Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-08-18
A Public Benefactor.

Mr0rs. Editors About thirty year, ago a man
moved into Bristol, Vermont and went To farm
ing Year after year he was a reading farmer
This town took hints FROM him and we're bene-
fied 10 the amount Of thousands OF dollars
Farming revived A few years ago an enterprs b
ing working man moved into the place bought a
few acres, and went TO planting grapes Now it
would do ones ewes good to see the rich clusters
like Esacol grapes hanging on his long rows Of
vines Farmers are glad TO 60 to that man to
learn his art lie understands bis business And
we count that man a public beneiactor
Now another man has come into town, peace
fully aud quietly, and is showing US how to raise
our own fish. Aud his influence for good will be
growing her. for hundreds Of years Almost cy-
cry day ia the year visitors IN 10 see his fish
ponds, and 60 away admirng. Out on the plain,
few rods above his house, a cold spring gnshes
up with dry, good Land all about it and makes
stream below large enough to furnish water Tor a
city This water is ~ soitand pure as rain Il
flows from such depth in the earth that 1t Is cold
enough. II j. never known 10 freeze over This
stream runs down between his house and barn,
and so passes down to bless the whole neghbor-
hood below, IN the winter. on the coolest morn
ings. you may see a little cloud, bigger than a
man shand rising 10 mark the origin oithe stream
Right by this spring the owner-Mr Ridley-has
little room, boarded all over and made warm,
where, IN the winter he breeds his little fish by
thousands and Thousands. Some ignorant persons
say he steals his fish from other people brooks
Not so he raises them Just below this breeding
place he has boarded upa large pond, where he, in
spring lets out the young ones to play Still below
he has six or seven pens all tightly boarded, and
the little fish kept away from the great by
means ofperionted copper plate or sieye-like con-
tryance, that the water passes freely, but the
fish must stay every one in his own room. His
last pond has a large mllk-room built over it
This has a parting between the large and the
very largest fish kept always ready for market
The writer loves to liuger and see Mr. Ridley
feed his fish To-day he was feeding them with
curd from sour milk When he threw in spoon
fnl Of curd, | could but laugh to see hundreds
spring from all parts OF the pond to get a part.
They make the water hy like forty ducks on \
washugdny These full-grown trout are very
large A few Of them in basket would need
two men to carry them.
Mr. Ridley keeps dairy. His milk is kept
cool over running water, where great crowds OF
ash are waiting for the crumbs or slops, when
very sweet Trout are fond OF liver and fresh
meat These ponds all meet and run out from
under the dairy-room into great reservoir, out
OF which runs a sheet Of water ten feet wide and
thin as case knife. Then the stream are permit
ted to run slow and still all panked over for the
driveway Any one will get well paid to see his
Fat horses and cattle TO the reservoir to slake
their thirst
II the reader has quite little purse Of money
to buy place to live and die on; If he wishes to
see beautiful buildings II he wishes to see, in au
tumn his well-flled barns aud plsntily filled eel
lars, let him come to Bristol and see for himself.
II you have living water at home, running
through your grounds and you have a notion Of
going into trout raising you had better come and
visit Mr.. Ridley. That visit may be worth TO you
a rich fortune. CHLDRESs MINISTER
Bristol, Vermont.