Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-09-24


For many years Vermont retained her
supremacy in dairy manufactures, but the
changes wrought in Vermont were not
confined TO her own boundaries, aud soon
the fertile valleys of the Genesee, which
had taken the place of supplying Vermont
with flour when her lands were given up
TO grazing, were dotted with dairy farms,
and in natural order the legitimate results
followed, and in time the plains of Ohio,
from her fresh virgin soil, grew the grain
for our eastern grazers.
Ever receding west and north, the great
grain growing districts are found in the
fertile plains of Dakota and Ohio. Wis
consin aud Iowa are populated by herds
and dotted with creameries. But In all
this the great law of compensation holds
good. Growth a more advanced civili-
zatiOn-creates new wants which new
manufactures are called forth to meet.
The accepted theories and methods of ten
years ago are now to a large extent obso-
lete and find their Representatives in mod
ern appliances.
A noted political economist but few
years ago asserted that among articles
which could not be exported because of
their perishable nature, were potatoes, the
products of the orchard, beef, mutton and
eggs, but that these must rely on the
various manufacturing centres for mar
kct. Boston contributed largely to our
prosperity, but the opening Of foreign
demand has largely increased it. Refrig-
orators have made butter, cheese, the
products of the orchard and meat, as well
as cattle, sheep and horses eXportable in
large quantities at good prices.
The revolution in commerce has largely
increased our markets. Our textile fab
RIGS are finding profitable sale in Europe,
our manufactures of iron and steel COM
pete successfully with England and Ger
many, our exports are largely in excess
of our imports, and gold from foreign
countries is borne across the broad Allan
lie, to be distributed on our shores, and
this will continue to be the case for some
time TO come. An era of prosperity is
opening for us full of promise. But New
England has II strong rival in the west.
Facilities for transportation place her on
level with eastern farmers, and now,
except on the dairy. she holds sway. Her
breadstuffs feed our own people, while
she sends hundreds of millions of bushels
abroad.
A few years ago not a good print of
butter could be found west; now Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin send their
butter east and realize as good prices as
Vermont. The mighty west rises on our
vision to disturb our peace. Its vast area
its vast resources, its prairies, bounded
only by our powers of vision, now vast
unbroken wilderness, now dotted by set
tiers tents, and now covered fy cultivated
fields and dotted by populous villages.
There must be the future seat of empire,
the home of millions who will labor for
the welfare of our great common country
in the great west the miracle of our age
A writer once said it was godsend that
the Pilgrims landed first on New England
shores, for if they had landed in the valley
of the Mississippi, New England would
never have been settled, but remained q
sterile, uninhabited region. In broader
sense it was Il godsend. Except for New
England influence and character, the wes
would not have reached its present pros
porous condition. 1t needed the New
England character-its honesty and in
dustrv and sobriety-to bring security
and permanence to that country.
Far beyond the present limits of civil
ization are bread acres yet uncultivated
which will soon come under the pillow, anc
with these also we have yet to contend ii
the rivalry for the worlds markets.
No human agency can stay the progress
OF empire, and each year adds impetus &c
its onward way; each new acre of fertile
soil opened to the pillow adds fresh compe
tition to the fields of the east, and The
sooner we apprehend and accept the fact
the sooner we shall be placed upon safe
grounds for meeting and overcoming it
Legislation is powerless to help US OF
avert the coming strife. There has beer
a period of financial distress, not only
through the United States, but through
the civilized world. Whatever the causes
which produced it, it will work itself out
and is now already doing SO.
Where shall we find the remedy Of this
condition, and in what does it consist
Bravely struggle for the holding of the
position we have reached. We have
achieved an enviabe success. Shall it BIZ
ignobly surrendered? No state is capable
of higher results. With our healthy
climate, the pure, sweet water of on
mountain streams, the diversity of sol
and landscape, all combine to give us al
advantage, while the character of on
people, their simplicity of habits, the NOR
al and religious sentiment may challeng,
comparison with any people on earth.
1t is an old and true saying that he whit
makes two blades Of grass to grow where
but one grew before is benefactor to hi
race, and here lies the secret of success a.
for us to-day; and he is none the less
benefactor if he has the more selfish if no
less powerful motive of personal profit.
Vermont's greatest need to-day is
more thorough system of cultivation
Thoroughness in farming is the secret o
success, and he who tills with creates
care will reap with greatest profit. Natur
wants full return for the bountiful harves
she yields. and gives example of her owl
methods and results.
On the banks of the Nile, renowned il
history, the sources of whose perpetua
flow have been till lately an enigma, is
belt now, as for thousands of years, Il mir
acle of fertility. while on either side lie
barren, desolate sands. On the boundarie
goes on the endless, unceasing contes
between fertility and barrenness. To thi
\ leItle DelI COMES Tue waters III YEAR,
overflow. laden with richest fertilizers an
, insures to the husbanGman a certain an
bountiful harvest.
Our meadow lands by thorough drain
age and cultivation will produce large
crops; by more cultivation and more fer
tlizers where we now raise scarcely fort
bushels of corn per acre, we might ge
, sixty to eighty bushels. Twenty bushels
Increase per acre on the product of tn
state would astonish us, and the cost O
doing it would be but small addition.
! Our pasture lands should be enriched t,
produce an increased quantity of feed an,
of improved quality. Now they will no
produce the quantity or quality of bee
they would but few years ago.
Our dairy interests should receive care
full consideration. The average yield O
butter per cow, as shown by the last cen
sus. was but ninety-eight pounds, and il
, one county one hundred and twenty-fou
pounds. If the average of the state coult
be brought up to that of the county i
would increase the value of the produc
seven hundred thousand dollars. liz
could discover no valid reason why i
may not be increased 10 one hundred ant