davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24
Don't Waste the Winter.

We can repeat with approval the follow
ing advice in the Mirror aud Farmer: 1t
touches one Of the most prolific sources of
waste. Farmers whose minds and bodies are
active in winter show more activity of body
and enterprise Of mind than those who Glaze
round" all winter long, and get into torpOr
which lasts all summer.
The lumber business is dull and the farm.
er won't do much in winter. Taking care
of the stock is quite a chore, but it won't
take nearly all the time. Going visiting is
pleasant but the number of our friends is
limited and "the best bed" is always cold
one. Sitting around the store is profitable
to your party and may make you selectman,
but it won't fill your barn nor fattsn your
pigs, and so on. There will, therefore, be
some time between now and spring which it
won't take much Of an effort to waste, and
which, if saved, may be made to tell on the
next years crops. 1t is best to save it.
How? First by study, by mapping out the
campaign for the next season. 1t is charged
that our farmers run too much in the old
ruts, and there is some truth in the charge.
Many OF them began last spring Just where
they began the spring before; planted just
the same crops, manured them in just the
same way and cultivated them with just the
same kind of hoe as in all the other years
they have been farming. Perhaps this was
best, but perhaps it was not, and the time to
fnd out is in winter. Bring to your aid books
and papers, and study the experience of 9TH
ers and see if there isn't some crop which is
adapted to your farm, but which you have
not yet tried some method of cultivation
which you can adopt, or some breed Of stock
i that you can introduce to your advantage.
1t may be that you haven't kept as many
sheep or as good COWS as would be profitable
on your farm, that you might raise ton or
two of beets or other roots with profit; that
deeper or shallower plowiug than you now
practice would be better, and that other
changes 10 your plans would be of advan-
tage. You should find out all these things
in winter as far as they can be found out
without actual trial. Then, when you find
out what you will do another summsr, study
the best way to do it.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24

gect manual labor-this is but the other
half. Aud just here large majority make
a grand mistake and fail to develop perfect
manhood. The farmer, generally, labors too
many hours with his hands, to the neglect Of
mental culture. Suppose he should set apart
one hour in each halliday for reading and
study, and supply himself with library
within his means composed Of scientific works,
biography, history, travel and standard
poetry, rejecting trash; he would soon be
astonished at his intellectual progress, and
also to find he had lost nothing in greenbacks
by the investment. With what zest he would
go forth to labor, meditating upon, digesting
and appropriating the valuable truths re-
vealed in his hour of study.
The professional man labors too many
hours with his brain to the neglect Of manual
labor, and is in consequence, too often of a
feeble constitution aud fails of that intellect
ual greatness he might otherwise possess.
His sickly habit betrays itself on every page
and he scatters his dispeptic ideas among his
hearers and readers like the dry leaves Of
autumn. If he would labor with his hands
two hours daily, adding strength to his mus
ces, he would also be astonished at his inn
provcment in physical power; and his read
ers would also be astonished and thank him
for the vigor and freshness of his ideas.
The mind and body are SO closely allied
and SO mutually dependent that if one is in
an unhealthy condition the other will suffer
But for his intellect, man is but brute. But
for healthy physique he is an intellectual
pigmy. What race of physical aud intel.
lectual giants would appear in a hundred
years with an endless activity Of greatness
before them, if all the powers could have a
proper degree of training and exercise
What magnificent result would be achieved
through couple of felonies s. Il. Q.
WlR,inoton
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24

The Rural New Yorker states that FIVE
members of the committe of fifty, appointed
at the annual meeting Of the American
Dairymen's association to raise funds for
building model cheese and butter factory
on the centennial grounds and for accomplish
ing more complete display of dairy prod-
ucts at the centennial, desiring to absorb all
the honors and emoluments of this great
national display, met at Utica. N. Y, osten.
sibly to consult with the chairman of the
committe, but without notice to the other
members of the committe and without their
knowledge, and proceeded to vote themselves
into the most important places Of honor and
responsibility. Two of the number, Mr.. l..
b. Arnold and Mr. T., ID. Curtis, were rec
commended as jurors (the salary ofjurors being
S1,000) They then procured a letter of
Recommendation from Governor Seymour, he
supposing the above action was by full
regular meeting of the committee. When
the secretary, Mr. o. s. Bliss was ordered
to record this action, he refused, on the
ground that it was irregular. The New
York State Dairyman's association, at its
annual meeting, denounced this action, and
resolved that the recommendation Of jurors
was premature. At the regular nesting Of
the committee at Philadelphia, stormy ses-
sion was had over the matter, a vote was
taken that the proceedings wero irregular,
but this was aiterward reconsidered. Mr.
Curtis and Mr.. Arnold, both of whom are
favorably known in Vermont through their
participation in our dairymen's conventions
have not been heard in defence of these grave
charges duplicating their frmuess and hon
esty. We hope for their sake that an ex
planation will be made which will exonerat,
them from completely in an underhanded us
of their positions Of trust on the committee
which will if the charge be true, destroy tn
confidence which the dairymen of the coun
try have given to their teachings,
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24
The Marblehead Squash.

DR.. L. G. Mygatt of Richmond, ILL.,, says
in the transactions Of the Wisconsin state
horticultural society, that a Hollander at
Milwaukee supplied family where he vis-
tied with squashes, which were as much bet
ter than the Hubbard as that is better than
pumpkin. He sent squash to Mr.. Greg
ory, who named it Marblehead, and that is
al! he knows about its origin.
Tue Marbehead squash is not mature until
winter. 1t improves during all the fall aud
early winter. During all the winter it is
6ne-grainsd, rich and sweet, many Of the
specimens keeping sound until late in the
spring. As to the manner of cultivation,
the ground should be well manured and thor
oughly cultivated. 1t is useless to plant
among corn or on poor soil. We cultivate
thoroughly and mark the rows as for corn,
both ways, then plant two seeds in every hill,
in every second row, the planted rows being
nearly eight feet apart.
The cucumber bug is very destructive to
the young squashes Each one will have his
remedy, the same as for cucumbers. Some
apply ashes some put square boxes about
the hills others kill the bugs. If not cared
for, large part Of the squashes will be de-
stroyed. Clean cultivation is essential. 1t
is sometimes useful to direct the vines when
they frst begin running, but the vines should
not be pulled up after they are strongly
rooted in their course 1t is sometimes nec-
Sssary, when all the plants grow, to take one
out OF the hill or they may get too thick,
Warm, moist weather facilitates the growth
of squashes. IF the summer is very dry or
cool, they do not produce so much. Wood
chucks must be watched, as in many locali'
ties they destroy many.
In the fall light, common frost does moi
injure the keeping quality of the squash. A
hard freeze, such as we sometimes get early
in October, which freezes half an inch OF
more, spoils them for keeping or use, except
for immediate feeding. Soon after all the
vines are killed by common frost and the
weather dry, they must be gathered, very
carefully, AMI handled every way cautiously
and put in winter quarters. When we arr
ready to gather cur squashes we take stiff
backed, small saw and saw the stem of, say
half an inch from the squash. II the stem il
broken off it will decay much sooner. Al
the handling should be with the creates
care, to prevent bruising. They must be DRY
when placed in the cellar. The temperatur,
of the cellar should be cool, but freezing
spoils them.
For table use during all the winter the.
are nearly equal to the sweet potato, eithe
baked or boiled. Fed in the raw state Il
cows, after the seeds are out they are foun,
to increase the flow of milk more than an,
other feed usually given them. Fed raw t
hogs they are nearly equal to corn. YouDI
hogs do remarkably well on them for week
f and months. My family do not claim t
have originated this squash, but hope W
have done some good by saving it from Obliv
ion
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24
--s N-s--------------
Carbon as a Solvent in the Soil.

We write much of the value and import
ance Of certain minerals as fertilizers, and
the necessity ofsupplying them if they are
lacking in the soil. PhOsphOric acid, potash
and nitrogen, are the substances which we
most generally seek to add in the form Of
manure; but in our eagerness to supply
these we should not overlook the Importance
Of the presence Of carbon, not only as plant
food oil ITSELF but as a solvent of other plant
food in the soil.
Carbon forms large proportion of the
vegetable matter which by slow decomposit-
ion becomes the vegetable mold in the soil,
growth Of crops. 1t is found in its purest
form in the diamond, in graphite, plumbago
or black lead, as it is more commonly called
and in charcoal.
United with oxygen, it forms a carbonic
acid which operates as powerful solvent,
rendering available those other mineral COM
pounds so necessary to the growth Of plants
DIR. Gregory, Professor of Chemistry in the
University Of Edinburg, gives the following
ITO illustrate the power Of water contain
ing carbonic acid to dissolve phosphate oI
lime, which is insolube in pure water,
may state" says he, "that found the car
cass of a pig which had been buried fol
fourteen years on the slope of hill which
was moist and undrained, to have shrunI
into fat cake of fatty acid the muscles,
membranes, nerves and vessels had purified
and disappeared and not = trace Of 6OH'
earth was to be found The whole had beer
dissolved by water percOlating through the
body, and had thus been carried down tC
the lower ground. found the water, like
all water which passes through soil, to con
tain sarbonic acid, and this had been thu
solvent.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24
Necessary Reforms in Dairy Practice

Mr. Robert McAdam, who practiced
cheese making fifteen years in Scotland, after
which he made cheddar cheese in Cheshire
several years before coming to this country,
where he ranks as a skillful dairyman, gave
an address at the annual meeting Of the
American dairyman's association, full of good
suggestions to American dairymeu.
He says the English cheese, which sells
for thirty or forty shillings sterling more
than ours 10 their market, is made from the
milk of healthy cows, fed on sweet grasses,
and managed aud manufactured with scru.
pulous neatness; while the dairymen of
this country are noted for the opposite con.
ditons. The skill of the manufacturer is in
vain SO long as the milk is affected by im-
purities of every sort. Mixing Of the even
ing and morning messes at the farm is mis-
chievous practice besides preventing the dis
covery of diution with water. The cutting
and breaking of the curd should be done
very carefully, and the warming up with
still greater care. Too rapid heating up is
a prolific cause of bad favor. A portion Of
the butter is liberated from the casene and
forms an oil which does not take the salt
and becomes rancid, causing putrilactive
decay. The cream which rises should be
skinned off and passed torough the strainSr
with warm milk or heated to ninety-eigh
degrees and completely mixed with the milk
before the runnet is introduced, Putting th'
curd to press at too high temperature
hastens curing as well as decay. The TEN
perature Of curing rooms is too high for tn
best keeping qualities And the poor keep
ing qualiy Of American cheese is its grea
fault in English ma rkets.
He is very emphatic in urging cleanlines
both at the farm and factory, and insists OIL
a higher degree of skill in factory hOlF
He is of opinion that science has thus ia
done little or nothing to aid practical ohees
making.
These views are commended by the dair
editor of the Rural New Yorker, from whie
|, we condense the above.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24

and the tendency Of the inAammationis to an
increased action Of the arteries sending more
and moro blood to the affected parts. To
relieve the heat, reduce the inflammation and
save the uddsr, the congestion must be re-
moved, first by reducing the circulation and
rush Of blood to the affected parts; second,
by restoring tho action of tho veins and
absorbents. Change the feed. Take away
the corn meal which is heating and give in
place of it oats, bran and roots, enough of
the latter to loosen the bowels only uery
slightly. The most effectual and safest local
application is hot water with little ammo
mia, enough to give it puugOnt odor, with
frequent, thorough manipulation and rub
biug of the udder. In obstinate cases regu-
lar milking may be resorted to. We have
taken ten or twelve quarts day for fort
night before calving from a two-year.old
heifer. But it must be borne in mind that
milking before birth tends to weaken the calf,
and should not be resorted to where a strong,
healthy calf is desired, as in case of these
heifcrs, unless absolutely necessary.
A little pains at this time often saves
great trouble after calving. So long as the
inflammation continues with no measures taken
for relief the tendency is to an increase Of the
heat and fever in the parts. 1t may, at
calvng, have affected the whole uddsr, which
is swollen, hard and tender; the least touch
causing pain. Then there is trouble in milk
ing. The poor heifer suffers inexpressiblO
tortures, and stands reasonable chance Of
becoming vicious, and the product Of milk
is likely to be permanently affected We
do not like to put heifer on short rations
at this time, as sometimes recommended,
because she has especial need Of nourshing
food. And the weakening result of short
rations sometimes has the effect to get her of
her feed. 1t is better to keep her up tc
full feed every day, but by changing it as
above, and perhaps the substitution Of riper
or poor quality of hay, to help relieve the
inflammation.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24

tentatious public institutions. Every search
er after, and laborer for, truth should have
credit for his work. Tho Sturtevant
Brothers Of South Framiugton, Mass,
deserve especial mention for what they
have done and are doing. And yet, in all
these cases, the conducting Of experiments is
an incidental work, and is subsidiary to other
and moro eugrossing business. The stations
at Middlctown and Middl0bury, on the other
hand are designed to make a speciality Of ex-
periments, and to conduct the work with the
system and method which are thus more
attainable than when the work is more des-
utory. The first and most vital experiment
they have at hand, is the one Of existence.
Will the farmers sustain them in the labor
for their benefit Though the Vermont sta
tion is entirely voluntary, and asks for no
funds from the public or the state, it
must be apparent that any considerable re-
suits cannot be gained without material aid
from some source Let the farmers consider
the question whether it will pay.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24
Buy Small Trees.

The average American Is in great hurry
to realize on his investments. If he orders
few garden seeds in January, he is
anxious to have them set Immediately; and
if he forwards six cents for copy of some
paper which contains story of which he
has read or heard, he does not forget to
request the publisher to send it "by return
mail" Patience which takes the form of
quiet waiting is virtue of which he seems
to be wolly ignorant He cannot wait the
progress OF events, but must constantly hurry
aud frOt in order to make nature move a
little faster than her wonted pace.
This tendency crops out very plainly
when he purchases trees. He finds them
described in the catalogue as "second class"
medium, first class" and extra" The
difference in these classes is principally, if
not wholly, in the size and height of the trees.
The larger the tree, the higher the price.
But tho farmer "dont care anything about
that" He wants good trees or none; aud
gives his orders for those of extra size, aud
which are four or FIVE years old. In doing
this he thinks he is acting wisely, but the
nurseryman knows better, and the farmer
will 6nd before long that with equal care,
the small trees will grow faster (f a fruit
tree,) and come into bearing condition sooner
than the larger ones.
In half dozen years, the tree that was
small will be larger and finer than the other.
The reason for this is obvious. The larger
the tree, the larger the roots which it has,
and the larger the roots the less fbres there
will be upon them. A tree that has plenty
6brous roots will grow readily, If proper
care is used in trausplanting But no amount
of skill eau ooaI tree 10 live and flourish
which is destitute Of these little 6bres. The
roots of large trees ara more or less mutiated
in the process of taking up, while the small
trees sustain little injury from this source.
Dealers in trees assert that experienced men
buy SMALL thrifty trees, while those who
are just starting, are anxious for the largest
ones to be had. Those who are to set trees
the coming season will do well to learn from
the experience Of those who at considerable
loss to themselves, have demonstrated that
small trees are the ones to buy.-N f.
Homestead.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24
Winter Food for Cows.

L. B. Arnold writes to the New York
Tribune on what is the most economical food
to buy for cows in milk in winter. He
omits to make any allowance for the value Of
straw. In many sections, even distant from
cities, straw sells at eight to ten dollars per
ton. If cut early aud cured bright, its value
as food for stock is equal to late cut hay not
we'll cured. Mr.. Arnold says:
1t does not pay to buy hay for cows in
milk at the present prices of grain. Oats
and corn are now cheaper than hay. When
have had food to buy for dairy of cows,
as have sometimes had occasion to do, l
found, by careful attention to weight and
cost Of food consumed and milk produced,
that kept my cows as satisfactorily on straw
aud corn at one dollar a bushel as on hay at
$40 ton. Feeding an equal cost Of corn
and hay, got the most milk from the corn.
The straw cost but little, and was paid for
by the excess of milk produced by the corn
Hay is now from $40 to $50 ton accord.
ing to locality, and state corn about 10 cents
bushel Corn is therefore considerably the
cheapest food. But oats are cheaper than
corn. With oats at 40 cents and corn at 10
cents, their cost per pound is equal; but
oats are much the best milk-producing food
when equal wei yhts are taken. think them
better than corn by 20 per cent ln days
past have shared in the opinion generally
entertained by dairymen now that the best
course in feeding cows is to give them all the
hay that can be crowded into them. But
am fast losing my sympathy with this kind
of feeding If the hay is early cut-in
blossom or before--it will do very well to
let COWS eat all they will, but not otherwise.
Hay cut later than in the blossom digests
too slowly and imperfectly to enable cows to
get enough ont of it to give as much milk as
they would on a more digestiblO diet.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24

Farmers who sowed grass seed last fall
should SOW the clover seed at the first oppor-
tunity. The certainty of a good catch will
be enhanced if the seed is sown while the
ground is still frozen. A free application of
plaster to clover lands pays. On a clover
sod the best time to SOW is after the clover
has made good start in spring. Just be.
fore slow rain is the most favorable cOndi-
tion of weather for sowing plaster Whether
to SOW with the seed, or wait until the young
plants Have come up, on new stocked land
is a question which we would like to have
farmers answer.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24

Sheep require especial care at this sea-
son. Their feet should be kept dry by the
liberal use of bedding. A little grain to
take the place of a considerable reduction Of
hay as the weather becomes warmer and
their appetites lose the stimulus of cold
weather, is favorable to their health. Extra
care is needed in feeding, to give as much
as they will eat and no more. Pure air by
all means should prevail in their quarters.
In case they occupy close sheds or Easements,
and the manure is not removed, special care
iu ventilation will bo necessary. Breeding
ewes should be made to gain and come to
lambing time in strong condition.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24
WHOLE NO. 276.

"In a dry situation bones remain unaltered
for centuries, as in the sandy soil Of the
battlefield of Gamma fought more than two
thousand years ago), in which the bones Of
thoOe killed in that battle are found to this
day entire, though havingilost much of their
animal matter. The solvent power of car
boue acid must act in every soil, and hence
the value of humus," this is the material
Of the soil which is the result of vegetable
decomposition), "in the soil and Of decaying
organic matter in the manure."-American
Rural Home.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24
For the VERMONT FARMER
An Experiment worth Trying.

last spring sowed three acres to oats,
except one side, less than one quarter of the
piece, which was soWn to grass seed only.
The ground was in potatoes the year before ;
oats were sown the tenth of May, and when
harvested and thrashed yielded $50 bushels.
The straw was sold for seven dollars per ton
and the oats valued at fifty cents per bushel.
The part of the field sowu to grass only, was
cut twice and weighed and valued at SIS
per ton. The result was gain per acre il
money value for the grass alone. Try il
yourself. j. II. II.
NortAfeld.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24

Experiments on the Michigan agricultural
college farm determined that bushel Of
gypsum (plaster) sown on an acre, added one
ton of cured hay to the product Of the land
in two and one.half years. Our own farm
has shown results more satisfactory than that.
In one instance fall application of bushel
to the acre changed the crop from white top
to red clover, and increased the crop more
than ton per acre the first season. 1t will
not do to depend on equal results in many
cases, because disappointment would come.
Such experiments as these have convinced
farmers of the value of plaster.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-24

with the grass seed. The after feed for
pasturing will pay treble. Our old pastures
must be renovated in some way in order to
have our stock in healthy condition. Foot
rot horn all, and tho like are the sure re.
suits Of an old run.out pasture the soil lacks
the ingredients to grow healthy animals or
produce the best of dairy products.
NOrthfeld. j. H. r.