davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29
White River Valley Fair.

White River Valley Agricultural Socie.
ty holds its annual fair ut Bethel next
week, where it has one of the pIeasantcst
parks in point of natural fitness which we
have ever seen. 1t opens on the 4th and
holds three days. The extra attractions
offered this year, are an address by Hon.
Geo. F. Edmunds and balloon ascension
by Prof. Grimley of New York, and
purses each day for trotting
The State Fair at st. Adams and the
Washington County at Montpelier, follow
the week after, commencing the 18th. We
will give these due notice next week.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29

Since finishing haying we have be zen in
the woods some, peeling bark and picking
up and cutting our sugar wood for nex
seasons use, and while doing this have
had sundry and divers agitations on the
use of ice for mechanical purposes" Our
readers have probably heard and will re.
member the story of the man who went to
the agents, after the license law was pass
ed, which permitted the sale of liquors for
medicinal and mechanical purposes only,
ana wanted two gallons of rum, for me-
chanical purposes, and in replying to re-
mark of the agents wondering how that
amount should be required by farmer for
mechanical purposes, said he wanted it
TO raise II barn"
We have never had occasion for much
mechanical assistance from that source.
but, while sitting on log with pail CON
tanning good lump of ice and the needful
quantity of water in one hand, while we
kept away the mosquitoes with a bit Ct
the hemlock brush with the other. we
mentally "took stock" of the use and COM
fort of ice in our work.
Without it, in this case we, with the
two men helpingy-would have been under
the necessity of doing one of two things,
either drinking from Il pail of water then
nearly at the temperature of the air, or as
is generally the case, going off to some
spring or brook to drink. In this case we
should have been obliged to 90 some forty
rods to spring, and by the time we had
got back, should have been about as hot
and rs before we started
But with our lump of ice this was all
changed.
We could stop Il few minutes, take SIM
of good cold water, rest u bit, and in one
quarter of the time it would have taken TO
go to the spring and back, get to work
rested and refreshcd made IL saving Of
time and gained rest. Ice is not simply
luxury, it is a convenience which paws,
in the field, in the dairy, in the woods and
at the table. 1t pays in saving time, in the
extra work done with the same ease by its
use, in comfort and enjoyment, Lay in u
store of ice next winter, and our word for
it you will not be without it after, though
you may have to draw it three miles as wei
do ours.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29

= but as cold weather comes they scrape
hole in the ground for their bodies, il
which they lie dormant until spring. The
may be frozen and retain vitality, yet ma,
) perish during the winter, doubtless from
excessive cold.
Frogs and toads spawn in simila
manner, and in most respects the frs
stages of their existence are the same
They spawn in April and May, frequently
before the ice is out of the shallow pools
but on warm, sunshiny days. The eggs
appear in glary, continuous mass like a
cord, frequently several yards long. They
are covered separately by II thin men,
brane, and the real germs may be seen us
Minute dark specks. The gelatnous mass
serves as food to the young tadpoIe.
With few days of favorable weather the
young are released from this mass, having
eaten it up. The head at this time has
two projections, which might be termed
organs of adhesion, as by their aid they
adhere to surrounding objects. The tail
is fringed, but their eyes, and even the
form of their head cannot be seen; respi-
ration is performed by the skin. In few
days the head becomes perceptible, the
mouth is formed by suctorial lips, the
eyes, ears, and nostrils appear, and soon
IL deep groove marks off the head from the
abdomen. In this groove spring the gill,
covers, and then the branching and float
ing outside lungs, appearing almost like
little tufts of hair, yet very many of the
tadpoles of the toad will have only one de-
veloped, and that is on the left side.
Their mouth then becomes beak-shaped,
and they subsst by sucking the Juices
from plants. 1t soon becomes capable of
taking both animal and vegetable food,
and the heart and circulation conform.
The beak is soon transformed into large
mouth, the exterior lungs into glIs, the
rndlmentary limbs appear under the skin,
and are developed by degrees, becoming
part of the more perfect organism with
nerves and blood vessels. The new lungs
are now modified, the heart changes the
circulation, and the perfected animal res
pires freely the atmospheric air. The fish
gills and tail having disappeared, mois-
ture becomes irksome, and he leaves the
pools; Il Showers even embarrassing and he
will take the nearest shelter His food, as
before mentioned, is entirely insectiverous.
The common toad is easily domesticated,
and will soon take food from your fingers,
but will not touch it if it is dead, or so
still that he thinks it so. AS he is great
feeder, his growth is rapid. The entire
transformation from the egg usually takes
place in twenty days.
When domesticated, little house in
shape of some old box turned bottom up.
should be provided, so he can take shelter
both from the sun and rain. If ants
should be troublesome provide yourself
with toads, and three hundred ants, per
diem, for each toad, will soon tell on their
warriors, and they will soon leave the
premises, while the toads will remain MS
your friends, Kidding your grounds of
troublesome insects.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29

Yet after all we may say or write, after
every conceivable principle has been sta.
ted, and every known rule repeated which
may shed light upon this most important
problem, there is the largest opportunity
for the exercise of our best judgment in
the selection of Il desirable location for n
home. The erection of house that shall
be our abiding place for what yet remains
of life, is one of the most important under
takings in which IL man ever engages
If the farmer should fail in some aericul
tural enterprise or experiment by reason
of some error of judgment, the expert
menter having gained new knowledge
therefron, may again renew the trial and
succeed. but when he shall have finally
chosen the site for his home, and begun in
earnest the work of construction, he
will have put his hand to pillow from
which there is no looking back. Let no
one, therefore, be hasty in deciding this
most important question of all successful
and satisfactory building, for houses are
not made to shelter us and ours for dav
or year, but for century. M. EiIcs-
north, IN The Scientific Farmer.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29

MAKING SOAP.-I find in your good pa
per SO much that is pleasing and nstruc
tive written by experienced housekeeper
who know whereof they affirm, that al
so will tell what | have learned about ma
king soap during period of forty years
One thing | have learned in this long ex
perlence, and that is that if the conditions
are complied with, there is no such thns
as luck about Soap-making. never asI
the moon, or any other planet, when
may MAKE soap, but when l get ready,
go at it, and finish it up in one day.
The first condition necessary is a gool
sized barrel, with holes bored in the bot
tom, and having Il few small sticks laic
crosswise over the holes. A handful Of
straw is thrown in; then II peck of Stacked
lime, and we are ready for the ashes.
These should be made of good hard hick.
DRY wood; and well pounded down. Poul
on pailful of water every day for a
week, then make the I've MS fast as posi-.
Bile. Have the kettle hung in readiness
and ms fast as the I've runs pour it in the
kettle; when nearly full, start the fire, hay.
ing previously melted the grease and
strained it through flour sack or coarse
towel. The I've should be Strong enough
to float about one third of an egg above
the surface. Eight or nine pounds of
grease will make IL barrel of soap
For cold soap, | take palful of the
weak ye which my kettle would not hold.
heat it hot and pour it on to II pound and
a half of grease; cover it, and set it in the
Next morning give it good
stirring, and in just two days it will be so
thick that it would pile up on II plate like
good jelly. | think shall never boil soap
again.-NrS. q, G, Taylor. IN Country
Gentleman.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29
2Utttg.
A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW.

Quoth The boy; "Pll climb that tree
And bring down a nest, know"
QuOth the girl 81 will not see
Little birds defrauded so.
COwardly their nests to.take,
And their little hearts to break,
And their littleIeggs to steal;
Leave them happy for my sake
Surely little birds can feel II
QuOth the boy "My senses whirl;
Until now never heard
OF the wisdom of girl,
Or the feelings Of bird
Pretty Mrs. Solomon,
Tell me what you reckon on,
When you pirate in such strain;
III wiring their necks anon,
Certainly they might iecl-palnp
Quoth the girl: watch them talk,
Making love and making fun,
In the pretty ash-Iree walk,
When my daily task is done,
In their little eyes find
They are very fond and kind.
Every change of song or voice
Plainly proverb to my mind
They can suffer and rejoice.
And the little robin.bird
(Nice brown back and crimson brcasD
All the conversation heard
Sitting trembling in his nest.
"What world " he cried, "of bliss,
Full of birds and girls, were this
Blilhe we'd answer to their call
But great mistake it is
Boys were ever made at al"
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29

In reading an article in the Cultjrut0y
under date of July 81, on straw for fcedin!
cattle, | heartily agree with its tenor.
have wondered great many times why
farmers do not pay more attention TO feed
ing straw than they do. Now, though
siXty'one years old, | have only been OF
the farm about eleven years, yet find in
my own experience that my horses do bet
ter on straw, with little corn, than they
do on the best of hay without corn. Two
years ago | came short of hay, and had
no straw, though | had five head of horses.
l bought stack of wheat straw Gas straw
is very cheap in this country, and com
menced feeding in November. | gave my
horses a little at II time, just what they
would eat up clean, and no more. In the
morning | would give them four or five
ears of corn; two and threc-year old colts
| gave two ears apiece. At noon fed
them straw alone, and ut night the same
as in the morning
continued in that manner all through
the winter, and my horses came out better
in the spring than when fed on hay.
They did so much better that | concluded
to try again this last winter. 1t so hap
pened that my hay crop was u future and
| bought four or five tons of wheat straw
OF my neighbor, paying seven dollars for
the lot; it was not the best of straw either,
but put it in my barn, and fed us usual
Just what the horses would ept up clean.
The result was my horses came out in the
spring in good working order, and great
deal more lively on the road than when |
fed hay. So | wintered my five head of
horses on seven dollars worth of straw,
with what little corn fed morning and
ht.-CorrCspondent american Caitira-
or.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29

The present condition and life of the
farmer, taken us Il whole throughout the
country, is constantly improving. Will
occasional draw backs and financial reyer.
SEES, there has been great increase in
means and facilities, in cultivation, and in
appliances for farm labor. A powerful
agency is constantly at work throughout
the land tending to an elevation of the
character of country residents, and their
appreciation of their surroundings. This
agency is public school education; and the
remarkable increase in the number of the
higher class of these schools, the acad-
emies and the seminarios, and their i'm
proved instruction and influences, are
sending out all through the community a
large number of young persons who are
ntuslng an improved element into coun.
try life. We already see II distinct change
within the past twenty years. These
public institutions, largely or mostly allen-
ded by the sons and daughters of farmers,
are silently and powerfully advancing the
responsibility of our agricultural people.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29

Eggs FOR WINTER UsE.-It is a foolish
plan to be seeking the best method fol
putting down eggs" This used to be
deemed one of the first tests of thrifty
housekeeping-the number of eggs put
down for winter use. But much better
way is to have your eggs fresh the year
round, If hens have enought to eat and
OF the right material, they will lay in win
ter Us well us summer. Farmers ALWAYS
expect to feed some grain to tue fowls
then if they would save all the waste meat
that accumulates in the fall to feed the
hens in the winter they would be repaid
in fresh eggs. This makes good work for
boys, in saving such refuse, in some out,
building, to chop up and use when need
ed-Amcrican Poultry Journal.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29

SKIM CHEEsE,-Thc low price of chees
at Elgin, ILL.,, is taken us text by tn,
Elgin Adrocate, for a short dissertation OF
the sure results of the practice of maxim.
skim cheese. Because butter was HIGH
Elgln dairymen could see prospect O
getting little more out of their milk ms
then and that was what they were after
Reputation was nothing acknowledgement O
the consumption of cheese both ut home
and in foreign markets was nothing, thai
was all "a bird in the BUSH II made nc
difference that they were told that the peo
pie wanted good, not poor cheese; that il
they persisted in making an inferior arti.
Gle, sooner or later such course would
grind out for them its legitimate result
Now good cheese only is wanted, and
those selections which have steadfastl v ad.
hered to the plan of making only good
cheese are standing foremost in the mar.
ket, and illustrating the truth of the old
commercial maxim, as true of cheese as
anything else" if you wish to be driven
from the market, make poor goods. -
Country Gentlemen.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29

one stalk set for five ears until the second
one was found in his field on that occasion.
Several stalks were found in Mr.. Wal.
colts field set for five ears, for six, and
those set for seven ears were more COM
mon in this field than the five ear settings
had been to DR.. Sturtevant. It is my pur-
pose to inform your readers the results at
the end of the season relative to this now
extraordinary growth of corn.-American
CUltiUat0r.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29
VEGETINE.

The range of disorders which yield to the
of tbe medicine and the number OF denned ulseAset
hich It never fails to cure greater than any other
single medicine has hitherto be even reconmenae9
for by any other than the propretoTs OF some guacE
nostrlIn These diseases are Scrotua and az eruhYe
diseases and TumoTS anu All inammStory symp
TONS Ulcers all byphc diseases Rid9ey anG o da
orders which so generally afict American women anu
which carry annually thousands OF them 10 prena
can manhood, Heartburn, Piles Constipation Nor
yonsness Inability to sleep, and impure blood -
This is formidable list of human ailments TOT any
single medicine to successfully attack ana u Is nov
nrobable that any one article before the pnbhc mas
The power to cure quarter Of them except Vegetpe
It laws the AK at the root of the tree of disease Dy
frat eliminating every impurity from the blood pro.
noting the secretOns, opening the pores great
escape valves of the system invgorang the liver 10
its frl and natural action cleansing the stomach and
strengthening digestion. This much accomplished,
The speedy and the permanent cure Of not only the
diseases we have enumerated. but likewise the whole
rain Of chronic and constitutional disorders, Is GER
tain to follow. This is precisely what yegeine does,
and II does it so quickly and easily that is an ac
complished fact almost before the PATIENTS aware of
it himself.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29

etc., are admitted to the ground. it is be
cause they will pay, and they will pay be
cause those who come to fairs and pay adj
mission want to see them. Ifsuch show
men did not make money by their concerns
they would not follow the business, and
they could not make money if nobody went
in to see them.
The farmers opportunities for amu7e-
ment and recreation are not very numer-
Gus, and when the annual fair comes, he
''goes over to the fair, ;" for he wants kind
of holiday; lie expects to see bis cousins
from the other side of the county, and 9TH
er friends; to show his nice Jersey heifer,
and see whether there is likelier three
years-old colt on the grounds than his bay
Morgan in the back pasture; and the chill
dren want to know what balloon is like;
and they have all heard and read about
the Hon. or Rev. Mr.. Wordslinger, and
want 10 see him, so they 60 to the fair.
Managers of fairs have finger on the
artery through which all these feelings
pulsate; the entrance gate; and if they get
balloons. and rope-walkers, and giants,
and fast horses-it is because the people
want them and will come in and pay to
see them, and it seems TO us rather too
much to require of our fair managers that
they shall educate the people to eschew
folly and learn wisdom, and pay the tuition
as well as do the teaching.
When the Black Crook was put on the
stage at Niblos Garden, New York, it was
condemned form pulpit and press as inl-
proper and immoral, and the managers
censured in the severest manner possible
for its production, yet it had a run of over
200 nights to crowded houses. The man.
ayers had simply furnished what the peo-
pie wanted.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29

PRESERVING TIMBER. -The sleepers Oh
ties OF railroads are more exposed TO decay
than timber in any other position, being
fully open to the weather above and to the
earth beneath. Their durability is greatly
increased, however, by imbedding them in
gravel with perfect drainage. They will
last from twice to three times as LONG thus
protected by clean, dry, coarse gravel, as
when laid in wet clay. This fact shows
the Importance of providing drainage for
fence posts, the portion of which at the
surface of the ground is nearly us much
exposed to decay as railway sleepers.
ltappears from observations made on a
railroad in Germany, that after y Years
service with oak sleepers it was found
necessary to renew three-fouuhs. When
treated with chloride of zinc, less than four
per cent needed renewal in less than seven
years; impregnated with crude creosote.
only one in ten thousand had decayed in
SIX years. A correspondent of the London
Garden has used this Cresote on his gates
and fences with great success; after six
years all The treated wood is perfectly
sound and free from moss Or fungus. the
untreated portions have already begun to
decay, and are covered with moss and Itch
ems. lie finds it important to season the
wood thoroughly before it is immersed in
The tank. Scotch fir, at one time consider
ed useless for railway sleepers, is now ex-
used for that purpose, when thus
reated, on the south western railway.
There are many purposes for which tim
Der is used by farmers, where similar pre-
ervatives might be used to advantage, as
POSTS, stakes, &c. We have had occasion
o recommend impregnNting timber for
hese purposes, first with crude petroleum.
md then covering it with an imperyious
eating of coal tar; the latter being adapt
d only TO wood placed in the soil, or
where subjected to shade and moisture; +
ne former for wood exposed to the wealth !
T. The various processes for preserving /
God from decay, with view of securing :
lleapness and efficiency, are well worthy
more extended experiment. Country Ia
eatleHtdn.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29

There are prodigies in any breed but
the ordinary Jersey COW can be relied on
to give one pound of butter per day, to
average that, the year around. They dc
not go dry long; oftentimes it is difficult
to dry them off before calving. A record
of from ten to sixteen pounds of butter
per week is not at all rare. How much
better then for the housewife who aids her
husband in his efforts to gather around
him the comforts ola true home, by pur-
chasing household necessities by the sale
of dairy produce, to have COWS who re-
ward her labor by givinga quantity of
rich golden butter, so solid and waxv
that it will command few cents extra on
the pound.
A Jersey COW costs less to keep than il
common COW; if she produces Il heifer
calf, if IL grade, it is worth more than the
butcher will give for scrub calf; ifa
thoroughbred, at five days old it is worth
from fifty to one hundred dollars.
On large farms where the raising of
cattle for beef is an object, the Short.
Horn is the COW needed, but on small
farms, on all farms where the butter is
made for market, the Jersey COW is exact
ly what is, or should be, II necessity
Uncle Ned, IN Ohio Turner.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29

The next place we visited was the corn,
fields, where the Stockbridge manure had
been used with very marked results at the
present time. The growth thus far is very
luxnrant, and gives promise of boun-
tiful crop if it hold out to the end. The
growth ofthe crop thus fur is even more
luXuriant on one field than anything OBJ
served on "Waushakum Farm" DR.. Stur-
tevant remarked, on the day of the field
meeting there, that he had never seen but
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29
agricultural department.
Q. N. rINKHAM, Editor.

Accommodations for this department should hC
sent TO the editor, Mr.. o. n. TINKHAN, n. Pom
fret, Vt
Please write on side of the paper only, sign such
name or initials as you wished published, but give
your FULL NAME AND ADDRESS, post office, County and
State.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-29

SALT AS A FERTILIzER,-Only yester.
day, says II correspondent of the Utica
HefaId, one of our most intelligent and
successful farmers informed me that when
he took possession, some years ago, of the
farm he now works, he found it impossible
to raise good oats; 80 bushels of poor light
oats were all he could get from an acre,
while his straw was dull Or rusty. Acting
ON the advice of u friend he sailed an acre
literally rs an experiment; the result was
the crop was nearly doubled on hat acre
and the rust disappeared, while the unsalt-
ed portions of his oat field We're rusty, and
the crop hardly worth harvesting.