Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-02-19

Meetings Of Board Of Agriculture, Manu-
factures and Mining.
The meeting Of the Board Of AZ
riculture, Manufactures and Mining
assembled at tho Town Hall, OF
Tuesday forenoon and was called II
order by Col. J. B. Mead Of Ran
dolph, and NJ. II. Chamberlin wal
elected President and j. Johnson
Vice President. There were present
q. s. Fasset of Enosburg,C. G. Prin
gle of Charlotte, and Col. j. b
Mead, members Of the Board and ,
fair audience from this vicinity
Col. II. Farnhaln of Bradford mad,
the Opening Address. He said:
In behalf Of tho farmers of this
vicinity and by way OF prelude tc
the more serious and Instructive OK
ercises of this meeting, l desire to
call your attention to u single
thought and speak u few words o
welcome, briefly.
The successful A merican, in the
midst Of active life and of pressin g
and perplexing duties, looks for
ward with pleasing anticipation to
the time when he may leave the
vexati0us of the merchants life, the
labOrs of the lawyer, the difficulties
of railroading and the risk Of spec
ulation, and retiring to the country
may enjoy the calm and healthtu
persuit OF agriculture.
Whether he can follow such pur
suits skilIfully or profitably is not
the question. The farm is the haven
OF rest-that happiest spot--on
which all his hopes and wishes cen.
tire.
This is not q mater of calculation
and prudent foresight, but the in
stinctivo yearning Of al intelligent
mind towards that pursuit in life
which may be, and generally is, the
most productive Of happiness of any
followed by man.
The owner and cultivat0r of the
soil in a monarch in his own right
and mankind instinctively yield
him homage.
1t is not because agriculture is
the oldest of the arts, nor because
it is at the foundation Ofall the arts
that support life, nor because it is
healthtul, nor yet because the
farmer is necessarily self reliant
and independent, that the man in
other calling's, look forward to the
farm as his refuge at last, but be.
cause in the country on the farm,
amid the quiet of nature away from
the hustle and turmoil of the city,
is to be found the only true ideal of
permanent, substantial home. A
home Of which the owner may be
proud end that gives him conse.
quence in the world-Or to which
his children can look back with
pleasure and which will seem to
them, through the magic medium
of recollection, portion of the Gar
den of Eden.
In my minds eye 1 see such a
home. The capacious farm house.
not new, nor yet old, fronts to the
rising sun. In the distant East
the line of the horizon is made
quaint and attractive by the noun
tain peaks of New Hampshire. In
the centre Of the distant view is
Moosilauk, seemed by the ave.
lanch, beautiful in outline, crowned
with snow eight months in the year
and loftier than any mountain sum.
init in Vermont. In winter time
the setting sun covers this grand
mountain with u roseate hue that
calls to the imagination the ideal
peaks of fairy land. In summer
the rising sun, for many weeks,
first CLEANS above the edge of Moosi.
lauk.
Moret owards the North, and
farther away rise Lafayette and
other of the Franconia Range, while
toward the South Mount Cube and
Ascutney show themselves.
This home looks down upon the
broad meadows that skirt the Con
necticut, now covered with the
mantle OF winter.
But no eye ever beheld a richer
green, nor kline ever fed upon sweet
Or heritage than that through which
this lovely river,in the month of
June, flows toward the ocean. T his
like thousands upon this
extends from the table land
,r plateau, on which the mansion
stands, nearly q mile to the river
banks, and by the beautiful river,
n its annual inundulations, much
If it is overlooked and thus enrich.
ID without any help of man. The
portions of this valuable alluvial
'Oll, net SUBJECT TO annual OverHOw,
lre as rich and easily titled as the
,raries Of the West or the valley of
he Nile.
The house stands a little away
rom the roadside and is large
,nough for the three generations
hat 80 long and so often find
ZONE there.
In the rear of the premises, be-
ond the spacious table land, rises I
he range of hills that border the
alley Of the river and which afford
be pasturage and wood and tim t
er land of the ia rm. Down these
anne hills flow str eams, fOaming
nd ripping, in the shadow of the I
,rest that afford ample means for I
ne thirsty herds and tlocks to l
uench their thirst, while from the
DIES of the declivity burst forth Q
wing fountains Of pure water that \
' artificial means finds its way to
m j. n m uutoo.1 II