The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-02-17
Mlioolebutp 8eeisttr
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY IT, 1874.
Vermont Farms.

Vermont Farms.
1t isa significant fact that the average
yield of hay per acre is greater in Yer
mont, than In any other New England
or Middle State, except Pennsylvania
which only ranks very small per cent
higher. The average yield of hay per
acre in 1873 was Ito tons in Nermon,,
| % In New Hampshire, l.04 in Massa-
chusetts, 100 In New York, ,93 in
Maine and 81 in Delaware. This is
one OF our most important farm crops
and its abundance or failure often
determines the success or failure of the
farming enterprise. But these figures,
which do not materially differ from
those of the year previous, have Il fur
Their Significance which is even more
important than the determination Of
one year profit and loss. 1t is gener-
ally understood, among our farmers
that the meadow lands are too much
neglected. Hay is sold Off the farm
and no returns are made to the soil and
our farms are rapidly running down,
and by many it is imagined that all
this region now known as Vermont, Is
soon 10 return to its primitive condi-
ton or in othei words become "a howl
Ing wilderness" The statistics show,
however, that the average yield of hay
per acre In Vermont, is ten per cent.
higher than in the sunny land of Nir-
ginia and my Maryland"
We refer to this one crop rs test
crop, because it is less affected by the
influence of cultivation and manures.
Were we to take the potato crop, for
instance although 1t might not be much
of a test Of the strength of the soil, we
should find much more favorable
comparison for the Green Mountain
State. The average yield of potatoes
in Vermont Is one hundred and forty
bushels per acre, while in no other state
out Of New England except New York
and Oregon, does 1t come up to one
states it falls as low as 60. We will
not take the wheat product for exam
pie, because Vermont is not wheat
growing state. But all our farmers
will agree. at once, that the average
could not be less than in the rich West
orn states where the figures are quoted
as follows: Ohio,12 bushels Michigan,
1872; Indiana, 1873; Iowa, IS; Califor-
Mia, 1876 and the Southern States like
South Carolina, SIS.
1t is true, there is more labor required
to produce given amount, in Yer
mont, than in the west : but the prices
of products are also higher In Deem
Der 1872 we find the local prices of corn
quoted at IS cents per bushel in lows
and Nebraska, and increasing rs VIC
come East until we reach our own state
where the price was So cents. In the
item Of hay in the month of December
last, Vermont hay brought the farmers
on delivery ut n station for shipment
sl5 per ton, while in Kansas the price
was 1880, with scanty sale ut that. In
the New York and Boston markets, n,
the same time, hay brought from 80;
TO SIS per ton, which shows that The
dealer who gathers up the commodity
gets fair commission above the higl
price secured by the producer. If th'
difference between the prices obtained
by the farmer and the prices paid by
the consumer can be diminished by tn,
Grange movement, ii will he all tn,
better.
At any rate one thing is settled bS
these figures. There are compensation:
for the differences in the amount o
labor required to carry on farm il
Vermont and in the west. Before be
coming discouraged about farming il
Vermont, we should take these thing,
into consideration, and estimate tn,
value Of tho advantages we have owe
our western neighbors, along with thu
discouragements which alono we hav,
been accustomed to consider.