very well adapted to agriculture,
and hence attention is principally given
to dairying and grass culture. AS q
general rule, only sufficient wheat for
home use is cultivated, and grain drills
are almost unknown, During the spring
considerable quantity of maple sugar is
manufactured from the sap of the sugar
maple, which is tapped early in the spring
the sap collected in vessels, transferred
to kettles and boiled. This sugar, SC
made, is of excellent quality, and meet:
with a ready market Hop culture is
engaged in very extensively and profta
+ bly-and there are but few more move
sights than twenty acre field of hop
poles. There are about 1900 poles tc
, the acre. and each pole costs about lC
, cents. The crop of hops mot hop-p oles
is harvested in September, dried in k Inns
and packed in 2G0 pound balls, and i,
,, then ready for market To one accus
toned to the mode and manner of oper
ating in hop-feld, this allusion will tend
to revive many pleasant "reminiscences o.
olden times, as well as to the lads,-ano
lasses,-who indulge, in this pleasant
! occupations, at the present time. Large
! fields Of hops are cultivated in the ives.
tern part of this State-it there, being
made sort of speciality. To the Hol
Picker, this season. is considered the
pleasantest Of the year, and they eagerly
watch for the coming of Harvest time
for It's looked upon as a pleasure, and by
no means, kind of work-so called
drudgery. For tbs then they 60 to the
field to perform the labors of the day
, hand in hand, las the country people
r often do, picking together, side by side
during the day, and at night participating
in the "Hop-Pickers Dance and enjoy.
ing life as best they can, By stripping tht
: light fantastic toe"
Several years ago a gentleman from
Canada paid a visit to some friends in
Albany County, making the trip in a
sleigh. 1t was provided with straw to
add to his comfort and amongst the straw
was n quantity of Canada thistle seed
. A spontaneous crop of thistles annually
appears all over the county,-an endur-
, ing memorial Of the genteman's visit
, but his memory is not gratefully esteemed
by the worthy tillers Of the soil The
most effectual method of exterminating
this pest is to allow the ground to lie
fallow for year, pastureG by cattle and
sheep then pillow and sow with oats, and
seed with clover. By the time the clio.
YER has attained vigorous growth, but
, few thistles will appear. For farm pur-
poses horses are used almost exclusively
: the sure footed mule and the patient OK
finding but little favor in the estimation
Of New Workers, in this section Of the
country.
: In politics the rural districts are strong
ly Republican, The honest yeomanry
seem to imbibe the pure principles OF
Republicanism-with the uncontamina'
ted air of their native hills but the cor
! rupt influence Of Tammany in the city
gives the whole county Of Albany by q
} small majority to the democracy.
The oraot eanaation in political and