Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1875-03-13
Letter fi0Ml Kansas.

to look forward to the work of an,
other season. a good deal of inter
est is manifested by all in the re.
suits of the coming summers crops,
for OIL them depend in great meas,
ure the future of our State. Ii
good crops come men will take heart
again. If another failure occurs
like the two past years. many feel
that we might about as we'll turn
the State over to the Indians aud
buffaloes, and all leave. What the
season will bring forth we shall
know in due time. The cold has
been so intense that fears are just
ly entertained that the peach crop
will be q failure, as that is consider.
ell to DO endangered, if the Their
mOmcter falls to about Is dogs,
while here this winter it fell to 90
degs, below zero. But the wheat,
the most important crop, next to
corn, bids fair to be good. In the
fall the weather was good, large
fields of it were put in, aud it got IL
fine growth. Nothing could sur,
pass its beauty in the late fall,
when all green but it's own, was
passed into the sere of the autumn's
withered leaf. The winter has not
been such as especially TO endan-
ger it, as in the coolest weather
the ground Was covered with snow.
If the chinch bug does not come on
as in years before, tho chances are
promising for large wheat crop.
Most people think that the grass
hoppers did not deposite their eggs
here so as to have any fears of their
progeny the coming season. But l
am sure they did. From place
the size Of ones palm 1 dug many
hundreds of which l now have in a
bottle to hatch out under obSer.
walton, and some Of which have
passed the hands of Prof. Snow, the
State entomologist. They lay eggs
in soft soil, sandy if possible; at
the depth Of about an inch and a
half. Observation in preceding
years goes to prove that as soon as
they hatch and can fly they pass on
wards. We are willing they should
do so this year.
For two weeks past the weather
has been warm and spring-like.
Last night a thunder storm was fol-
lowed by a north wind with sleet
frozen on the trees and ground, but
a day of sunshine will take it all
away, The spring birds are back,
geese, due ks, summer sparrows,
robins, chv~+-icl<s, bluebirds and
many others: Many birds remain
here all winter that leave Vermont
for warmer climes. Woodpeckers,
tickers, hawks, robins, tree spar
rows, larks, Lapland longspurs, and
others, l have taken this winter for
the college cabinet.
Great fears are justly entertained
about doing much springs work
on the farms for lack of feed for
teams. Many farmers are able only
to keep their teams alive, and when
the time for blowing comes, which
will be soon, they will be unable to
do work. The goods, provisions
and money sent from all parts of
the East have been of inestimable
and have saved vast amounts
Of suffering and now if some aid
could come in the way of feed for
teams, the farmers could do much
more work than they will be able to
DO without it. Probably people at
the East have no adequate concep-
ton of the utter restitution of the
people in these parts of the West.
Farms Of four hundred acres, which
f situated in Bradford or anywhere
along the Connecticut Valley,
would make man almost princely
rich, the soil being so productive,
md every foot of it perfect plow-
and, here for two years past, have
rarely sulliced to keep alive for two
ears past, moderate families. Two
ears of almost utter failure of
;rops is enough to ruin any country.
But we are hoping for better times,
md send across to Vermont words
If gratitude, cheer, and encourage
ncnt. Better times are ahead for
IS. Yours very truly,
NJ. V. Il. X.