davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-12-15

the core Of the subject on the start "Mau
to progress must have good food. And the
sisters proved beyond q doubt that farmers
wives and Daughters can make good brcad,p
to which we give hearty assent after thirty
years experience Of farmers wives bread
They did not tell what kind Of ycast they
used, but We will venture that gilt edged
bread is made with potato and hop yeast,
bread that is light, sweet and succulent
Then they talked Of ~ Good Breakfast, .
but salcratus biscuit and similar abomina-
tions they condemned and, like the sensible
women they are, pronounced in favor Of
graham gems, and with cup Of pure Java
what breakfast they make "Home Gov
ernment" came next, and elicited many in.
cidents Of personal experience, aud "opin-
ions" by the quantity. The prevailing con-
viction was that Solomon, though little old
fogyish in his notions Of family government,
was about right after ALL thoogh one wo-
man dilated on the evils Of whipping moral
suasiou was always her rule. II is surpris-
ing to see how much more those people know
about bringing up children who never had
any TO care for, than those who have had
the training of from ski 70 sixteen young
lives. One woman gave tOuOhing and
graphic account Of her struggles as widow
with family of young children to rear and
a farm to manage, and we think there were
moistened eyes as she told the simple story
of her heroism she spoke nobly saying her
motto had been, "Be decided" and then
added the burden Of every mothers heart !:
al have been ambitious TO rear up my fam.
lily to be useful and good citizens. 1t is not
what We think Of our children, but how they
stand before the world which measures their
success
The question of "Amusements" was Incl.
dentally brought up with q tendency toward
liberal allowance of such things. It is not
for US to dictate to parents in this matter,
though We may say this much, we were saw
ed from the cOrruptiug and too often ruining
influences Of country stores aud bar.rooms
because wise father taught his children
checkers and kindred games around the old
family hearthstono. The subject for discus
sion next week will be "House Cleaning and
Dinners" Ofcourse they will be fresh from
house cleaning and will speak with vigor and
from experience. We know not why they
put house cleaning and dinners together I;
according to our ideas, house cleaning
days dinners are nothing to speak Of, what
women sometimes call a "picked up dinner"
We observe that as tho good women grew
earnest in their discussion, some of the men
dropped into the room TO listen, finding wo-
mems practical talk much more interesting
than their own dry theorizing carried on in
n listless, desultory manner. And this shows,
does it not, woman's power and influence
when she will leave gossip, for which she has
q pardouab!e weakness, and dress for which
men care so little, aud discuss with energy
practical themes.
We like the idea those Elmira women
have taken up, but it is not patented 80 that
the women of any community may adopt it.
Suppose you try it, ladies'
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-12-15
For the vuRHoNf PARKER.
About Game Fowls. "I
BY JOHN O. NC KEEN.

Most people have an idea that gsmo fowls
are kept solely for the pit and many steady
going farmer would hold up his hands in
horror at the idea of keeping games. do
not intend to apologize for those that keep
this variety for fighting purposes only. l
never saw cock 6ght with steel spurs, and
do not believe in the business.
But game fowls have other merits than
being able to eight to the death" They
are an extra good fowl for the farmer to
keep. Games, to do well, must have good
range. They are good scratchers and are
inclined to ramble over all creation. They
will pick up good living where the Asiatic
varieties would nearly starve. They mature
quickly, are good layers, are the very best
for the table, and are always plump and
ready to kill without fattening. The hens
make splendid mothers, and will defend their
chicks at all hazards. A good game cock
will weigh from four to eight pounds, the
average is about Eve pounds. They are much
heavier than they look nearly every one that
takes them in his hand for the first time says,
"they are like lead" Though good layers,
they are not equal to the Hamburgs, but
they will lay as well as the average lot of
Leghorns Ny brother, who kept my Heath.
wood games for me the past season, says
they lay as well as his Leghorns. Neither are
they as quarrelsome as many suppose. When
two old cocks get together there is war to
the end, but when they beat mongrel they
do not chase him as common cocks do. The
chickens have one good fight about the time
they are weaned, aud, if an old cock is kept,
they will not trouble again until winter
There are twelve varieties Of games described
in the Standard, and there are several other
pet strains; the main difference is the color
My own preference is the black.breasted
reds, as l like the color. We have black,
black-breasted red, blue.brown.red, silver
duck wing, yellow duck wing, ginger red,
gray, red pile, white pile, spangled and
white, 50 any one can suit himself as to color.
The cocks crossed with common hens make
splendid fowl for market poultry. do not
know what sort Of layers they make. 1t is
not best to keep games in the village as they
nced room. 1t is hard to keep them confined
by fencing as they are "high.Hyers," but for
the farm they are just the thing.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-12-15

Here is a grand story Of two Boecher boys,
which shows that little apathy about work
belongs to some of the Beechers as we'll as
the rest of US. Thomas of EImira, N. Y,
was the hero Of this one.
When boy his brother James had been
guilty of some youthful folly in which
Thomas was accessory, or which he counte-
nauced 10 some way. While walking with
his father to the garden to hoe, his
father said, II would fog him only l
would have to fog you too, and you are too
large to fog" Whereupon Thomas looked
up and says "Am too large to Aog2" His
father answered yes. Then will never hoe
in your garden again" and thereupon threw
down his hoe, (hoeing being his particular
aversiOn), aud returned to the study. His
father allowed him to depart without one
word Of remonstrance and went into the gar
den aud hoed away diligently by himself !;
the son sat and watched from the study win
dow his father working away SO diligently
and 5000 began to repent the result was he
finally took his place by the side of his fa-
ther and hoed, and never after refused to
hoe the garden.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-12-15
For the Vermont FARMER
A Model Ice House.
BY JOSHUA N. DIAN.

My ice house is constructed as follows
Its dimensions in feet are IA in length,
10 wide and s high on the sides, with
steep roof; 4 feet are partitioned of as bin
to held the sawdust when it is not needed
around the ice, which leaves a space 10 feet
square for packing ice. 1t is balloon
frame, no plates. the rsftors being nailed to
the tops Of the studdings; rough boarded
on the outside-though we intend to clap
board it sometime--roof shiugled, ,!space left in
north end for a door when We got to it, near
the top Of each gable end there is a board or
two left off SO as to secure ventilation but
it must be banked tight about the bottom SO
as to keep the air out, and good drainage
must be provided to let of the water from
the melting ice. In winter VIC pack the
ice as compactly as possible six or seven
feet high, leaving space of about one foot
between the ice and the sides of the build
ing which is filled with saw.dust, packed
down as closely as possible. The great Sc
cret of preserving the ice is in keeping the
saw-dust packed closely about the sides we
go up as soon as tho weather begins to get
warm in the spring, and pack down the saw.
dust again about the sides of the ice with a
bar, or lever like sled. stake, and repeat
the process once week all summer. The
ice will melt a little and leave the saw.dust
loose so that the air will work through uu-
less 1t is repeatedly packed down. My
neighbOrs have nearly or entirely lost their
ice many times from want of care in this
respect. Keep about one foot of saw.dust
on the top all the while. We have
filled our ice house throe winters aud it has
supplied US with all We needed for making
butter from 80 COWS, and use 10 each Of our
two families, 1t used to be supposed that
an ice house was an expensive building, and
the preservation Of ice through our hot sum.
mers difficult matter, but we have learned
better.
Having seen Mr.. Deans ice house and
found it one of the best We ever saw, We
publish his account oft with great pleasure.
1t is 50 simple in construction that a person
with the least mechanical skill can build one
so cheap as to be within the means Of all
and such = necessity that no butter.dairy
can afford to be without one. 1t was located
so as to be convenient to the kitchen and
butter room, partially protected by the shade
of maple tree, we believe, and easy Of AP'
prOach with a team. Mr.. Dean, and biz
son who is associated with him, have model
grAnary also; they use the large milk-Pans
make 6rst-Class butter, and can tell us whether
draining wet land is profitable or not. Or
the whole We guess they will yet tell oul
readers little of the many things they
know about iarming,-ED. FARMER
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-12-15

The Kansas Farmer-of which We may
say as Lowell said of Bostouians, "What
they don't know amt wuth the KNOWN ~
gives the following simple rules:
FoR KILLING LICE IN SrocK.-Give a call
two teaspoonfuls of sulphur, two mornings
in succession. Give a horse two tablespoon
fuls, two mornings in succession.
To CURE HoRsR OF BoTs.-Bruise tansy
in little water, and give it to him.
To PREVENT ANIMALS TRoM CHOKING TC
DEATH EATING TUTNIPs, ETc.-Take about q
pint of oil of some kind, and drench, anC
rub the throat with tie hand, downward.
If the farmers out 10 Kansas are as wide.
awake and sensible and enterprising as their
paper is, that state will not only become thu
garden of the west," but the gardeners
will be equal to those eminent agriCulturists
who never saw potato bug while they tar
ried in Eden.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-12-15

1t is Of vital Importance to the far.
mers that the political strife at Wash.
ington cease it has continued over a month
and has given check to the business reviv.
al from which the country may not recover
in all winter. II the deadlock continues the
distrust will be increased and business will be
so far demoralized that it will not regain its
normal condition for nearly if not quite an.
other year. The loss to the country 10 this
direction will be incalculable, and it is of
paramount Importance to the business pros
perity Of the land that the strife of politi-
clans ceases, and the wisdom of statesmen be-
gins.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-12-15
Good Service.

The following extracts from . circular
which the Connecticut board Of agriculture
sent 10 every town in the state for replies,
will show the practical nature and thorough
manner in which the work is prosecuted.
To these questions answers are sent to Sec.
retary Gold. The board held its winter
meeting at Middletown this week. Some Of
the questions are as follows, on Fertilizers
/. How large proportion Of the stable manure in
your town Is kept in barn cellars or under cover
2. What means are taken TO increase the quantity
and quality Of manurel
3. To what crops, and in what manner is manure
mostly applied
a. What is the amount and cost Of comm orcial 70 rtl
izers, as plaster ashes bones sup orphOSphAe guAno,
ETC., used in the town.
s. What benefits are derived from their use
6. Please report any experiments you have tried
with manuresl
T. Are the fields your farm your town growing
richer poorer, What per cent. Of the land is i'm
proving and detsrloTAtlngt
8. General remarks upon mAnures.
Then there are interrogatOries concerning
Roads, some Of which are
/. What is the length Of road in your tOwn'
2. What is tho annual cost Of keeping II in repairl
.. What Is the cost per milel
4. What Is tho annual expense for bridges II sepAr
ate from tho roads
8. What large bridges do you supportl
6. What is their length I
7. OF what material oonStructedt
8, What was the cost Of these bridg gssi
o. What materials are used IN repairing roads,
10. What materials or means have been used in road
making or repairing in very bad placesl
II. What special tools or machines used in re-
| pairing roads,
u. Are your roads improving or detsrioratlng in
condition.
10. Are cattle allowed to run on your highwayst
IA. II not, are street fences still maintainedi
Is. What means are taken by the land owners 10
utilize the land upon the highways adjoining their
prsmiSesi
6. To what extent are fruit or sha de trees planted
BY the roadsideal
Besides these were some pertaining to
fruit, by the state pomologst, Any one
can see that the information elected by these
inquiries will give more accurate condition
of the state in these regards than in any
other manner BY publishing abstracts o (
the replies the people will be informed as to
the condition of some things of vital interest
to the state. We hope our new board may
inauguratO something of the kind, and also
have that "big meotin" to which we called
attention few weeks since. We know that
the attention paid to Secretary Bliss plain
tive plea is not very encouraging, but new
bait might be more taking.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-12-15

This is what the New England Farmer
says Of our Vermont board of agriculture:
vermont has certainly done an excellent
work for the agriculture Of the state, by es-
tablishing and maintaining her board Of agr-
culture, and the board, through these meet.
ings and reports, is surely educating the far
mers to higher position in their calling,
aud making it possible for the sons Of far.
mers to remain on the old homesteads, with
reasonable prospects for becoming indepen-
dent and contented farmers and useful citi.
zens."
And we hope those who were so zeal.
GUS in their endavors to destroy it will poA-
der these words from an outsider who sees
the result but cares nothing for the local
friction. The board is not perfect; all its
proceedings have not boen after our mind.
Sometimes we have most thoroughly opposed
it, but for all that it has done noble work
one which will bear fruit these many years,
and we want it perpetuated; we want to
see the forces at its command multiplying,
and Its influence going into every valley, up
on every hillside Of our state. And instead
of seeking its destruction, we prefer the good
old rule of wedding out the faults aud sowing
the good. There is such a thing as destroy
ing oil the wheat in endeavOring to rid our
selves of few tares, aud we fear those who
we're so jealous against it would find them
selves unable to replace it with anything
better. After all the best way to remedy
any defect 10 the board is to take hold and
do all we can to make it grand success in
its winters work. This ruthless iconoclasm
which only seeks to destroy without having
any means of rebuilding with better material
and in a superior manner is as bad in agri-
culture as in any other field of endeavor. We
don't like an old barn, but it is vastly better
than none, and our motto is, give the board
a good generous support till we can make it
better, though for ourselves we can't see that
it has so many aud glaring defects. With
chronic fault6nders we have no patience
they doubtless have their place in the world
but, with strange fatality, never seem to
find it.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-12-15
JOHNsBURY. FRIDAY, DEOEINBER Is. 1876

DISEASE AT FuNERALs-There is good
reason 10 believe (says the Lancet) that dis.
ease is occasionally disseminated through
the medium Of funerals We have at least,
one fairly authenticated instance in this
country of diphtheria being difFused broad
cast through the crowding incidental occa-
sionally TO the last ceremony. In America
this question is beginning to receive much
attention, and several cases have been re-
ported Of late where the transmission of the
disease from the corpse seemed highly prob
able. The Suffolk District medical society
sent ont four hundred circulars to medical
practitioners with q view 10 ascertain the
opinion of the profession on the alleged
danger Of permitting public funerals Of per.
sons who had died from diphtheria. Two
hundred aud thirty.nine answers were re-
ceived of these 143 writers expressed a
belief in the possible danger Of contagion
at such funerals; IL belief that there is
danger from funerals in the houses of the de-
ceased, but none in churches; 20 consider
that in the present state of knowledge
there is no justification in prohibiting public
funerals while record circumstances which
occurred in their own experience con6rmatory
Of the proposition that peril may ensue, but
the testimony these latter advance is not
quite satisfactory. The society, after due
consideration, recommend that funerals at
the houses of those who have died of diph.
iberia should be private, owing to possible
exposure to the poison Of the disease. Eug.
llsh physicians and sautarlaus might well
devote some time to the examination of this
subject.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-12-15
Rogers statuary.

Among the most attractive works of art
are the groups of the artist, Mr.. John Rog.
ers, No. ll55 Broadway, New York. These
groups, some thirty or forty in number, Of
clay colOred material, some Of them perfect
portraits Of wel.known Americans, represent
a great variety Of incidents of historic or
pleasing interest, and are conceived aud exc
cuted with the spirit of the poet as we'll aE
the skill Of the artist. The grouping and
posture of his figures is easy and graceful as
Nature herself, while the expression Of the
various human passions is simply perfect.
Mr.. Rogers animal figures indicate an in.
timate knowledge Of animal anatomy. II
some Of our breeders would study his horse
in "Going for the COWS" they would know
what constitutes q horse better than they
appear to at present. Mr.. Rogers works
must be regarded among those Of the very
highest value, not only as works of art, but
for the reason that he produces them in a
form and at price that is within the reach
Of limited means. His illustrated circular
does not show the groups as perfect as they
are. We offer these suggestions hoping
many of our readers will get a circular
and thereirom order some of his statuary,
well assured that some selections from his
varied stock would not only serve as Orna-
ments il placed on bracket in sitting room
or parlOr, but be worth all they cost as silent
but potent educators.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-12-15
Try it, Ladies.

The ladies out in Elmira, N. Y, have
taken new departure. To be sure Thomas
X. Beecher, an older brother Of Henry Ward,
lives there, and living Beecher is sufficient
to instigate a new departure anywhere.
These ladies are members of the grange with
their husbands, aud they go, as sensible wo-
men always will, to look after their husbands /;
to see that they are we'll "bundled up" be.
fore they start for home, to stuck 10 the buff
falo" as they get into the sleigh, aud 10 sun
dry ways to care for their dependent hus-
bands What blessing such wife is to a
farmer These practical women, instead Of
spending the evening in seuseless gossip, have
"discussiOns" on all sorts Of practical topics.
They have only begun, but they have taken
up such topics as "Bread," and they wen I
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-12-15

ABOUT 0RcHARDs.- is what T. s.
Gold, Secretary of Connecticut, board Of ag-
ricuture says of caring for orchards
Orchards should be manured constantly
every year if possible, but certainly as often
as every second year. Ashes are always
good. Young orchards do best when culti-
waited, if the land is level, but side hills are
too much injured by washing, if the soil is
constantly under cultivation. Ploughing
old orchards is detrimental to both trees
and fruit. He described four orchards on
his own farm,---ono was set fifty years ago
aud cultivated often, and twenty years later
the fruit cracked aud the trees have been
in grass, they have improved both in health
and in quality of the fruit. The best and
fairest apples he gathered this year grew on
trees standing in permanent pastures where
the soil is fertilized by the COWS, who are
attracted to them by the shade. 1t will not
do TO keep an orchard in grass without man
uring the land enough to supply plant food
to both the grass and the trees.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-12-15

DRYING SWEET CoRN.-J. M. Haynes Of
Lebanon, Ohio, finds sweet corn crop more
profitable than distillery. lie raises over
500 acres of this crop annually. The dry
ing-hOuse employs so persons. The fresh
ears are steamed FIVE minutes to "set tho
milk" the grain is then cut of rapidly with
cutters having concave faces. 1t is then
spread on perforated zinc tables, aud heat
applied four or five hours from long furnaces,
stirring constantly, 1t is then packed in
barrels of three bushels each for shipment.
Great care is required to have the corn Just
at the right age, and to have il dried just
enough to keep well. -Four bushels Of fresh
corn on the cob make one bushel dried-the
wholesale price of which is 500 to S22 per
barrel. At fifty bushels of corr PET acre,
500 acres would yield over $4,000 bushels,
and give over 1000 barrels Of dried corn,
which, at So per barrel would be $4,000.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-12-15

The Republican says that Charles Dudley Warner
has overworkcd not much TO tho peril Of his brain
his fame In other words he has written many books
that the pablc say with true Yankee irrcverence Tor
genius fame, too thin, sir too thin and hence the
thick volumes Of his lator works lie on the shelves
waiting for purchasers Humorous Is the most exact
ing of all kinds Of literature 1t demands tho biggest
freshest "pond" from which to draw, and TO the
min who fances his shallow reservoir will never be
drained. Mr.. Warner has written some exquisitely
beautiful aud apt things things the world will not
willingly let die, but whom ho went into partnership
for the production Of the somewhat coarse, and Mt
times almost vulgar satire the times and especially
life in public-tho dilded Age-thero a sharp
coil In the public moral sense, but It forgiven
the indiscrction Of popular author. Charles Lamb
and our "Autocrat' did not do such things Mr.. War
ner has valuable gifts and unexhaustod If he
learn that choice works must from author
like angels visits.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-12-15

SURGERY FOR DOMESTIC ANIMALs.-Farm-
ers should know that broken bone may be
set aud the injury cured in a dumb animal,
as we'll, considering their different natures,
as in human being. once saved young
horse which got well and strong after his
hind leg was broken and not long ago had
year old heifer which got her hind leg
broken above the hook joint. The steer
that broke it chased her over the bars, aud
the broken bone projected through the skin
some inches. got her into pen we'll pro-
vided with litter, and set the bone as well
as the circumstances would admit, aud
splinted and bandaged it up, and in six weeks
it was apparently as we'll as ever with the
exception of small callous at the place where
broken. The animal may now be seen at
my place.--Cor. Maine Farmer,