davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25
Agriculture at the Centennial.

The management Of the agricultural part
of the Centennial appears to have been
out of joint from the beginning, and has gone
wrong OF course the commission was not
responsible for the fight Of the "dairy risg,"
in which it was charged that small minority
Of the executive committee of the dairymen
undertook to vote themselves int the Offices
of honor and emolument. The results have
been in every way bad Besides stirring up
bile enough to counteract the good influences
of the labors of all for advance in the
dairy art, the confidence in the dairy
exhibition of the centennial was un.
dermined, and the ten thousand dollar
model dairy building stands there substan-
TALLY empty.
Now it appears that an advisory board of
agriculture was appointed to assist in organ
izing the live stock show. The board were
to nominate judges whom the commission
promised should be appointed. After great
labor and time had been expended without
cost to the commission, the advisory board
sent in their list Of judges; three names for
each breed of horses, cattle, sheep and swine.
In making the appointments these nomina-
tions were entirely ignored, only one name in
the whole list being appointed.
The commission undertook to require
judges in agriculture to pay their own expen.
ses, while liberal allowances were made for
others but were forced to concede them
500 each. 1t is charged that many of the
judges of stock have no technical knowledge
Of the breed they will be called upon to ex'
anime.
The policy of giving frst, second and third
prizes, announced at first, and which would
draw a large competition, is abandoned, and
all good animals are to have a medal and
certificate Of merit. The number of thu
judges appointed is insufficient, only eigh
men, for instance, to examine all the cattle
of twelve different breeds.
The unfortunate precedent made by tn,
management in breaking faith with the ex
hibitors Of haying and harvesting machinery
who after preparing at great expense for
6eld-trial, were informed that no prizes woul,
be awarded for a field trial and no officia
field trial held, appears to have been fOllOwe
in regard to the stock exhibition.
Altgether there is great dissatisfaction, an
with good reason. The stock exhibition
likely to be unsatisfactory. 1t is unfOrtu
nate that the commission did not have in il
ranks practical farmers enough to take car
of the interests of agriculture. AlthOug
the exhibition is and Is likely to bo 80 vi
satisfactory as an exponent Of the advant
made in the century in farm stock and mt
chinery and dairying, and will thus lose
portion of the interest Of practical farmer
! there is still thousand times as much
\ be seen as one can examine in week, al
no one should fail To 90 who can.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25
Curious Process for Making Cheese.

Among the curious methods for the man
ufacture of fine cheese, the process adopted
by Mr.. Joseph Harrison of Derbyshire, Eng
land, will be Of interest The curds are
not scaded, no heat being applied after the
milk is set for coagulation. The expulsion
Of the whey, or its separation from the curds
before being put in the hoop and under press,
is being accomplished by process quite
different from anything known in practice
in this country. But what will be surpris-
ing, perhaps, to most of our factory cheese
under this process is of tho finest favor and
quality and sells in the best markets OF Eng.
land for "top prices" on par with English
cheddar, which ranges from twenty to thirty
shillings higher than American cheese.
Leading Points in its Manufacture.
The following are the leading points in
the process;
The milk when collected, is set at temper
ature of about so Fahrenheit, with sufH-
cient rennet to produce coagulation in from
forty to sixty minutes. The cheese is made
twice day-that is, from the morning
aud evenings milk separately. After coag-
ulation is perfected and when ready for
manipulation, the breaker or cutter is
passed up and down through the mass until
the curds are broken into small Jumps about
the size Of a hazelnut. The operation of the
breaking is at intervals of a few minutes.
After standing for the whey to form, press
ing plate pierced with holes and fitting the
tub is used and pressure applied to the
curds. Faucets are arranged in the tubs at
different nights, and through these the whey
is drawn of fl as it rises through the holes in
the pressure plate. The curds are left
under pressure in the tub until in the judg.
ment Of the operator it is ready for the next
process. This consists in cutting the outer
edge of the circular mass of curd into blocks
with an implement similar to a mason's
trewel. These blocks of curd are piled il
the center Of the tub and pressure again ap-
| piled until the whey is sufficiently expelled
when it is crushed up with the hands and
put to press. 1t remains in press five OF
six days, being turned from time to time
and receiving q fresh cloth. Then it is
taken out of press and rubbed with salt OF
the outside every day for a few days, oil
until it is sufficiently salted. The Cheeses
are from three and one-half to four inches
thick, and from Is to l6 inches in diameter
weighing about 30 pounds each.
Such are the general outlines Of the i'm
proved process for making Derby cheese
The cheese is rich, with u peculiar, clean
sweet flavor, and from its great excellence
commands the extreme prices we hav'
named.
1t will be seen that the method employed
for freeing the curds from whey differs ma
terially from the ordinary practice in thiI
country, and from it we learn the fact tina
the making of good cheese is not confined t.
one particular process, but that the same re
suit is reached by very many and divers
methods, and much doubtless is due to tn,
skill and judgment of the maker in all pro
cesses.-RurdL NeD Yorker.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25
Moles.

Speaking of moles, the Rural New Yorker
says:
Some Of the ways of moles are past find
ing out. Two and three years ago, our
grounds were alive with them. The sod
was ridded-borders and cleared plots for
flowers resembled maps of mountainous re.
gious and it was found next to impossible to
cultivate ANNALS at all. Castor.oil plants,
cannas, balsams, petunias, snapdragons were
so undermined that between resetting and
being upset, many were killed and the rest
dwarfed and harmed. A weeping birch was
so undermined as to lose its foliage and a
Norway spruce would have died had not
excavations been reilcd. We used almost
everything las we then stately that we knew
or could hear Of to poison or to drive them
away without decided effect and finally, in
despair, left them to do their worst. Strange
to say last year we were troubled with
them very little and this year not at all.
We have never even conjectured why they
thus suddenly quit our premises after hav-
ing given every evidence of an attachment
the sincerity Of which we were too hopeless
to doubt.
Through the whole period during which
our grounds were infested, we never once
had evidence that they ate plant, root or
vegetable fiber. That they seem to select
the roots of plants in their runs is true
enough-but this may be because they are
attracted by the moisture from artificial
watering and the worms that in such moist
and rich spots, congregate. That they do
not eat such vegetables as parsnips aud po'
tatoes, We give as proof the following:
al caught" says correspondent Of the
Tribune" a mole in October, and imprisoned
it in a box II inches square, Stats across the
top, with five inches earth in the bottom
put in some slices of potato, turnips, pars-
nips, carrot and beet and left them three
days, but nothing of them was eaten. then
put in some grub worms aud some earth
worms, which were devoured ravenously
the halfstarved mole taking them from my
fingers. / then left it two days longer, then
put in some corn, which was eaten. did
not 60 to it again for three or four days, but
when / went it was dead. 1t died rather
than eat vegetables" =" A vigorous
ground mole will lift up and kill a row o
plants in far less time than a thousand o.
our most noxious insects, not excepting
grasshOppers and potato beetles. 1t il
feared that our "authoriIies" who talk 81
glbly about the "uselul MOLE" know lit
tie Of cultivating gardens infested witt
these pests. One season Of gardening
with dozen moles per acre, would sat
isfy them to dispense with these secre
subterraneous assistants.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25
Concerning Fruit Trees.

The Illinois Industrial University (agri-
cultural College) has on its farm young
orchard Of thirteen hundred varieties Of apple
trees planted iu 1869. Mr.. b. II. johnson,
the well-known Champlain county cores
pondent of the Country Gentleman recently
visited this orchard, and says of IL:
Among the varieties one recognized the
Hubbardston Nonsuch, White Winter Pear
main, West6eld Seek-no-F Further, Red Winter
Russet, Pomme Grise and Holland Pippin as
those most conspicuous for full crop Of large,
fair fruit, strong and healthy growth, and
almost entire absence Of the all-prevailing
twig blight Interesting and instructive at
this stage Of growth, when not over twenty
per cent of the specimens are in bear
ing, and when 1000 of the 1900
varieties are carrying fruit, this orchard
will be well worth the study Of the farmers,
orchardists and nurserymen of Illinois.
One-hslf Of the orchard-that in which the
trees are planted in ridges, and has been
cropped with clover since 1870-is in admir-
able condition the other half in which the
original ridges have been plowed down, and
the whole surface planted in corn, is 10 dan
ger Of being destroyed if corn cultivation is
persisted in. The trees in the corn had pro-
digious growth, both this and last year; but
they were very dangerously blighting, and
tho absence Of trees bearing fruit was re-
markable, when compared with those on the
other side. Moreover, that part of the Or
chard in corn was land better drained for the
most part, being considerable ridge, and,
under the common estimate Of the country,
much better for orchards than the other side.
Would it be reasonable explanation of the
contrasted condition Of the two parts Of the
same orchard, to say that it was owing to
the fact that clover had been grown on the
one and corn on the other, and that one had
been cultivated and the other had not 2
But l desire to 60 further. Why do young
trees maintain growth and health, and be-
gin to boar early, on soil from which two
good crops Of clover have been taken yearly,
for six years in succession And why will
trees on a similar soil make an increased
growth. refuse to bear, and develop blight,
when the same soil is cultivated in corn, aud
each crop Of that corn removes in weight Of
vegetation an amount equal to the two
clover crops? Does the corn crop take the
potash, the lime aud the phosphoric acid
from the soil, and leave tho nitrogen; and
does the clover leave the potash, the phos.
phoric acid and the lime, and take the nitro.
gen away2
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25

TIE ADVANTAGES OF BEING FARMER.-
The Springfield Republican thus sums up
the advantages of the farmers occupation !;
There are advantages in being farmer that
he ought to think of, these times. His lot
may he hard work and no end Of it, but he
is the only man in the country who can COM
mand safety. The forehanded farmer has
always the assurance Of his living, and it
may be very good living, while he is
equally sure that what he produces will be
wanted by others. And if times are hard
and prices low, he doesn't have to shut up
shop, fold his unwilling hands and see his
property deproOiate in idleness, as many a
manufacturer does. He does not need Ia
venture highly, and, if he makes no brilliant
profits, he runs no risks. 1t is estimated
from actual figures that out Of 1000 traders,
but seven eau acquire wealth. The Boston
OultivatOr notes that Of lll2 bankrupts who
took the benefit of the bankrupt law in Mas
sachusetts, only IA were farmers; and o.
1850 in New York only 46 were farmers
Less than two per cent OF tho bankrupti
belonged to the agricultural population 25
years ago, though that population 30 largely
exceeds that Of all other VOcations. How i
it at this time of depression and genera
smash
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25
Quick Return from Strawberry Planta-
tion.

Peter Henderson gives in the American
Agriculturist tho following account of sue
cessful method of strawberry culture:
Our success in the culture Of strawberries,
by the system Of layering the runners in
pots, has been so complete the past season,
that even at the risk of repeating some of
the directions already given, l will briefly
state how it is done. In July of 1875 we
threw out every other row Of plants that
had fruited, thus leaving the rows four feet
apart. This space between the rows was
deeply plowed three or four feet apart. 1t
was then leveled with q rake and the runners
from the old plants, as soon as they began
to grow freely, led out upon it. Flower
pots, % inches in diameter, we're filled with
aud plunged into the soil up to to the brim,
and the layers or buds at the ends Of the
runners were placed on the earth in these
pots, To keep the runners in place, we use
small fiat stones, which are laid upon them
and these also help to mark the places where
the pots are sunk. The layers so placed on
the earth in these pots are not only kept
down, but are kept moist by the stone, and
root rapidly. In two to four weeks from
the time the operation is done, the plants
are well rooted in the pots, and ready to be
set out. Our plants last year we're set out
the first week in August; not single plant
died, and all grew freely. They were set in
rows tive feet apart, and eighteen inches be-
tween the plants, and all the runners made
were at once pinched off, so that by the end
of the season, each plant was nearly one
foot in diameter, having fnely developed
"crowns" for the next seasons fruiting. The
ground had been first prepared before plant.
ing by blowing and subsoiling to the depth
Of lS inches, turning down at the same time
three or four inches of well.rotted manure,
from the horse or COW stable. OF course
the ground was kept entirely clear of weeds
BY the middle of December, the whole bed
Of strawberry plants was covered with salt.
meadow hay (straw, leaves, or anything sim
liar, will do as welD to the depth Of two OF
three inches, entirely covering up the plants
aud soil so that nothing was seen but thu
hay. BY April the plants showed indica'
tions of growth, then the hay was pushed Q
little aside. and by May the full developed
plant showed on the clean surface of the
hay. This mulching is indispensable to the
best culture, as it protects the plants from
the cold in winter, keeps the fruit clean, and
at the same time keeps the roots cool by
shading the soil from the hot sun in June
The crop began ripening June 10th, and was
at its best on June 10Th; the yield was per
fectly enormous.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25
ABOUT spARnows.-The North British

ABOUT SPARRows.-The North British
Agriculturist is strongly in favor Of sparrows
and speaks thus in favor of these little birds ;
How much longer will there be sparrow
clubs and sparrow priest They must be
the result Of want Of observation. A new
light broke in upon my bailif yesterday as
he saw flights of sparrows busily engaged
on our field of green peas, appropriating the
"louse" which was injuring the plant and
stopping its growth. am great believer
in birds and poultry as farmers friends and
this belief has been produced, not only by
reading the opinions and facts of others, bat
from 80 years of close observation of their
habits. My gardner was an inveterate
enemy to birds, and destroyed their nests IN
my shrubbery, and in consequence there was
always a complaint of grub and other de-
structive insects but, when l put firm
veto against the destruction, my garden was
well filled with uninjured produce. In fact
if you have grub and insect in your garden,
stock it with birds or poultry, and you will
no longer complain. In very dry weather
when worms and insects are scarce, you
must protect your fruit. Just now see
lots Of my poultry among the young mangold
or the tares, "appropriatiug" my enemies
But have so often said that my best corr
crops are within 80 feet of the iowl-hOuse
where the crops from the day of their SOW
ing until harvest undergo poultry examina
tiOn, that will not again trouble your
readers with details. One must have conf
dence with only bushel an acre Of seed
wheat at their mercy. Let me warn those
who do with all their hedges that ther'
should be belts or strawberries, not only a
breeding places for birds, but also as she
ter from strong prevailing winds,
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25
d. Il. AVERILL.
For the VERMONT PARMER.

fOr the VERMONT fAhhkh'
Hints ABOUT FAKM WoRK.-Haying being
finished, or nearly 80, our thoughts should
turn to improvements. 1t is time now to
replenish the muck heap top.dressiug, also,
should be attended to. All the manure
should be scraped up and spread upon the
young and tender grass. Those that have
commenced to use the moving machine for
the first year will see the necessity of clean
ing the moving Of stones and smoothing
down rough places. This can be done quite
well when one is top-dressing his ground,
by carrying a sledge or an old axe in the
wagon. Don't be afraid of using the man
ure from the hog-pen on the grass. 1t will
pay, and you will have a chance to make
more before spring. If attended to- we
should find it very much more profitable than
buying superphosphate or any other patent
fertilizer. Farmers can find plenty to do
The wood should be put in the shed or under
cover, that you did not get time to do in the
late spring The weeds that have sprung
up since haying should not be overlooked
There are brakes and briers in the pasture
which should be gathered for bedding fol
winter use, or for the cows as soon as they
come to the barn. have heard it remarked
that the smaller the business the better il
must be attended to. AS butter is at low
price we shall have to attend to feeding the
COWS in early fall. Those that have corr
planted for that purpose will find that the
pail is much better filled. Those that have
not will find that two quarts of bran fol
each COW will keep up the flow Of milk.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25

A Coon WHITEwAsH.-For outside work
the following can scarcely be surpassed
Slack one peck of new white lime with boil
ing water, covering during the process to
keep in as much OF the steam as possible.
Strain the liquid, and add to it half a peck
of salt previously dissolved in hot water one
to one and half pounds OF rice paste, and
half pound of finely ground whiting. Add
two and half gallons of hot water; stir
well and apply quito hot; half a pound ol
glue, dissolved and stirred in, will be a
great improvement. For barns, and indeed
any sort of buildings, and whether inside OF
outside, the foregoing is very superior
The only objectiOnal ingredient in the wash
is the salt, which has the property, as every
one knows, of attracting sheep, cattle, etc.
causing no little annoyance, especially when
at night the "belled critters" come prowlinl
about. As the salt is not an essential in
gredient, it were wise perhaps, in such in
stances, to omit it,-Ca1,ada Farmer.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25

SEEDS From MALE PLANTS OF AcUBAs.
They are having the same "bother" over
the male Acubas in England that We used
to have over our barren strawberries till we
learned better. A strawberry that usually
has its stamens abortiye, and thus be known
as a "pistillate" variety, under some cir
cumstances will perfect its stamens, become
hermaphrodite and bear fruit. Berries are
sometimes found on the male Acubas, and
so some assert that "male Acubas bear
fruit" 1t is play upon words, and hardly
worthy of the serious discussion it is receiv-
ing. OF course, if plant usually bearing
only stamens, produces a fruit, it can be
only by the occasional development Of pis-
Ill among the stamens or on the plant
just as every American farmer knows an
occasional productive flower will be pro-
duced and bear grain in a male tassel o
Indian corn. 1t is a simple thing to make
so much mystery out oi.-Gardener''
Monthly,
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25

Potato ground should be plowed and the
manure narrowed in in the fall, the sooner
the better, as the sod turned iunder in warm
weather decays more completely than that
plowed late. Let it be cross-plowed in
spring and dressing of plaster and ashes
applied in the hill. There is no other way
so sure to raise good crop of potatoes.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25
Messrs. Mos.leH ( stoddard Of Poultne

Messrs. Moseley & Stoddard of POultney
send us a neat illustrated catalogue of i'm
plements and machinery used in the butter
or cheese dairy, and to be found in their
dairy supply depot at Poultney. Their
reputation for keeping first class goods and
selling them at reasonable prices, is so well
established that it is unnecessary to repeat
the assurance Of it. Those desiring dairy
utensils or machinery should send for the
catalogue.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25
Lambs should be taken from the ewes, an,

Lambs should be taken from the ewes, and
after they are weaned by three or four days
separation, both ewes and lambs being con-
fined where it is not possible for them to get
out, and fed and watered, they should be
put in pasture where there is plenty Of short,
sweet feed, or in the meadow, if absolutely
necessary, and fed little grain with great
regularity. Keep them growing we'll at
some rate if it is desired to make large, Wig
orous sheep of them. One good lamb is
worth more than half dozen poor ones.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25

Those contemplating the purchase of
pianos or organs should confer with Mr..
Magwire of the Springfield music store, who
has the best instruments in the market, at
prices not to be underbid by any who sell
thoroughly made instruments.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25

There is a strange and fatal disease among
the hogs Of Nicholas county, Ky. They
die as quick as if they had the cholera they
are taken with cough and draw up their
backs, poke their nose into the ground and
fall over dead. Farmers cannot find REM
edy for the disease nor account for it. Some
think it is an insect that crawls into their
heads through the ears.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25

Wool buyers are stirring in Windsor
county, picking up the best lots. The high
est price reported thus far is thirty cents.
Our own lot of seven pound Accces, well
washed, sold for that.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25

THE CURRANT WoRM.-A correspondent
Of the Rural New Yorker says; Having
read that the image hibernates in the earth
near the stem Of the bush. l plastered early
in spring with lime mortar radius Of six
or eight inches, intending to bury them beyond
resurrection. That season saw but one and
none after for three seasons.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25

The premium list of the twenty-seOOnd
annual fair Of the New Hampshire State
Agricultural Society, to be held October 80,
at Manchester, is received. The prizes are
liberal and the arrangements good. They
always have good show and = big crowd.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-25

The utmost we can hope for in this world
is contentmeni; If we aim at anything
higher, VIC shall meet with nothing but grief
and disappointment. A man should direct
all his studies and endeavors to making him
self easy now and happy hereafter.