Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-11-24
m, STOCK Farm Of Col. Le Grand .. Cannon.

The Stock Farm OF Col. Le Grand .. Cannon
Few. probably. of our readers are aware .
of all that is being done for the improve
ment Of stock and for the solution Of some .
of the most interesting questions in agri-
culture in Vermont, by Col. Cannon, at his /
farm in Shelburn. The farm, as many
will remember, is the fine one Of some four /
hundred acres formerly the farm of the
Vermont Horse Stock Company. Its pur- /
chase by Col. Cannon was. we believe,
more Of an accident than anything else ;
but having bought it. he has gone
into the work of improving it. and
into the raising Of improved stock With
characteristic energy and system. lie
was fortunate in securing for the 5uperin-
tendence of the farm the very capable ser
vices of Mr.. Archibald Taylor, who is as
good farmer as he is horticulturist and
florist The farm, which was greatly run
down has been renovated by careful culture,
the barns and buildings enlarged and in
proved, and improved farm machinery
added careful system of accounts has
been instituted. bv which the outlay upon
each lot and the value OF the products from
it, and the cost of keeping the animals on
the farm are recorded. Col. Cannon i
probably the only farmer in Chittenden
county who can tell to cent and fraction
| OF cent the average cost per day CT the
wintering of each horse and COW and OK on
the farm, last year. The crops are all
weighed into and cut of the barns, and
careful note made Of the shrinksge, etc.
All the fodder is chopped and the por-
tons fed are accurately weighed. 1t is claim
60 that by this system no food is wasted, the
cparser and finer bays being thoroughly mix
e. win the addition Of bran, meal or roots,
and fed not only with the greatest ecOno-
nv, but with desirable uniformity in the
quslity of the food. The feeding is done at
h1ed hours-G a. m. II m, and p. n
Curing the period OF stabling.
Not the least important feature of the
system j. that no violence or harsh treat
ment j. permitted. On the contrary, kind
ness - the rule. and the merits of this, treat
ment are obvious in the remarkable quiet
and tocIlity of the hero.
The whole system appears 70 be comprised
in kind treatment; uniform feeding. shelter
from rough weather. and cleanliness and
the high health and good average cOndl-
ton OF the herd, indicate that it is sue
ce-s.
Struck by the Prevailing inferiority OF the
neat stock Of Vermont as compared with the
horses and sheep, which have received such
di=pr0portiODste amount of attention in our
grazing State, Colonel Cannon has turned
DIS attention largely 70 the Importation and
production OF thoroughbred stock. His
I cattle are the Short-hOrned Durhams, and
already comprise some of the finest animals
in the country. lie attended Mr.. COchraDe's
great stock sale at Toronto. last Spring,
and broue hi from it FIVE very superior ami
mails, purchased at a cost Of many
Thousand dollars Iae finest and
most famous 81 them. and perhaps the
/ finest young COW Of tins family IN this
country, Is Kirk Lavington Duchess, 18Th,
TWO years cd. brought from England a
/ ycar age, and purchased By Colonel Cannon
/ Tor about IS. 600 He has another very su-
perior heller, Princess Victoria. Iltn, two
/ years old, bought for So 600 and weighing
| 30 pounds; another OF the famous Lorean
/ family, three years old heiier OF nineteen
| months. and weighing 800 pounds. and
another Cf seventeen months. weighing $50
I pounds q seven months calf weighing
/ over 7CO pounds-thls calf gained 100
pounds IN lust 80 days. and several other
calves If tins season. which are quite as
/ large a. ordinary yeariings These are not
/ fatted animals; they bad nothing but grass
during the Summer, and their We ght is due
4 10 their extraordinary SEE. which marks
/ these strains OF blood. secured by long ami
/ careful breeding. Among the other thor
onghbreds on the farm are the splendid bull
''tidgots Oxford 4ih. Ct pure Bates stock
4 TX years old. purchased in Connecticut.
/ The Young English bull, Lord Radstock,
ard fine specimens OF the Moss Rose or Cam
/ hria family and other strains OF Durham
blood In al, fifteen distinct families of
/ this stock are now represented on the
/ farm The introduction Of such a number Of
superior animals IN this county, cannot but
/ have an important influence on the general
! quality q the stock. These noted animals
/ are not COR salc though Mr.. Cannon has
alreacy been offered very large prices for
/ some ui them but their increase can be
procured at very moderate prices ard our
/ farmers should rot hesitate TO avail them
selves of snch valuable opportunities.
/ 1t i estimated by English breeders that
| Short-horns have not deteriC.attd in this
/ country on the contrary, It Is claimed by
cur most intelligent and successful breeders
/ that they have and are improving over the
parent stock. And while 1t Is possibly true
/ that neat cattle are raised at less cost in
! the Western ard some of the Southern
/ State-. 1t can be fairly claimed that animals
raised in this climate and on the sweet, uu-
/ tritiOus grasses OF our limestone soils pos
sess unequalled health and stamina. which
give them peculiar value for expectation for
/ stock purposes. and general superiority 10
! those raised in the West and South. This
/ fact is admitted as to horses and sheep, and
has not been disprovei with neat cattle
There can be little doubt that far too much
attention has been given in Vermont 10
horses. the breeding Of which is uniformly
unprCftahle and often demOralizing too
/ httle TO the class Of animals on which YER
mont relies more than any other for her
prosperity-those which supply the dairy
and the beef.
Among the superior horses On the farm i,
/ the splendid Kentucky Stock horse Clavbri-
/ no. formerly the property Of the Horse
Stock Company. and some fifteen young
/ horses e. improved blood. comprising some
very ine animals Mr. Cannon intends to
devote the farm exclusively 10 thorough
bred neat cattle. and Is about disposing Of
/ the horses The farm has also a fine herd
of grade-cows and We uD derstand that an
/ accurate account will be kept this winter
/ of the relative cost OF keeping Short-horns
/ and grades. with a view of further determn-
| irg the economy Of feeding.
We should be glad 10 describe for the
benefit # our farming readers Col. Can
non 5 COW stable-he milks some forty cows
and bis dairy arrangements. We may DO
So at some future day.
This agricultural enterprise has. we sup
pose, not been undertaken by Col Cannon
a. matter of pecuniary profit bnt his ex
perIments and Improvements will be for the
benefit Of somebody. They cannot but tell
IN tine on the general character OF the
stock ard the farming of this county and
OF our STATE and we shall feel strong inter
ess in them, as an enterprise Of great public
benefit.