davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15
For the VERMONT FARnER.
Fermenting Food for Stock.
Waitsfeld, Jan. 4h.

al. W. s." inquiries in late number Of
the FARMER in relation to fermenting coarse
food for stock, how 1t is done, its value, &c.
| will give one method as have witnessed
it. N. S. Whitney, Esq, of Montreal, has
fine farm in the township Of st. Armand,
opposite Franklin, Vt. Here he has 6ne
stock of Ayrshire cattle imported and bred
by himself, and takes much pains in the care
Of them. Ho raises large crops of fodder
corn and turnips, and his method of feeding
at the time of my visit was as follows:
About equal quantities of hay and fodder
corn are cut by horse power, sufficient to
last three aud one-half days at a time.
The turnips are sliced also by horse power,
and mixed along with the feed in a bun,
enough Of the last to allow a grown animal
about half bushel a day. Two bins are
necessary, as this mixture is not fed until it
has stood three and one-half days, when
slight fermentation will be perceptible. No
water is used. A bushel of this is given
to each animal three times n day. and it is
highly relished by them, appearing to pro-
duce the best of results.
Where large quantity of roots are raised
and the farmer has conveniences for the
purpose, this seems to be a very desirable
way of feeding roots. In this way hay and
straw can be mixed along with good hay
and make a very palatable food, producing
much better results then if each were fed
separately. No steaming is necessary, no
water required, still a moderate supply Of
moisture and warmth is secured.
II desirable any kind of provender can be
mixed with the feed, as the nature Of the
fodder used might require. This would be
cheaper arrangement than cutting aud
steaming, and appears to be about as salts
factory. Il. Il. TowLE.
West berkshire.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15

II the difference arises from the breed or
quality of the cows, il shows plainly that to
keep the best pays; for here is a margin Of
profit on the side Of the best COW equal to
seven per cent or $3.50 for each animal. A
dairyman, at this rate, could better afford to
pay S400 for pure bred Ayrshire cows than
$50 for native scrubs. For the same reason
he could afford to invest gross sum equal
to at least $3.50 per head in providing such
necessaries-pure water, good feed, good
shelter, &c.-as would raise the effective
ness of his herd to the highest standard.
Again, the average yield per COW for these
six months, added to the income for the rest
Of the year, which may be reasonably esti-
mated at one-half more, sums up to nearly
SO per annum. A hundred acre farm well
managed should support twenty cows as a
portion only Of its income. For the money
invested and the labor involved, we know Of
no other part Of the farm economy which
will yield Sl400 so easily as this. By skill.
ful soiling we do not doubt that 50 to 80 or
even 100 cows could be supported upon 100
acres. In such case the average product
would be even larger, and $1,000 to $4,000
could possibly be reached. But this would
involve an expenditure of capital, and the
need of peculiar supply of labor which is
rarely to be obtained, that would render its
occurrence exceptional and rare. At the
least the return is satisfactory enough to in.
duce many farmers who now grow grain with
much labor and little profit to turn their at
tention to dairying as an easier and better
paying business From the present outlook
it does not seem that there is any danger of
overstocking the markets with dairy prod
ucts, but most certainly not with those of
superior quality, which will always be in
good demaud. .-NelC York Times
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15
Flowing and Manuring Orchards.

That there is a difficulty in keeping up the
fertility Of orchards our Western New York
farmers, who have planted large young ORCH
ards, are beginning to discover. Most of
these orchards are on land that has been
cropped and partially exhausted. 1t is un-
derstood that young trees need to be kept
in cultivated ground and not in grass or
grain. Hence for several years potatoes,
corn, and roots are taken from the field, and
the farmer who has ten or twenty acres sub
jected to this slow cropping finds it difficult
to maintain its fertility without robbing the
remainder of his farm. If the orchard be
only two or three acres this may be done,
but when it covers one-quarter to one-third
of the farm, it is not 80 easy to fertIize it all,
especially if, as the authorities tell us, it is
not to be seeded to grass.
Some farmers dodge the difficulty by seed
ing their orchards with clover, and when it
gets good growth plowing it under. But
this is Objectionable, because the roots Of the
trees should not be cut or torn by the plow
during the growing season. While the tree
is dormant in fall and early spring, plowing
seems to do little if any injury, but at these
seasons there is nothing to plow under ex-
cept the clover roots. 1t would seem to be
the only way if clover is grown to cut it and
feed it to stock and apply the manure. The
trouble with this plan is that manure made
from crop is never sufficient to fertilize it
except in very small doses. 1t is rare to
see three or even two loads of manure made
from the product of one acre unless animals
are very literally supplied with straw for
bedding. &c. 1t is practically impossible to
distribute so small a quantity over an acre.
Glover roots are less beneficial in orchards
than elsewhere. One important benefit they
produce is in drawing up fertility from the
subsoil. But apple roots will do this as well
as any, aud if clover is cut and carried off
the orchard, does it not rob the trees of food
which other crops could not take? Is not
this one reason why clover is reckoned spe-
cially injurious to orchards
Wherever practicable, as good a way as
any to manure orchards is to fatten hogs in
them through summer and early fall. say
" fatten hogs, for there is little if any ad-
vantage to the soil in letting swine or other
animals run through the orchard, living only
on the fallen fruit and other forage that they
can pick up. Liberal feelings Of corn meal
with other food, in addition to the fallen
fruit, will keep hogs quiet, make them fatten
faster, and add to the fertility Of the soil.
Still this plan is not generally practicable
except N small orchards. Cor. Rural Home
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15
NVVUTIUU IUT IIU ENMVNI THHH ~
Black River Grange.

Wednesday evening, Jan. 9th, after in.
stallation Of officers, the questions upon the
secretary's table were called up. The sub
ject of the best way to break out drifted
roads was referred TO-.
l.. Holbrook stated that it had been his
custom to shovel through the places that
were impossible for a team, then put the
team on the sled with pillow attached to the
side and drive through such part of the drift
ed road as be ought to keep in order. Some
times it is advisable to pass several times,
back and forth, to make good road after q
storm.
B. NJ. Conner advised hitching up the
team when the wind begins to blow the
snow, aud pass back and forth to tread the
snow down, thus raising the track as high al
the drift, and when the track is as high al
the fences it will cease drifting as the snow
will blow across the road,
d. A. Locke said that fences were the
cause Of snow drifts, as they stopped the
snow as il was blown along "A tight fencC
or stone wall stops the snow better than q
fence full OF cracks like rail or board feuce
With roads at the usual width the rail Oh
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15

open board fence allows the snow to pass
through aud be left about in the travelled
path. IL fences can be thrown down easily
it is the better way, as then the snow is
blown directly across, and the roads are cas-.
lily kept passable. With tight fence the
snow is deposited close to the fence, and if
tho road is wide aud the Travelled path near
the leeward side the wind as it passes over
the tight fence will leave its snow at the
center of the road, striking with such force
a. to hollow or scoop out the snow whore the
Travelled track is so travel is not stopped by
drifts. 1t is better when we can, to so plan
that we avoid hard jobs that are unnecessary
and Improbable.
+. Conner proposed turning into the
fields when roads were badly driItod.
The second question was, What is the best
material to bank house to keep the cellars
from freezing2
II. Il. Waller thought it best to build
houses in such thorough way that no bank
ing would be necessary. This could be done
by laying the foundation we'll, and then lath
and plaster inside tho cellar from the top to
a little distance below where the ground
comes up on the outside; bat as we are not
all thus protected he favored among farmers
chip dirt, the fine aud partially rotted chips
of the woodward or she'd If near tannery
would use spent tan bark. Has never tried
the branches of evergreen trees, but sees
them around some houses
d. Webster urged thorough building aud
the use of brick inside the stone wall of the
cellar around the upper part, thus making
two walls with space Of dead air between.
d. A. Locke had known OF leaves used as
banking and giving satisfaction, and stated
that if saw dust is used it must be covered or
winds would blow it away.
H. f. j., Seoy.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15
Profits of Dalrying.

With judicious and skllful treatment grass
may be grown year after year with gradual
accession of fertility to the soil No crop is
so cleaply raised, none so cheaplY harvested,
and none so pro6tably spent. With this
crop there is a minimum Of labor. No other
crop is so safe against insect depredators.
Even the locusts, which devastated so large
II territory the past year, spared the grass
and left it intact A very largo portion of
our territory is natural" grass land, and
thousands OF hillsldes. too steep for the plow,
furnish the best of pastures. To raise grass
aud turn it into meat and dairy products is,
then, not only the least laborious branch of
agriculture, but if done with skill it is not
exhaustive of the soil. Dairying needs less
skill and less capital, and may be carried on
With less risk than grazing cattle for the
market. OF the two the first is the more
profitable and the steadier business. Aud
in doirying there is a vast scope for exten.
sion, especially in making cheese. The
present production Of cheese, much as it has
grown Of late, is still far beneath its proper
and ultimate proportions The consumption
OF cheese is rapidly increasing. As an arti-
Gle of food it is Of equal value, pound for
pound, with the best beef free from BONE
At present price it is much cheaper than
beef. 1t only needs the cultivation Of the
popular taste by improving the standard Of
quality, and by introducing an agreeable
variety, to greatly increase the ratio of con-
SUMPTION Already our dairymen are putting
upon the market varieties of cheese which
are supplanting some foreign makers. We
know Of makers Of Cheddar, Edam, Neuf-
chatel, Brie and other foreign cheeses, which
are sold, we grieve TO say, to meet the popu-
lar mistaken demand for things Of foreign
manufacture, as imported cheeses. I" By
any other name t'would smell as sweet, " but
yet this fact shows that the American inter.
est is gradually meeting its most conspicuous
need, aud probably in course Of time will
feel strong enough to stand alone without
leaning upon false prop.
That dairying is profitable business, and
probably the most profitable branch of farm
ing Just now, and promises to remain so,
hardly needs proof. But yet there are
those who must always see the figures
These are at hand in the usual reports Of the
cheese factories and creameries which are
now in course of publication. From a re-
cent issue of the Utica Herald we gather the
following, taken at random from list ol
reports Of the seasons business of large mum.
bers Of the New York State factories. We
take the average net produce per COW during
the factory season ofsix months, or from the
LIST of May to the lst of November, Of the
| lollowinO five factories
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15
For the VERMONT PARMER.
Farm Chats-No. "a.
West BerkShi

have just made up my milk and butter
record for the year 1874, and may be it
might be of interest, not as being large
record but as the true showing Of the /" Ma
plehurst herd.
Our dairy is made up Of Ayrshires, Jer.
seys, the crosses Of both, and grade Jerseys.
Our highest number in milk at one time was
sixteen, aud the lowest eight, with an aver
age OF eleven, and all ages from two to
eight years. During the year two two
years.oId aud FIVE three.years-old heilers
came in with their FIRST calves. Five were
eight years old, two were five, and two were
four years old. The whole number of pounds
Of milk given by the herd during the year
was 6S,57l OF this 50627 pounds was
set for butter; 1894 pounds was fed to
calves and sold. From the 5O,627 pounds
set, we made 2265 pounds Of butter, taking
an average of 2235 pounds Of milk to
make pound of butter. Had the whole Of
the milk been set for cream 1t would have
made 3067 pounds of butter, giving an av-
erage per COW of 27S pounds.
We are now milking Jersey heifer that
was three years old the 2lst of last month.
She dropped her first calf Dec. 26. The
calf was taken away and learned to drink on
the 3lst day of December, and we commenc.
cd to milk the heiier Jan. lst. Her record
to-day was 10 pounds by the scales Her
milk in the lactometer tube gives one.6fth
cream. We have now commenced setting
her mess by itself for the present week to
see how much butter she will actually make
in the seven days. Her feed is hay and
corn folder, with four quarts Of turnips
daily. As we have been selling some of our
surplus stock lately, have priced this
heifer to several parties at $500. No one
has seen that amount of money in the heifer,
and shall not price her to any one again
According to the test Of the lactometer she
will be making two pounds Of butter per day
and this product at 30 cents per pound will
pay us very good interest on $500. When
asked about the amount Of milk Jersey
COW will give in day, am often told that
it is very small mess, and my reply is, yes
we do not expect Jerseys to give large
messes. But there is dreadful hold TO tC
u Jersey COW.
have just received the weigh bill Of .
load of hay that sent to market to-day
and l find that our hay proves to be nearly
or quite, one.third lighter than the 1873
crop. This load Of hay was good, clean
early cut timothy, from the same land, pack
ed in the same bent in the barn as the 1873
crop. The 1873 lot from the same bent was
measured, weighed and sold, aud so will b'
the 1874 crop, Two feet and eight inchei
in depth Of the 1873 crop weighed ton
To-day it took little over four feet il
depth to weigh ton. We have sent several
loads Of hay to market, and in every case
they fall below our guessing in weight. Las
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15
gaoies' department.
For tho VERMONT FARMER.
Woman and Temperance.

Some thoughts have been suggested to my
mind by hearing Mrs. Livermore lecture
lntemperauce is an evil that has long per.
vaded our land Our noble fathers, husbands,
sons and brothers have fallen victims to the
awful plague. Thousands of our best men
have fallen and sleep in drunkards's grave,
thousands are no,o on the same road to ruin,
and thousands will come after if woman,
true, pure, earnest, Christian woman does
not "comc up to the help of the Lord
against the mighty" standing firm as the
adamantine rocks, and saying 81 yield no
longer" repeat, stand firm, and with
your pure hands upon your hearts lift your
voices in silent prayer to the great King of
kings to help you to lift man from the pit of
degradation and sin and place him on firm
foundation, and where it shall be as much
Of disgrace for one Of our sons to drink a
glass Of liquor as for one of our daughters.
Yes, woman can lift up man from his fallen
place, and not put herself on his level,
either. She can lift him from dishouor by
her acts, her words and her prayers. She
can be an sold maid" her life long, and glo-
ry in it too, rather than yield to mans wish
es and become the wife of an incorporate
husband. She can be to him guide, eoun-
sslor, a reformer be to him Christian wo-
man in ali respects, and will he not trust her,
90 to her for aid and comfort Let her be to
him what God designed her to be, blessing,
tnot curse,) then she will have His approv-
al, and wear the greatest honors that man
can bestow. She can abstain from all wines !;
instead Of passing it to his lips, take it from
them. Oh girls, my sisters, take one firm
step and declare you will not 60 with young
man that drinks. If he will not abstain
from it for your sake, for your love before
marriage, he will not after, so beware If
you would let him know at the first that you
would not keep his company, that you would
not disgrace yourself so, it would save iu-
ture trouble. If each girl would calmly con-
slider that in doing this you are helping your
own brothers as well as some ones else BROTH
ers, there would be great revolution in the
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15
And one copy free for every ten.
FREQ of Postage 90 any Point Ina the United
States or Canada.
rnE L1rrLE YAeRANr.

Tho village Squire, stern Old man,
From whose very presence the children ran,
Walked slowly down the shady street,
With a stately aud ponpous gravity, meet
In one Of his wealth and consequence,
Proud Of his standing, aud hard cold sense.
lie turned q corner; right in his way,
Asleep on tue walk vagrant lay,
Ragged and barefoot a little lad,
Whose face was pnched and worn and sad.
The village children had gathered round
The Squire came up but they stood their ground,
For the boys thin face was streaked with tears,
And their pity was stronger than their fears.
The old Squire looked and was passing by,
When the boy awoke with pitlful cryi
And the old mans face grew suddenly whites
"Go0d God - he muttered, "what ails my sight'
IL cannot be- Are those eyes her ownl-
Your name, my boy'-Her very tonO!-
Stand back, you children, and let me talk
To the lad-Are you tired, Can You walk
Don't be afraid come take my hand"
None of Che children can understand
What has come over the Squire to-day,
Or why he 50 tenderly leads away
The wandering little vagrant lad
With road dust covered and shabbily clad.
Through the village the story spreadi
Was the old Squire suddenly out Of his head'
But the gOssips remembered fair young face,
A daughter, once the pride aud grace
OF the old mans name, Of whom no i'll,
Save that she welded against his WILL
Was ever whispered. lie drove her thence,
And babe her abide the consequence
Other willful love and never word
OF her fate henceforth in the town was heard.
But now IL was plain the gossips said,
She had lived in misery, and was dead,
But the vagrant boy whose look and tone
Woke the old Squire's heart was indeed her own.
And God, who hears the widows prayer,
Had led the little wanderer there.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15

be high enough to prevent water from sct-
Ting in around il at any time, as this would
soon melt it, and also il is easy to see that
the larger the amount and the more com.
pactly it is packed the less will be the pro-
portionate waste.
The MarbIehesd Squash.
wish to say few words in praise Of
this new variety. l raised few the past
season which were superior TO anything in
the squash line have ever seen. Even the
small ones that seemed not more than half
ripe were excellent, and the best ones were
very hard, dry and sweet. should judge
also that their keeping qualities would be
good, though for some reason the few that |
raised have not many Of them kept till now.
Others in this vicinity who have raised them
speak very highly of them, aud if they bold
out as they have begun think they will de-
serve to 90 to the head of the squash tribe.
In Ibis age of humbugs il is relief to
find one ne'1 thing that proves as good as 1t
was represented. +. A. +.
Waitsfeld, Jan. 4ih.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15
ST. JOHNSBURY, FRIDAY, JANUARY 15. 1875.

year our loads generally overrun what they
were set to weigh. The purchasers all tell
one story about our bay, aud that is, " 1t
goes off like fun" Hay does not spend
we'll aud it ought not TO be expected, as il
greyin nearly all cloudy and wet weather.
Although the last crop was a large one, il
has not the real substance of some small
ones, and L venture to predict that there
will be great many very thin cattle by next
April, unless they get something more and
better than hay. Why Nor.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15

small brush interviewer in frame, some-
what similar to the weaving Of basket work.
The timbers at each end of the frame, being
longer than the frame itself, are sharpened
and driven into the ground. Another way
is to drive small stakes into the ground about
one foot and half apart, and then inter.
weave the brush in between the stakes but
either of the last mentioned hurdles are not
so good, because they are too thin to break
the wind and be warm.
WILLIAM s. THoRP.
MOrristolcn, Jan. 4.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15

These figures give, in the first column, the
best average net money per COW in a single
dairy; in the second, the lowest average in
a single dairy, and in the third, the average
yield per COW of the whole factory.
Here is much food for reflection. One
dairy nets S5S45 per COW in six months,
and another only s26. There may be some-
thing in the kind of cows kept, but we i'm
agine that this large difference is rather to
be accounted for in the care and feed Of the
cows and general management of the differ
ent dairies. Surely, dairymen need no more
expressive fact than this to show how their
business may be made profitable or other
wise and, in fact, the same lesson should
be needed by every person who keeps COW,
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15
Votes a,,d O,series.

II is said on this side OF the equator all
bean vines twine the same way in the south
ern lattudes they twne in the opposite di-
rection. Now, farmers boys. is this truc?
If so, how does the bean manage directly
under tho equator? S. S. g.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15
Cranberry Culture.

to remind them that they are not treating
US prOperly.-American Agriculturist.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15

months,
Three months, on trial. a......................s 90
club Rates.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15
VOL. VINO. z.
Mttmnht GARNER
ROYAL CUMMINGS, Pub'r and Prop'r.
WIN. H. WHEELER, Editor.
PUBLISHED WEEKLY.
1T ST. JOH.N'SBURY, VT.

TERMS, Always I'm Advance.