Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-06-12
Correspondence.
For tho vRawoNr FARiER.
LETTER FROM WAITsFIELD.

- 80 RNCNA WIZ ~ A.s-@A
The month Of May, always a busy one 10
the farmers Of Vermont, has been unusually
so this year in this part Of the state. 1t is
seldom that upon the river farms in this VIZ
cinity we fail Of having our sugar tools all
packed away in April, and often the work
of blowing and sowing is we'll under way,
but this year May day found us with foot
of snow on the ground, and apparently right
in the midst of sugaring, and by the time
our sap was boiled up and utensils gathered
and washed a quarter Of the month was
gone The snow has mostly disappeared
now, though there is still little visible up
on the tops of the highest mountains about
us, especially at the upper ends Of the slides
upon "Old Lincoln, but II cannot last much
longer with the present summer,lise weather.
A few Of the farmers have flushed their
corn planting, but many upon the hills have
planted none as yet The season is very
backward in every respect. Plum and cher
ry trees arc in full bloom this week, but ap-
pie blossoms have not yet made their APP
poarance. Grass is looking finely, not hav-
ing been injured by the open weather Of the
past winter as was predicted by many.
The demolition of the Congregational
church has commenced, to obtain the mate
rial to aid in the construction Of the new.
The last service was held last Sunday. In
the morning Post Ainsworth Of the e. A.
r. were present in a body and Rev. j..
II. Babbit, in accordance with a request
from them, preached an appropriate sermon !;
Subject: Earnest patriots are the proper
custodians of the civil and religious liberties
Of our nation. In the afternoon the sermon
was from Neh. 13: IL. "Why is the house
of God forsakon 2'' The society have &c.
ceptcd very cordial invitation from the
Methodist church to meet with them until
their new house is erected
Decoration day has been observed about
the same as usual. This morning Post Aims
worth accompanied by q goodly number Of
citizens of all classes proceeded to deck the
graves of soldiers at the common and village
cemeteries, and after partaking Of substantial
"rations" at the e. A. Il. hall the same GER
omony was performed at the Methodist ccm-
etery, after which there were public exer-
cises in the open air near the brick church,
consisting Of prayer by Rev, Mr.. Sher-
burne, music, an original poem by comrade
d. S. Stoddard, and an grafton by Col. G.
II. Joyce, of Rutland. Waitsfeld Cornet
Band was present throughout the day aud
added much to the interest of the occasion.
1t was thought that the supply Of flowers
would be small, but fields, woods, and gar
dens were searched and made to give up
their treasures, aud there was found to be an
abundance. Perhaps as interesting a part
of the ceremony as any, was the decoration
of monument placed upon the stand and
inscribed ITO the memory Of those who lie
in Southern graves" This was done by a
party of young girls one of whom recited
appropriate verses.
Before closing this letter I wish to say
that in my opinion there is more matter in
your paper that may be made Of practical
utility to Vermont farmers than in any other
paper with which | am acquainted.
Many thanks to Mr.. Douglas for the de-
scripton of barrel churn which you pub
lished few weeks since. We had been
needing new churn for some time but were
in doubt what kind to procure, when Mr..
Douglass article appeared and gave US a
new idea, and there being 4 cooper in the
family the idea was soon developed into a
reality. We have not had a long experience
with it as ye: but so far it has proved highly
satisfactory.
There is no dasher or floats to be forced
through the cream by main strength, and
with our churn, which is mounted upon a
set Of friction rollers from an old grindstone,
the labor of churning is comparatively easy.
An examination of the buttermilk shows it
to be almost entirely free from particles Of
butter, and we are able to wash the butter in
the churn better and easier than we have
ever done it in any way before, and when it
is done the churn is nearly clean.
We often see in the agricultural papers
descriptions of various implements which
are nearly valueless because written in 50
careless manner as TO leave the subject in
important particulars unintelligible to one
who has never seen the article in question,
but Mr.. Douglas gave details with such mi
nuteness and accuracy that one can readily
see, with his minds eye, the steps necessary
TO make barrel churn and how it will look
when done. Il. A. Fisk.
Waitsfeld, MAY 30.