Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-04-11
BURY, FRIDAY, APRIL IL, 1873.
Oermunt farms,
For the VERMONT FAnMEn.
FARM OF R. G. HILL. OF ELMORE

FOR the VERMONT fAhhhh'
FARM OF R. G. HILL. OF ELM0RE.
While attending the farmers meeting held
at Morrisylle, on the Both and 3lst Of last
January, under the auspices Of the State
Board Of Agriculture, we heard paper read
by Mr.. r. g. Hill, Of Efnore, Oh long wool
sheep, which SO interested me that | deter
mined to visit Mr. Hill for personal inspee-
tion of his farm and stock, especially his
large flock Of Cotswold sheep, an account Of
which propose to give the readers Of the
VERMONT FARMER
Mr.. Hill Is one of the largest aud most
successful farmers in the county. lic has
farm Of four hundred acres, well adapted to
the puwosc to which it is devoted, namely,
stock raising. Mr.. Hill is practicing mixed
farming for not ouly is he a very distinguish
ed. sheep bfce,ler, but he is one Ol ose ms
prominent dairymen, making iirst.cass ar
tiele of butter which has long been sold to
special customers in Boston, for very steady
aud remuneratve prices.
When commencing life, some twenty years
ago. he introduced the Durham cattle upon
his farm with view of improving his dairy
stock, aud has since that period been con-
stantly improving his fine herd, by the intro
duction of improved animals until now he
has as fine herd Of dairy cows as can be.
found in northern Vermont. The past fall
he has purchased of the Messrs Winslow, Of
West Putney fine young animal that can
not fail to make great improvement in the
character Of the stock in the vicinity where
he is kept
Some fifteen years ago Mr. II. introduced
the Cotswold sheep upon his farm, aud since1
that period he has made sheep breeding a
speciality, giving the subject his whole and
constant study with view to improvement,
aud in this he has been eminently successful,
having acquired worldwide reputation as
the most successful long wool sheep breeder
in New England, if not in the United States.
His sheep are known and appreciated from
the Atlantic 10 the Pacific states he being
in constant receipt of orders, not only from
those distant points, but all over the inter-
mediate country His improvements over
his first purchase have been in obtaining 4
sound, firm constitution, great size, perfect
form, great length of staple, fiueness of fiber,
and weight of fleece, with luster that beats
the world he having taken the first promi.
ums at all the New England state and county
fairs, and the sweepstakes at the New Eng
land fair over the best imported sheep that
could be obtained in Europe. Mr. Hill is
now wintering one hundred sheep, one half
OF which are pure blood Cotswolds, the others
their grades The former are kept excIi-
sively for breeding, the latter for the sham
bles. Besides these he has about forty head
of cows and young stock, and several horses.
This gentleman is now reaping the reward Of
his great industry aud skill in sheep. breeding.
His receipts the past year from premium
money and sales of pure blood sheep for breed.
ing purposes were about one thousand dollars,
besides having sold thirty head of thrce-ycar-
old fat weathers (grades) Tor fifteen dollars
per head, thus demonstrating the fact that a
man can succeed if he pursues his ovocatiou
with determined will.
After very pleasantly spending a few
hours among the flocks and herds Of the
farm, we were summoned into the house to
partake Of a sumptuous dinner Here we
passed pleasant hour with the lady of the
house and her young and accomplished
daughter, Mrs. H. is a farmers wife in
every sense Of the word, alive to every inter.
est of the farm, and one that has done her
share to obtain respectable competence,
and is enjoying it in educating her children.
Her daughter is a young lady Of eighteen sum
mers, whose superior intelligence shows an
early aud careful training in her education.
While learning something oi her history
we were reminded Of principle adyerted to
by member of the State Board at the meoe
ing above referred to, that of early teaching
our children to rely upon their own efforts,
and giving them some honorable employment,
the ayails Of which shall be their own, and
thus, not only early training them to habits
OF industry, but giving them an opportunity
to earn and have something that they eau
thus early in lie call their own. This young
lady has frequently received at the hands Of
her father, lamb in eases where twins and
sometimes tripets have occurred the surplus
member Of the family would be given to the
daughter to rear, all OF which she has sue,
cessfully done, selling them, when matured,
for high price, out of the avals of which
she has purchased one of Woods best organs,
and also one Of Weeds sewing machines, at
both Of which she well knows how to preside,
thus setting an example worthy to be emulat-
ed by all young ladies whose early life is
spent on the farm. j. w. b.
Elmore, March l. 1873.
For the VEuNoNr FAuura.