Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-06-12
"POmfret on the Back Track"

correspondent who signs himself " FAR
MER," sends us communication under the
above title, as follows " For several years
we have heard of the great things that have
been done by the farmers of our Vermont
town of Pomfret Their blooded stock has
become famous, and their gilt-edged butter
has found ready market at unheard-of
prices. To Pomfret all eyes were turned,
like rays of light to a focus The meeting
of the State Board of Agriculture at Pom.
fret, few years ago, was signal for the
general rallying of the great ones, far and
near. There were the presidents and pro.
fessors of our colleges, to say nothing of
exprofessors and science farmers There
was Lane on Root Culture" there was the
genial-faced Mason, president of the Dairy
mans Association, and though Bliss was
not there, it was, nevertheless, blissful oc-
casion. There they ate the golden butter,
there they gazed with admiration upon the
splendid Jerseys, and drank in inspiration
from the air they breathed. They called
the place the Garden of Eden, and there we
thought would soon be located the expert
mental farm and the Agricultural College,
whittier all the boys-and perhaps the girls
would go to be run through the machine
while finished scholars and skilful farmers
would drop off from it at maturity like rolls
from carding-machine. Yes, and we
thought, too, that Pomfret's talented editor
would become in that school of progress a
second Eastman, and Pomfret more renowned
than Poughkeepsie on the Hudson, or Bingen
on the Rhine
"But alas what has not taken place
since that famous discourse of Saul among
the Prophets was published Its author
has declared in mournful numbers that one
system of dairying is about as good as
another, that as good results can be shown
in using the old-fashioned small pans as by
the most approved modern Inventions thus
going right back into the old ruts. Now
submit whether this learned, good-looking
editor has not, in more ways than one, been
blocking the wheels of progress. While
others were demanding more scientific ed
ucation for the farmer as a corrective of ig-
norance, if not of laziness, they have been
met by the assertion that farmers know all
about their calling that is required, that it
is unwise to give them even an elementary
knowledge of chemistry or the veterinary
art but that they must employ the profess
ors and the doctors. have no time to look
over old newspapers to get the precise Ian
guage used, but it seems that the butter
makers of Pomfret are reposing on their
laurels. Yet while they are laying the fiat
tering JUNCTION to their souls that Pomfret
is the banner town of Vermont, there ap-
pears Tunbridge man of humble preten-
Sions, and with only sprinkling of Jersey
blood in his herd he "knocks the hind
sights off from those famous buttermakers.
After bearing away the glttering prize,
amid the shouts of the multitude, with true
magnanimity of soul he writes private let
ter of coincidence to the handsome editor,
who ought to know that revolutions never
go backwards, and that we are going with
railroad velocity somewhere. Woe betide
the public teacher that does not keep up
with the times; he will be run over by the
train, or stranded on Pomfret Heights
What cannot art and industry perform
when science plans the progress of its toils?"