davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-27

Mr.. EDITOR: Il have Just read The arti
Gle entitled agriculture in our Common
Schools" in your last issue, and am de
lighted to find that some of the farmers Of
Vermont are waking up to the need of in
struction in scientific subjects for all the
people. l have labored for years to pro
mote this very thing, and the greatest OBJ
stacle met with so far is the apathy Of
some farmers and the open opposition Of
others.
Only u few days since l was looking
through the course of study of the normal
school of the district in which Caledoniu
county is, and noticed among the subjects
there named, botany, mineralogy, zoology
physiology, political economy, with read
ing, spelling, composition and other sub
jects equally practical for practical life
and | wondered how many of the schoo
districts in the state would permit these
subjects to be taught in their schools.
| do not forget that in your article 8
particular text book was named, but from
some knowledge of Warnings Elements
of Agriculture" which was once q tex
book in my school, | am confident tha
any teacher who has fairly mastered the
subjects named above from an actua
course of study in Vermont norma
school can take up the aforesaid "Ele
ments," and teach it with effect. Con
corning the schools of Caledonia county,
know that at least in the largest academy
in tue county studies are taken by the
pupils who pass through the regular
courses that will qualify them to teach
Wnripp'g Elnn,n,t,
know further that in all parts of the state
there are young people who have com
pleted courses ut normal and other schools
who would be glad to teach in the com
mon schools, and who would teach the
book desired by Mr.. Lawrence creditably
and usefully, but who are crowded out O
the schools by persons less well educated
who can afford 10 work at lower rate pei
week; or, which means the same thing
by persons who cannot earn so much il
other employments.
Now in seconding the motion of The
gentleman from Passumpsic, wish to say
that to teach the elements of agriculture
well and to develop the power that DR.
Hoskns mourns the want Of require!
good natural endowments, II fair educa
ton and force of character, with some ex
perience in Inequalities which will be
only accidentally and infrequently secured
by the common policy of letting the
school to the lowest bidder. The mos
grievous difficulty with our schools is thai
the best teachers accessible are not EN-.
ployed.
Amen, say to the demand for studies
having special relation to the needs Of
farmers. Please keep pushing in that d.
rection; also, please remember that abii-
ty is very likely to learn its value and tc
demand its price.
There is nothing the school man would
SO much like as to meet the farmer for a
free and friendly discussion of educational
matters. SCHOOLMASTER,
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-27

GLEANINGs, "A little dry sand sprinkled
over the potatoes in the fall will destroy
any unpleasant odor they may have, and
air Stacked lime, used sparingly, will pre-
vent rotting.
English gardeners save their dahia'
from the ravages of the slug by planting
lettuce near them. The slug will invari
ably abandon the dahlia for the lettuce
The Hessians draw together snais in the
same way by using carrots. They distrib-
ute this bait about the garden, and as the
snails accumulate, destroy them.
Clover fields will be benefited by the APP
plication of bushel or two of plaster, rs
early this month as possible. There is nc
better place on the farm to put wood ashes
than on clover. Circumstances are tend
ing to make clover more important CROP
than we have regarded it as a preparation
for wheat and for green feeding.
An observant farmer says he will not
allow partridges to be killed on his place.
He states that recent Investigations made
by him prove conclusively that they are
the best protection the wheat crop could
have. In the craw of one he found over
q hundred bugs Of the most destructive
kind to the wheat crop. His crop is ex-
cellent, while those of his ncighbors have
been ruined by bugs.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-27

c,nr u,,,p,, 49,,
sorihor Dn and roadar of thn nav Wo uee SUD-
800, " .ontn fno y, , H. row a"e9'um,
h"na n' nauor haforo v,;tton 10Y in 80" "nI,
bavo Soon sovoraI nlans Of horns nUhIi ~. u
nave soen Soso,"i p.,,iis III pAlns PGolisneu
~ SoTt uo Isl, ' nv. WIZ ooliu " oIs1iiP.
ro ,ho ;ns;Jn corner '"S i,u "'I LII pu,,'
IL; NV nns'ur J ne ~ wv ni's' o,ie run,
NM o"s Tbo n hor m' ttu f oeoa nuaeh an
sou.u' ~ o tLn - Ivy ioet a4u'le' WIN
celiar unu u or .mu wno,e ao n.no ieeI oeeP,
" 'nl wa" hora aro two roIi;u on 40 ono SoG fo
~ thuor,b ,,,,, s uooS' ~
llaunihg ,n'o'sn ''''''''e' 'ne res' Is
oo Th" W .trr h, ..o,,oa
inI neA' So o uss s smo s.apieS, !uhe'h
iensthwls1' no.o0', iuJ1 "e.'o, WIN ieeu,
lng oor oetmS S ow hn,s f iee' Wlue, ahu
ralseu one abu ono tdn ~ ieG. apo'o tue
Stables Ta wiilon arc 'e ,d ieet IN .ne clear
ei ,, Tue o,'', thar are t,eu 'to noIr Is Ptcn
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-27

The American Cultirator thus pays its
compliments to the secretary of the Massa-
chusetts board of agriculture, who has
lately been assigned the honorary position
of president of the Massachusetts state ag-
ricultural college:
This same secretary finds ample time
to fill the position Of principal editor on n
Boston paper, for which he receives a
large salary, and to which publication he
is in the habit of loaning engravings be-
longing to the state. This same secretary
is the editor of several other publications,
besides holding public office requiring II
large share of his time. And yet this Off
cial is expected to be the exponent of
Massachusetts agriculture! Attached to
reason no one knows, is n chief clerk
under salary of $1,000 per annum. Our
contemporary, the Springfield Republican,
says of this chief clerk:
This Samuels, by the way, is the man
whose hens are so magnilicently immor.
talzed by the state report for 1877. Sam
uels is currently known rs "the bird man"
on account of his book on the birds of New
England. Not content with his honors for
orhltholo9ical hhow!euse' nc seems ~
nave coveted, men ulstlhctloil II. the puol'c
expense some years ago there was u !,
uselui oarhyaru ioWl ABOUT new EhSIahu
OF mo'tleo-Srny cofor anu most eNceileh'
proprlety' "lthih lew years IL mas De-
Coine .nc n "0''I' vi l'tuoionI poppy ~
duo THESE mooest ioWi WIN inc hiSn
sounoinS name Oh ,rlymouln hochs' ana
10 SaHole III tno oleeu ~ lahcy prices
oaihuels seeiiis W nave peeii at IT, ior We VIZ
ma IN Tue "Srlcu 1.. report Vi io'o-"
Il iinely 'co19leu l!tl2SraPllic iLon.lsP'eGe'
ehtl'ieo' Ilyinoutil !, hoch rows, iroll Tue
DreeuihS sI0ch OF Euwaru ~: oa,nuels.
ne last auulIor report contains LUIS ilell
among the expenses OF printing NO. tle aSrl-
cuiturai report; r'ohl'sP'ece' S-o'' rlh t,
acVeTtlse tsL. lor Tue preen in9o stocN "A,
ol MI rlinV cleIh' salary 9l1oo' we
tiiillh tetrenchlneht ~ Tue st'Io liouSe 81 .loo'
oeller peSin win tne agricultural ONCE
us secretary anu clelh' .,: g -,
ne postoil 1i'1o"n, III spoaN,Hs vi tn1
s''llle ih'''iou'I' ooinp''nei''s 'i'iii "e loi-
lows
MI. 9allueiS Is as INDUSTRIOUS " cI9rk as
can NC iounu IN 'ne s M n E ne nus
written Il Door Oh new EnSlan,' oirus'
invented llcuoaIols' ih i new
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-27

But the farmer who, in his greed for
more land, becomes a money borrower,
places himself largely at the mercy of cir
cumstances. Whether his crops are good
or bad, the interest on his debt is constant
ly accumulating. and must be met if he
would keep his credit good. Does he wish
to drain a field or purchase some new i'm
provement which will enable him to grow
or harvest his crops cheaper, or to invest
in improved stock, there stands confront.
ing him the interest and principal of bi:
debt, and he is afraid to make the invest
ment. As years pass and the debt still
hangs over him, and the vigor and enthu
siasm of youth pass away, it becomes AT
intolerable burden, until at last, in sheer
desperation-if he is fortunate enough t.
escape the sheriff,-he sells out and goes
west.-OhiO Farmer.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-27

QUANTITY OF MATERIAL IN BUILDINGS.
According to the Northeastern Linn
JernGn, one thousand laths will cover
seventy yards of surface, and eleven
pounds of nails will put them on. Eight
bushels of good lime, fifteen bushels
sand and one bushel of hair, make
enough good mortar to plaster one hun
bred square yards. A cord of stone,
three bushels lime and cubic yard OF
sand will lay one hundred cubic feet OF
wall. One thousand feet of shingles,
laid four inches to the weather, will cover
one hundred square feet of surface, and
five pounds nails fasten them on. One
fifth more siding and flooring is needed
than the number of square feet of surface,
because of the lap in the siding and the
matching of the floor. Five courses OF
brick will lay one foot in hight on a chin
ney; six bricks in course will make Z
llue four inches wide and twelve long
and eight bricks in a course make tlue
eight inches wide and sixteen inches
long.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-27

CHOOSING SEED CoRN-The season of
harvest is the proper time to select seed
corn. First look for such ears as being
perfectly ripe are also perfect in form.
Small eobs are the best keepers, as the
cob contains so large quantity of mois-
ture that the ear is liable to retain damp.
ness. Reject red cobs in white corn. A
sound ear that has ripened early, with
grains full and perfect, and a medium
sized cob is the best for seed. Store the
ears in dry place free from rats and
mice, and where an even temperature can
be maintained. Let the grain remain on
the cob until planting time Shell by
hand, and reject the small grains near the
point of the cob.-Bellows Falls Times.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-27

One of our Indiana readers sent us u
printed slip cut from some paper. giving
an account of two frauds perpetrated
against unsuspecting farmers at Colum-
bus, Indiana, brought to notice by the
filing of two suits in the circuit court
one against farmer named John Brenn,
who accepted the local agency at the
earnest solicitation OF barb-fence, patent
right man, and signed what he thought at
the time was an order to be sent in to the
inanufactory for goods, and the other a
certificate showing that he had accepted
the agency of the neighborhood. Both OF
these turn out to have been plain notes OF
hand for one hundred and thirty-ive dol
lars each, and for which suit has now been
brought to collect. Joseph Hazard signed
q note under the same circumstances
for sevcnty-six dollars, believing at the
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-27
2Gftru.
THAT'S MY BOY.
BY CORA Z. c. sIBEERr.

Big blue Dyes with rozuish twinkle,
Dimples ever running not
Busy tongue that's never quiet:
FOREHEAD fair, with never a wrinkle.
Clustering hair of sunny hue;
Nose little snub. tits true.
That's my boy,
Fun and mischief never stopping;
Teasing now for" pants and boots.
And truly gun that shOots!"
Kisses on myIcheek fast dropping
Then away with shout and hop.
Till cry. Oh, mercy stop!"
That's my boy.
Never ending. still beginning:.
Pockets full of dirt and crumbs;
Crazy over horns and drums,
Noise in all things ever winning;
Dragging he Of Jim is master,
While run for white court plaster
That's my boy!
Do you hear fearful noise?
Do you scent a burning smell?
Do you hear a curdling yell
Loud enough for twenty boys?
Do You hear, while at your prayers,
Some one tumbling down the stairs
That's my boy
soitgoes-some pain. some pleasure!
Wonder, 'twixt fear and smile,
Will it be thus all the while
JOY and grief in equal measure?
Shall l cry, in bitter sorrow,
In some dread. far-off tomorrow,
That's my boy 2"
All, no, no! Mothers eyes look far ahead;
And mine see, with tender pride,
By gray haired womau's sides
One, whom now that years have sped.
Brave, yet gentle, is her stay,
One of whom she'll proudly say,
That's my boy
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-27

We have heard some farmers ridicule
the idea of vacation, and say that the night
gave them all the rcfreshment they re-
quired. 1t is blessed thing that dark
ness does cut short the labors of our hard
working farmers. Some of them start
with the robin in the morning and keep
busy as long as the night hawk can be
heard. Moonlight nights it seems as
though they never would stop. Such men
however, are seldom long lived. At forty
or fifty they are apt to be as stiff as a
foundered horse, and ut sixty rheumatism
lays them on the shelf, or under the sod
1t is much better to recreate rs we &c
along The man who makes the most OF
life is seldom one who drives his mental
or physical machinery too fast. 1t was a
question with the southern planters
whether to work their negroes hard and
let them die early, or TO work them mod
eratcly and get long life's use of them,
Mere economy, without regard 10 the
right and wrong of the thing, decided in
favor of moderate work. Even Il locomo-
tive'wears out quickly that is driven at
sixty miles per hour and not laid up for
thorough repairs occasionally. Massachp-
sets PlOughnlGn.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-27

TRAMP HARvEsTERs IN THE WEST
Any one of our farmers, who stands in
a western field of two thousand acres for
the first time Witnessing the operation of
harvesting, cannot fail to be deeply i'm
pressed with the wonderful celebrity with
which four or five men with machinery
and horses will reap, bind and stack this
immense piece of grain. These four or
five men actually do rs much as hundred
of their kind could with the old fashioned
y" cradle" and the straw band by hand.
which is largely used by our farmers even
yet.
One of the strange fashions which mark
the western wheat harvest is the peculiar
class of people upon whom the remote
jewellers on the frontier depend to aid
them in harvesting their grain. They
RELY, first, upon the emigrants who come
into the country to settle. subject TO the
homestead laws, and second, Oil the
"wheat harvest tramps," These cramps"
ara men who start in Texas, and follow
tbe harvest north. Some keep on the line
of the rivers, while others drive in wagons
across the country. They work in Texas
until her harvest is sowed, then they strike
for the Missouri river, and there take a
boat north; when they reacha point where
the wheat has not been cut, they disem-
bark and at once go to work. Finishing
here, they go again further north, so keep.
inc on until Minnesota is reached, ceasing
only when the broad fields of wheat on the
Red river and Dakota are cut. Other men
of this class get into wagons at the Rio
Grande and work right through north over
land. Hundreds and hundreds of their
white tented vehicles may be seen foraging
through Kansas to-day. They have cut
the crop of Texas. they have sowed that
of southern Kansas, they are at work on
those of middle Kansas to-day, and the
ewes of the Nebraska farmers are anxious
| " turned to the southern horizon every
evening, eagerly looking for the white
topped wagons of the Bohemian harvest
ers who are the very best of harvest
hands, and soon, when they have finished
their seasons work among the purple
hills of Dakota, they will disappear just as
the wind listeth.- Cleveland Herald,
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-27
More Butter Premiums,

We hope to see the largest display of
dairy products at our coming state fair
ever seen in Vermont. The Higgins
medals. the Cooley prizes and the society's
prizes should secure this, and those COM
peting in either class should also 90 in for
the socety's premiums, and in this way
we shall see butter from Cooley creamers,
from open cans, from large pans and
small pans in competition. Another sys-
TEN has lately been gaining some notoriety
the Bureau pans, invented by Mr.. j. F.
Ferguson, and some of our dairymen
wished to see butter made by that process
called out. The matter was brought to
the notice of the Ferguson manufacturing
company and they have sent US no fol-
lowing letter:
BURLINGTON, VT, Aug. 16 1879.
o. NJ. TNKHAM, Esq..-Dear SIR We
have made an offer which has been &C
cepted by the state agricultural society,
of the following prizes to be competed for
at the coming state fair:
For the best lot of butter, not less than
fifty pounds, made in Vermont in the
Ferguson Bureau creamery, prize of
$500. For the second best, under the
same conditions, $1,000
Butter entered for these prizes can also
compete for the Higgins medals and the
society's prizes.
Yours truly,
FERGUSON M'F'G Co.
A. Is. COGSWELL, Sec'y.
We shall be very glad to see II good
number of our butter.makers competing
for these prizes. A single sample 6 but
ter made by each process will not prove
much-for there are good dairymen who
would make good butter by almost any
process, but to see large number OF
samples from each may tend to show an
average of excellence greater in some G"
or another of these methods of set ny
milk, and dairymcn are looking for
best thing.
We have used the old fashioned small
pans because we had them. and witt
them we could make Il fair quantity o
butter of pretty satisfactory quality, bu
their use entails great amount of work
and we are looking for something better
But these creamery systems are costly ant
when we do 60 in for u new one we wan
to feel reasonably sure that we are get
ting the best for our money, and some
thing we shan't want to change RICH
away. We hope the Wooster creame
will have samples of its butter there, anC
we wish they had offered prize which
would have induced those using it ;e hav,
brought out plenty of samples. We shall
look for the dairy department with grea
interest, and give it a full report in tn,
FREEMAN.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-27
Fo r the Freeman.
A Chat with Farmers.
BY AGRICoLA,
ABOUT NoXIOUS INSECTS.

We make sure the increase of the
spring beetle upon our premises when we
disturb them and deprive them of their
usual food, while we prosecute and destroy
the birds which are their natural enemies.
European farmers who have done this are
compelled to resort TO stratagem for their
capture. They strew slices of potatos or
turnips, of which they are very fond,
through the garden or field. in the
morning boys and women pick off the
beetles that have come to feed upon the
bait and destroy them. The grubs of
these destructive insects are mostly wood
eaters, living upon the woody parts of
roots and lunder the bark Of old trees,
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-27

FLAvoRING BUrrER.-S. ii. r. gives
the World the result of an experiment ir
mpartng agreeable lavors to butter
which will be read with interest. He
writes: lit is very well understood by
all dairymen that particular care should
be taken to protect cream from any impure
or strong odors, rs it causes the butter tc
taste unpleasantly. Fresh paint or sour
milk or dirt from the barnyard will give
a bad taste to the butter When the fruit
trees are in bloom and the breath of the
flowers comes upon the cream it gives the
butter peculiar sweet taste that is very
delightful; also the odor of new made
hay is beneficial to butter. But these
things are transient, so l experimental Il
little with happy results. Under the win
dows of my milkroom l sowed sweet
clover and sweet peas; the peas are not
in flower yet, but the perfume of the
clover is very powerful; it not only fills
the whole room with its fragrance but it
gives TO the butter a very improved relish
1t takes but little time TO SOW the seeds
and care for the plants, and it is labol
that pays. | used to gather the clover
and sweet marjoram leaves and carry
them into the room, but the above plar
is the easier and the effects are more last
ing"
1t must require pretty delicate palate
to appreciate the improved relish" given
to butter by few clover blossoms ant
sweet marjoram leaves carried into 6
milk room.
Isn't that getting the thing down pretty
finep
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-27
agricultural department.
o.M. TINKHAM, Editor.

All communication for this department should be
ssnt to the editor. Mr.. o. NJ. TINKHAM, n. Pom
fret. Vt.
Please write side Of the paper only. sign such
name initials you wished published. but give
your FULL NAME AID ADDRESS post office. County and
state.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-27
SANFORD'S JAMAICA GINGER
MILLIONS
Electrified!

Science holds the lightning in her hand What was
once the terror of millions is now the minis tering
angel of other millions. What killed now curse.
ELECTRICITY, as grand curative and restorative
agent, is not equalled by any other element med.
cine in the history of the healing art. Unless the
vital spark has fed the body restoration by means of
electricity possible 1t is the last resort of all phys
clans and surgeons in suspended animation, and has
sccceeded in restoring muscular action and life when
the breath had apparently left the body The value of
this great element in the treatment of such diseases
Rheumatism, Paralysis St. Vitus' Dance Inflammation
of the Kidneys, etc. remains unquestioned by the
highest medical authorities But how apply it to any
part of the body continuously conveniently and eco
nomically? The invention of COLLINS VoLTAIC
PLASTER meets this great popular wants and furnish
es electricity to millions of unhappy invalids in
perfect manner as to challenge the admiration Of the
medical faculty COLLINS yoLTAIC PLAsTERs con-
sis of silver add zinc plates attached togeth-
err and imbedded in highly Medicated Plaster; For
Local Pains, Lameness. Soreness Numbness weakness
and Inflammation of the Lungs Liver kdneys,S spleen
Pasters the most speedy. safe and effective rene
dy offered the afflicted and are warranted super
Tor to every other plaster before the public Price,
cents. Sold by all Wholesale and Retail Druggists
throughout the United States aud Canadas, and by
WEEKS n POTTER, Proprietors, Boston. ASK fol-
and insist upon having
Collins Voltaic Plaster.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-27

Holding fast to that which has proved
good and true, we must work carefully
and observingly, and note results, remem-
bering that one experiment does not settle
a principle.