Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-02-10
For the Waterman.
Among the Western Farmers.

Since left Vermont, some three months since.
have been most Of the time among the farmers
Of the West gathering all the information could,
TO enable me to form an estimate Of the remunera-
ton Of labor expended upon the soil My first
stop was at Conneaut, Ohio. This Is the northeast
corner town Of the state, and consequently on the
shore Of Erie There is no manufacturing here.
except one paper and two Touring mills
Once steamboats, stopped here, but since railroads
were built, there is no occasion for boats Many
u the sailing vessels went into winter quarters
at midsummer, for The want Of business, so gem
eral has been the stagnntion Of the various enter
Isiscs which have made this country 20 prosperous
Farming on the western reserve has this year,
been quite romunemtyc. The crops Of wheat,
corn, potatoes and apples have been good And
there was ready market Tor apples and potatoes
farther west, where the apple crop was light, and
the potato bugs made extensive ruin Of the po-
taio crop. Consequently money was plenty
among the farmers
While stopping here one day accepted an in
vitaton from good, sturdy farmer, to take ride
out among his brethren, to see how farming was
managed ON the reserve ror some miles there
was quite rise, and then plateau after which
there was another similar rise These elevations ex-
tend the whole length ofakc Eric, and are supposed
To have been the shores Of the lake at some period
II the water Of Eric was ever 80 high and has
been drawn of by the constant wearing away Of
the rock over which the Niagara river punges,
what will become Of the flood Of which dreamers
have spoken, when those mighty falls shall rccedc
farther towards lake Erc2 But to return to our
ride Up this nse were splendid farms, the broad
acres extending ~ far ~ tho eye could reach to
the right and left covered with shocks Of yellow
corn, and herds Of quietly feeding cattle, while
large elegant and wcll-constructed houses told Of
the comforts within. Barns also, and sheds Tor
cattle, Indicated the care farmers had for their
stock. This scene, on which the golden rays Of a
beautiful autumn sun we're falling aud the lake,
rendered doubly beautiful by the oblique rays Of
the western sun, all made delightful prospect
for the painters brush | was 50 forchy re-
minded Of portions Of New England, by the struc-
ture Of the buildings fine houses and large, con
yenient barns that suggested 10 my companion,
that this reminded me Of my early home. This
whole region for miles around was first settled by
inhabitants from New England" he replied
"They have well Indicated their origin" ans
wered. And while some Of them are sleeping
their last sleep in their cemeteries made to resem-
BILE Vermont by the marble of which It's monuments
are made others have indicated their origin by
selling their farms and going farther west IN
search Of the true Eldondo.
careful examination Of all the advantages and
disadvantages Of this region, compared with New
England fully convinced me that had not yet
found the Elysian fields where the fanciful dreams
Of f.ft ha 10
plain Of Vermont There is much dairying done
here, as the number Of the cows, which are often
seen in herds Indicate But the butter has not
the same sweet taste OF the butter made from the
farms in Vermont, for the feed is not as good
neither is there the aftcrcrop; hence the necessity
Of sending to the East for butter tubs to make
market for the butter-whch Is not considered a
prime article In the East when packed in tubs
made from the timber in Ohio The cheese made
here is Of an excellent quality, and finds a ready
market.
Among the farmers did not see the hale, hearty
men, in green old age, AS have been accustomed
TO see among the same class Of men at home
The endemic diseases are so destructive that they
sweep of the population much earlier than In a
different climate. The fever aud ague shakes
the vitality out Of them, and the bilious fever
sweeps them OF. To settle the question relative
to the longevity OF the population, took a stroll in
the cemetery to observe the ages engraved on the
monuments, and found the average far less than
in Vermont. found the names Of men from Yer
mont, whose families had there known who were
strong and athletic and generally lived to good
oldage, butthese here dropped earlier. Ihavc been
in different towns on the Western reserve, and the
description have given viii apply quite well to
all Of them. Many from these towns are dis
posing Of their property and going farther West
They are, however, just at this time more stable
for there are few buyers K