Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-11-19
improved Farming.

So teach Us. Lord. with Thee TO die
MdemiLdn's MigI,i.It.
Improved Farming.
VISIT To col. BATTELL's FAIM.
Werecently visited the "Weybridge Farm
of Col. Joseph Baitell of Middlebury. 1t is
located in the town of Weybridge, on high
rolling ground with uneven surface and con-
tains about 10 acres Ii is bounded on the
eastern side by the Otter River, and is por
ton of the original GO0-acre chapman
Farm" We were courtcously met and
shown about the grounds by the foreman.
He recently constructed the model farm
barn on this place at cost OF $4,000. 1t is
about 50x90 feet, with posts 22 feet in hight
The foundation was blasted out, and estab-
lished on solid rock. The carriage room is
30x40. floor laid with Georgia pine, sides
ceiled with Michigan pine. 1t is ia charge
of the former foreman Of Adirondack"
Murray's fine establishment at Guilford,
Connecticut. The carriage room is kept as
neat and tidy as those in many houses and
on a recent occasion recherche party COM
prising nany of the elite of Aiddlebury, as
sambcd on this lloor and tripped the light
fantastic toe until the wee sma' hours ar
rived Adjoining this are an office and har-
ness rooms, also stables tor his fine stud,
embracing some of Addison county's best
stock Water is conveyed in inch iron pipes
from a spring about go yards distant. The
stalls are substantially built from hard
woods, principally birch and maple, finished
in oil The stables are abundantly supplied
with running water In tanks which never
freeze. \ noticeable feature. is the arrange
ment of the doors, all OF which are so con
s,ructed as to slide into partitions ont of sight.
They are three inch panel and well ad-
justed.
The granary is lsxaO feet, lined with lin.
On the barn floor we noticed large PAIR of
Fairbankss standard scales. The distance
from the floor to the roof is 40 feet. Seven
ty-five tons of hay have been stored upon
the mows with room to spare.
The COW stables in the basement are con-
st:uc.ed very much upon the plan adopted
at the State Reform School, and are very
conveniently arranged. The tanks near by
are filled with running water. The cellar
wall is laid in mortar and faced outside with
marble, and is frost proof.
In the centre of the cellar, and immediate
" underneath the horse stable, is large
room with cemen'ed bottom, sides and top
which receives the liquid and solid manures.
Ventilation fiues extending to the top of the
barn are provided.
The cellar stable is ten feet in height and
the entire building Is constructed of the best
material. In the cattle yards We noticed two
herd-book Alderney calves, eight months
old, weighing six hundred pounds each.
Among the horses are Motion" a supe-
rior chestnut stallion, six years old, sired by
Lambert, ''Clinton Maid" a chestnut mare
from Messenger stock.
A two-year-old chestnut, full sister 10
Motion" one two-monihs-o brown Filly,
sired by Adirondack, lis mother Clinton
Maid.
Three, two-year- old bay Filleys, two of
which were sired by the Delong horse of
Shoreham; the other by the Clay stallion, a fine
three -year-old bay gelding out of Kentucky
mare, .'katholne, brood mare chestnut,
IIamiltonian stock. A very promising year
ling Filey, chestnut, sired by Motion"
stands Is hands high.
Mr. Battell also has fine span of chest
mute Eve ycags Old, sty ii-lA AID god arivoys,
a span of eight -year-old bays-good readers
and four r-year-old chestnut, sister Ia Mo
ton. out of Clinton Maid, which promises
speed under training. Also brown saddle
mare sired by Lambert. Two other horses
kept on this farm are worthy of notice.
Adirondack, a siy-ycar- old brown stallion,
sired by Lambert, and a six-ycar-old brown
mare, hy a son Of Hills Black Hawk, Morgan
stock.
During the past year Mr.. Baitell has ex-
pended 81, 500 in improving and macadamiZ-
ing the public roads leading from this farm
to the village Of Middlebury, distant three
miles, thus providing labor for the resident
poor and permanently beneii;ing the public.
Mr.. Baltell has many new and improved
ideas in the construction and management of
highway which he is here carrying into
.l. IL. ...,1,,
worthy of careful consideration.
Since purchasing this farm thorough sys-
TEN of tile drainage has been instituted and
many additional improvements have been
made-several miles of superior board fence
have.been constructed. On the farm are about
600 maple trees and fine sugar house, TO he
supplied with evaporaiofs with all the mod
crn improvements, is nearly completed.
Near by Il cold frame grapery 50x1G feet
with circular roof, is now in process of con-
strucion. The foundation walls above the
ground # all his buildings are faced with
white marble which adds fine effect to their
appearance.
A charming road leads from a portion of
the farm 10, and along the river front, whose
banks are ,hickly studded with Arbor vit;c.
to an elegant boat house Boxes feet, with eX-
celent stone docks constructed on either side.
The river is about fifty feet wide, and has an
average depth of 10 to IL feet, navigable for
q distance OF two miles in either direction,
the boat house being located midway be
tween the romantic Belden's Falls, and the
Falls near the village of Middlebury En-
tering the boat house, the skiiIs can be seen
riding safely at anchor in fifteen feet of
water within the building and by descending
the stairs and stepping upon Il lattice lloat
which is made DuOyaut by series of air