Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-07-31
Grain Raising in New England.


Countrv Gentleman, the following in
teresting letter from Hon. Barnes FRS
bic of Ponltney, on the subject of grain
raising in New England
Editors Country GentJemaH i: The
drouth seems to he prevalent at this time
in a large section Of country, and l ap-
prehend is as. severe in Vermont as else
where. Last year during the entire sea
son, we had frequent rains, and the win
ter set in with the ground well filled
with water. The winter and carly
spring seemed very favorable tothe pro
duction Of good crops. A heavy body
of snow covered the ground from the
latter part of November until well along
into the month of April, and when it
went off, the grass looked fresh, green
and thoroughly rooted, and we all then
thought that crop, the most important IN
Vermont, would be good. Until the 18TH
of June our pastures have not looked as
well or yielded more or sweeter feed FOR
thirty years. The meadows looked
equally well until about that time.
Since then we have had no rains, or
none that amounted to anything; and
now the "oldest inhabitant' says he
never kew it as dry on the first day OF
any previous July as it now Is. For
week past many farmers in this region
have been cutting their grass-those
pieces most affected by the drouth-and
all / have met with speak discoWaging-
ly of their grass crops. The grass crop
of Vermont, is not so much cut short as
the farmers or the newspapers OF the
State would seem to represent. Il will
not be as large as last year, but larger
than in the year 1871. If we should
have rain soon, it would improve the
grass on the low lands.
Corn looks very well IN Western Yer
mont, though backward Winter grains
look well indeed, but the spring grains
not as well. But little ground is planted
to corn in Vermont, and it seems TO be
less every year. Our farmers are now
depending on the West for their corn.
almost as much as for their flour. The
farmers say they can buy it cheaper than
they can raise it. | do not believe il
but / suppose most Of them do. as they
supply themselves in whole or in part
by purchasing western corn instead Of
raising it themselves. Large quantities
Of corn are fed to stock, and, OF course,
make a large item in the farmers bill of
expenses and the question now raised
is, cannot the farmer in Vermont raise
his own corn with more profit TO himself
than to buy the western corn? | think
he can; and not long since / found a far
mer in "a neighboring town who agreed
with me- This farmer is now known in
his vicinity as one who keeps a dairy,
and raises all his own hreadstuff and
grain for feeding his stock on his own
farm. Such a rare instance in these lat
ter days in the State of Vermont Is wOr-
thy of little attention. So thought
as | was passing through his town not
long since, | would cali on him. and 50
went two miles out of my way for au in
terview I found him at home, and af-
ter the customary salutations, and the
purpose of my call was made known 10
him, substantially the following CONVEX
sation was had between US
! have been Informed that you raise
your own wheat; is that 50 ?
Il do. ! have kept house for nearly
thirty years; portion of the time have
had large family. Have always had
plenty of good wheat flour, and never
bought any but once.
About how much land have you usual
ly s0wn to wheat What has been your
mode of preparation of lands for that
crop, and what theaverage yield?
Il SOW every year from two to four
acFes-on an average about three acres.
Ny preparation has been simply TO get
the land in good condition Ny wheat
crops have usually followed other crops
corn, potatoes or oats. Very seldom
have sown wheat on green sward-us-
uaily the second crop after breaking up.
but sometimes, though not often. the
third. My average yield has been about
sixteen bushels to the acre; have some
times raised twenty bushels, and in one
or two instances, twenty-five to the
acre"
Do you raise other crops-corn. rye,
oats, potatoes, etc.-and to what ex-
tent 2?
Il have raised all l needed for nv
own family use, and to feed my stock.
of corn, rye, oats, potatoes and garden
vegetables. Usually have had from four
to six acres of corn, one or two of rye.
two or three of oats, and about two of
potatoes. l do not raise grain to sell
occasionally spare bushei to a neigh
Dor, but always have, with the eXcep-
tien named, and intend in the future TO
raise, my own. What / sell from the
farm are the products of my dairy
keep twenty cows on the average
have 100 acres Of land.
Your neighbor A. tells me it costs
him more to raise grain on his farm
than it does to buy it. What DO YOU
say to to that
Farmers disagree as well as doctors
1T don't cost me anything to raise my
grain. III. -.
Don't cost you anthing-how is that
1t requires work, does it not?
Certainly and | should explain.
keep no more help than / should be
obliged to if did not pillow a furrow or
raise kernel of grain. The same held
have kept would be indispensable to
milk my COWS, make my butter and
cheese, carry it to market. do my hay
ing, feed and care for my stock; vet
with that same hely, / can raise all the
grain | need. Do you understand me =
think / do. Has your raising grain.
IN you judgment, worn your lands?
II am glad you have asked me that
question My father owned this farm
before me; | was born on il. From my
first recollection, and after, so long as he
owned and managed it, he plowed the
y y .
planted corn, on that potatoes, and on
another rye. Those pieces became
known as the corn field, the potato field
and the rye field, and were SO known in
winter as well as summer. In nv own
recollection, / can count twenty consec-
alive years in which corn was raised on
he same piece of ground. At the time
he farm came under my control and
management it was well worn and un-
some of it from plowing too
much, more of it for the reason that il /
lad not been plowed at all. l commenc- /
q with a system of rotation, if such |
fou can call it, and have followed il up
ince: / break up a piece, or pieces, of |
ward, thoroughly manure and work it, /
md with the second or third crop seed /.
o grass. Thus / have gone over my
meadow lands and portion of my pas
ure lands; each piece in its turn has
'een plowed up once in seven or eight