Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-15
Vermont Farms.

In wintry November day | made my
first visit to Cabot, Vermont, and learned
somewhat of its agricultural affairs. Its vii
lagos lie by the small river in narrow val
ley and some of the best farms are high up
on the hillsides. / called first at L. G. Fish
ers and found him at the barn getting every
thing ready for winter. His stock consists
of Shorthorns and Grades, twenty-five head
He has the Princess family. They are not an
even lot, as he has made sales of some of
various young animals that are thorough
bred. find he is seriously considering a
change to Jersey cattle, as their dairy quail
tiles are so highly praised; but the change
will be as disagreeable as dose of unpal.
atabe medicine. He has no love for the Jer-
sey style of cows after having so long adj
mired Shorthorns. Mr.. Fisher has Cheshire
swine, and judge they are large, profitable
breed He also raises few colts. His farm
has been in the family eighty years, and as
it is hill farm it will be surprise to many
to know that it is improving. Often We
find in Vermont that hill farms are deserted.
The secret of its improvement lies in the
hard judicious work of the owner, excellent
manure from the barn cellars, well applied
and tile drains. have visited every county
in Vermont, and know of its methods of
farming, and know that it is by no means
common to find farm well drained with
tile. But here, six miles from depot,
found about four miles of tile drain on a
single farm. Mr. Fisher was subject to
much ridicule and criticism when he began
to put the earthen ware into his soil. In
deed the first year was against him every
lime; the wild water-grasses died out and
his hay crop was less but the second year,
without blowing or re-seeding, there came
in thick growth of white and red clover
and excellent grasses, so that the crop was
large and has paid twenty-five per cent. on
the investment annually since the first
year. This draining was done by Mr.. Fisher
and his usual farm help whenever a few
days could be spared from the regular farm
work. Some of the bitches were very hard
to dig, but by perseverance the job is CON-
plete and the farm well drained. Square
tile was used, and this shape is preferred to
any other, as better joints can be made.
This drained land responds wonderfully to an
application of manure. The grass is excel
lent much OF 1t givoe two civlo la season
.,l o,l 81 "; M
produced mostly hardwood trees. Turnips
have been raised for stock on this farm to
the amount of one or two thousand bushels
annually. was shown pile of wheat of
the Lost Nation variety raised on three acres
of ground. The yield was one hundred and
twenty-three bushels, or forty-one bushels
per acre. Two acres of this land has been
in turnips two years, one acre was in corn
and potatoes last year. A light dressing of
manure was narrowed in with a Shares har-
row, and two bushels of seed were sown per
acre (sown dry). When the wheat was just
coming up three bushels of Liverpool salt
was sown per acre. The dressing of salt is
believed to cause brighter, stronger straw,
and perhaps increases the growth. The
field was remarkable for an even stand
uniform height and thickness. 1t was
sown April 10th. Grass seed was sown upon
the piece, and there is good stand of grass
Part Of the piece was narrowed with a
Shares harrow, cutting five inches deep, after
the grass seed was sown, but was no injury
to the catch. There is a large sugar place
on this farm, and making sugar at the proper
season is the prominent farm work. z.E.J
| Iro BE coNTNuEpl