Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-10-01
AGRICULTURAL.

THE FARM OF Mr.. Z. d. MASON, RICHMOND.
Vermont is and must be dairy State.
That Is to say, dairying will he the lead
ing business: but TO this may be sue
cessfully added that of sheep husbandry,
with the occasional raising of few good
and useful horses. The agricultural
strength of Vermont is to n great extent
IN her pastures, rugged and mountain
Gus as many of them are, and her rich
and luxurlant meadows, fertiliZed iu
many places by the overiiowing of the
rivers, which deposit annually sedi-
ment of mud, rich in fertilizing matter,
which produces heavy crops of hay with
out cost for additional fertilizers. Yet
III too many cases the pastures are neg
lected, and it has become with many n
chronic idea that their pastures cannot
be improved, and III too many cases they
have been allowed to deterioratc under
such baneful impression.
Our leading agriculturists take their
rank from the success with which they
manage some particular branch, and our
visit TO Mr.. Mason's farm soon satisfied
us that one of the leading features in
his management was his care of the pas
ture. We do not remember ever having
seen one III Vermont So well cared for MS
this pasture. There were no unsightly
punches or tufts of dead grass. no weeds
or bushes, hnt all was So smooth that
| were the cattle removed II curri.: -
I easil, mowc,. with the machine, Ii hts
steepness did not prevent But MT
withstanding its aecliyiiy Mr.. Mason
says it has been plowed, or at least
large portion of it. He takes great pains
every spring to have all the droppings of
the cattle spread out. He also draws
up some rotten manure to spread upon
some portion of 1t, for top-dressing
every year. and runs over brush har-
row to finely distribute the manure and
droppings. and if any weeds or tufts of
grass show themselves these are mown
of. Only in one place were there any
weeds visible, and that was in n de
precision where it was little moist, and
here was seen one solitary Canada this |
tie but that had not escaped the eve of |
the owner tor the scythe had cut it down |
before ii had developed blossom. The |
manner in which the pasture is stocked |
has much to 10 with its appearance, and |
shows how easy it is TO have the whole |
growth Of a pasture economical.
Mr. Mason had upon this pasture 70
head of cattle, about 20 sheep, and two
horses, and We think there is no doubt
that these sheep and horses require no
extra acreage, but that they subsist on
what the cows reject, and this in a great
measure accounts for the evenness of the
cropping of the pasture. and illustrates
how by iudicious stocking We may Sis
tam upon pasture few horses and
sheep without everlasting the produc-
tlvencss of the same, but that it would
rather prove benefit His stock is
principally graded Ayeshires and his
sheep are a cross of the Cotswold and
Leicester, producing a valuable wool,
large lambs and good mutton. Last
year, from ii ewes and ono ram, he re-
allied in wool and lambs S94.5O. Mr..
Mason's meadows. laying in peculiar
bend OF the river have, when overflow
ed, the benefit of still water, consequent
ly there is large deposit of silt This
gives him all the manure needed on
other parts OF his farm. His men were
cutting some very heavy oats, and he
had very promising crop of corn.
Taking the farm all together we must
give him the credit of being model
farmer and recommend the young men
in his vicinity 10 follow well the exam
pie he sets them. We think the Poult-
ney Industrial Society made all excellent
choice when they selected SO practical
farmer to deliver the address Mt their
coming exhibition, which will be worth
more TO the yonng farmers of that vicin-
ltv than all the horse trots of the seas n. |
Mr.. Mason owns the first cheese fac
tory IN operation in Vermont, which is
now worked by his nephews. the Green
Brothers, Mr.. Charles f.. Green being ,
he superintendent. The cheese from
ms factory has an excellent reputation, .
md the greatest part of its production
$ sold On contract. The Continental =.
House at Philadelphia. takes 5000 lbs.
| year, and the Fifth Avenue Hotel,
New York, about the same amount. /.
The fremont House, Boston, and the Pa , ,
,ifc Hotel, Chicago, take large quanti-
hes, which, with other smaller contracts !,
leaves them but little TO put upon the
market. They produce over 40, 600 lbs. :
Der annum, from l2J cows, being about /.
800 pounds to Il COW, but as they do not
'un the cheese factory all the time the .
'ows are III milk, they make some but-
er, which amounts 10 from 60 to 20 .. .
pounds per cow, or something over 5000 q.
pounds per annum. !
Inside the factory the greatest neat d,
less prevails. 1t was i'll vain We looked
lpon the floor for spatterings of milk :,
lone were visible it was everywhere as
lean as kitchen table Just washed.
In the cheese room the same cleanliness (
prevailed. We felt that upon such !,
place as MIR. Mason's as many days might ,,
'e spent with profit as we had hours :
o spare for its inspection, and through !,
us kindness We had a fine opportunity of !
eeing the country and its crops in ride I, I,
rom his place TO Mr.. Whitney's in vii
lston and back by another road to Rich .
nond d-Illrricnt Cnltirntnt