Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-03-13

us larger return for our labors, we
ought to grow rich in all the elements OF
true manhood-to become better men in
our homes, better neighborS and better
citizens.
Successful agriculture is the foundation
of prosperity in a community, and what
ever affects the farmer for good or ill, at
fects the whole. 1t then becomes a ques-
ton of great importance whether the soil
is increasing in fertility, and farmers as
class are becoming more prosperous, or
on the other hand, the crops are smaller
year by year till much of the land will not
pay for cultivation, and the agricultural
population is continually decreasing
Statistics show startling facts relating to
some of the New England states. In
Massachusetts the abandoned lands in
creased from !, 052.374 acres in 1855 to L.
469 9SS acres in 1875, when they compris-
ed almost one-third of the area of the
state. In 1855 the state raised enough to
support its population. In 1875 its food
imports amounted to $1,000, 900 per week.
(American CultiUator, Dec. %, 1879
From 1850 to 1870 the number of horses
had decreased 1,177; of milch cows about
20 per cent; of oxen and other cattle about
10 per cent; of sheep about So per cent; of
swine more than so per cent. All the
kind of farm stock which increased in
numbers during these twenty years was
mules. which rose from 81 liz 1850 to l03
in 1870. (Query-is this any index of
tho mulish propensties of the farmers of
that state?) The amount of corn. rye, oats,
buckwheat, potatoes and hay had also de-
creased, and some of them quite largely.
but the growth of tobacco had increased
more than so fold. We are happy TO be-
lieve that since 1870 there has been fall
ing off in its growth, as the statistician of
the department of agriculture estimates
the Weld for 1876 at about SO per cent less !;
but we do not find in his report a cores
pondng increase in other crops, all of
which, with the exception of potatoes and
hay, which show slight increase, are esti-
mated at less than in 1870. This does not
show very successful state of farming
| in our sister state.
In comparing the census reports of our
own state for 1850 and 1870 we find
some things more favorable. The number
of horses had increased about 4000 the
number of mich cows about % per cent !;
but the number of oxen and other cattle
had decreased nearly 81 per cent sheep
had fallen off nearly one-half and swine
80 per cent. The amount of hay had in
creased about II per cent and the amount
of potatoes very slightly and of oats about
40 per cent, while corn had fallen off II
per cent, wheat nearly Is per cent, and
rye SO per cent.
The estimates of the department of agri-
culture for 1876 give an increase over the
census report Of 1870, of nearly per cent
on hay, of 90 per cent on corn, of 20 pei
cent on oats and 2 per cent on potatoes
The number of horses had increased l.
per cent and of cows IA per cent and Of
hogs Is per cent while oxen and ohcl
cattle had decreased 6 per cent and sheep
% per cent.
Thus it would seem that from 1850 to
1870 the agriculture of Vermont, taken as
a whole, was nearly stationary, there being
an increase on some products and a de-
crease on others, but if the estimates OF
the department of agriculture are to be re-
lied upon, there has been real progress
ince the last census, although the gain
has not been large. Consequently, we
may say that farming in Vermont is not a
failure, taken as a whole, but is far from
being as successful as it should be. 1t is
also a noticeable fact that all the gain has
been since 1970-about the time at which
our Board of Agriculture commenced tc
hold its meetings.
| But we still have need to use our best
eXertions, or our progress will be slower
than that of the frog out of the well. Il
our hay crop has slightly increased, oul
pastures are becoming poorer, as is nc
knowledged by all. Our agricultural pop
many rural towns of which the grand list
even, is less than it was twenty-five year:
ago. In these towns the number of farm:
has greatly decreased, and what were
once productive farms are now barrier
pastures, grown over with brakes and use
less plants.
In some places land was cleared which
might much better have remained in for.
est, and it will be most profitable to let il
grow up to trees again. But the great
cause of these Abandoned lands is emigra
ton. Many of our most energetic men
have left us, and we are suffering from a
lack of judicious labor.
have faith, however, to believe that
the farmers of New England are to see a
prosperous future. We sometimes speak
of the exhausted fertility " of lands in
the eastern states. or of their old, worn
out fields" but England has been cult.
waited for ages, and now produces bette
, crops than ever before, and has gained
more rapidly in its production during the
last thirty or forty years than during any
t previous time. The area of England and
Wales is about equal to that of our New
England states, but the former have pop.
t ulation of nearly 23,000000, Or between
six and seven times that of the latter. And
, yet, New England probably imports as
much food in proportion to her population
as the mother country"
Holland, Belgium and other European
states have grown more fertile as they
grew older. while China, the oldest nation
in the world, has the densest population
| and supports its millions without the i'm.
portation of food. And shall genuine
= Yankee be driven to acknowledge that his
English cousin, or Hans, the Dutchman
| or the Heather Chinee can beat hin
in anything he undertakes?
, | trust that farmers, rs u class, are be-
, coming more in earnest to learn what are
t their mistakes and what the requisites fol
a successful prosecution of their calling
and such meetings as the present are doing
as much as any other agency to dissemin
ate knowledge in regard to the principles
t of farming and the methods of our bes
farmers.
; Neither are examples of successful farm
ing wanting for our encouragement.
will mention two or three to show wha
has been done in New England in the
farming line: Twenty-one years ago Col
ID. M. Clough of Canterbury, n. H..
bought worn out farm of four hundred
acres. 1t would not then keep more thar
eight or ten head of cattle, one or two
: horses and few sheep. In thirteen year.
he had so improved it that he wnteret
one hundred head of cattle. one hundred
and fifty sheep and six horses, withou
, buying hay or grain. 70 accomplish th
no manure was bought except little su
1 perphosphate to give corn an early start
Under his care the farm rose in valu
= from $4,000 to $1,000.
The secret of his success is that all tn
$ hay and grain has been consumed upo
| the farm, and large quantities of mucI
= used both as an absorbent and composite
II with lime.