Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-02-25
Contributed for the Freeman.
Farming in the Good Old Times COmpar.
cd with that OF To-day.
PoMFRET, Vt, Feb. /, 1880.

Farming in the Good Old Times COmpar.
cd with that Of To-day.
PoMFRET, Vt, Feb. /, 1880.
An item about number of deserted
farm houses near Burlington, which has
gone the rounds recently, is made the
occasion of good deal of dolorous COM
mcnt Just now, the Vermontcr being told
that his state is fast taking place among
the things that were, and that he had best
console himself for the inevitable by re-
ilecting upon It's glory in the past. 1t is
said that the farms are worn out and the
farming young man has gone west with
his capital, while no new industries have
been or can be developed; the state is
being impoverished and depopulated in Il
most hopeless manner, and that the grass
hopper shall be u burden and the Mourners
70 about the streets. And of course this
dismal view of things is not without II
basis of serious facts; these deserted
houses and abandoned farms are found all
over the statc-no thoughtful Vermonter
has failed TO observe them with some feel
ing of sadnesS-and the figures show that
their story is true; the farming towns, and
particularly the "hIll towns are suffering
loss of population which perhaps is not
balanced by the growth of villages and
larger places. The process has been going
ON for years and has been the occasion Of
much shaking the head and bewailing of
the "gOod old tines and the cause always
assigned for it all has uniformly been
Just what we hear NORTHWESTERN compe-
tition.n But to mourn the degencracy of
the times is the common lot of man, and
the occidental granger is the common
hugaboo of other farmers nearly the world
around; the good old times had rawbacks
of their own, and eastern foolishness may
have had something to do with the vacant
houses, as eastern wisdom may prevent
others from becoming vacant. A little
reflection will assuage the fear with which
some appear to be oppressed, that even
the awful calamity Of cheap bread will
crush the Vermont farmer out of existence
and leave the state howling wilderness;
and if we arc yet to lift up the voice in
lamentation let us do it in n reasoning
way and not wholly forget the cheerful
side of the matter. 1t is claimed that
Pomfret WAS naturally the best farming
town in Vermont; the soil was mainly
excellent, and no one Of the hundred acre
lots but would admit of Il settlement. 1t
- ~ iliI lONH ~ IN oH tIC DCIWcCu
the Quechee and White rivers, without n
single tocraby level farm; it was settled
early, has in recent years lost heavily in
population and may be fairly taken as n
representative of the class of worst suffer
crs. The census returns will tell the story ::
settled in l770, the population which in
1871 was 40, rose steadily to 1867, in
1880, from which it fell to 1851 in 1870; a
loss of 33 per cent in 40 years. The
wealth has not kept parallel with the
population, but the facts about that cannot
be accurately got at; the best estimate
have is that the wealth of the town (god
basis) reached its highest point about 1860
since which it has fallen probably less than
10 per cent.
The soldiers from the southern New
England states who passed through here
during the French and Indian wars carried
home the most eXtravagant sterics of the
fertility of the soil and other good things
to be found, 50 that upon the close OF the
Canadian troubles in 1860 Vermont was
looked upon rs the promised land, and
there was Il rush of spectators and others
to get grants of territory. The controversy
with the Workers respecting land titles
retarded settlement somewhat, but not
withstanding this and many other difficult
ties, u strong current of emigration north
ward to the new country, as it was called
commenced which continued through all
the years of the revolution and until the
frontier men reached the older settlements
in Canada, when the current turned TO the
westward. and the restless man went to
York state" The story of this early
emigration is one of constant hardship,
privation and danger, in view of which
the settlement of Vermont seems wonder
fully rapid In addition to the natural
obstacles of dense forests and severe
climate, communication with the older
settlements was of the slightest, political
matters were IN as bad II state as well
could be. and there was at times grave
dangers from common enemy; but the
men who came here We're, as rule, of an
excellent class, and they fought their way
through all troubles ana stayed here.
a few of the settlers of this town were
well TO do, middle-agcd men, but the ma
jorty were young and of small means,
and nearly all had families The first
cumcr> were from Pomfrct in Connecticut,
ard The others mainly from that state and
Massachusetts. Passing over Inc details
Of the hardShips of the pioneers, let lis
consider the state Of things after the settle.
ment was well established the real
good old times we hear so much about
when the housewife spun and wove. when
the mighty spare rib roasted before The
fireplace and the farmer was monarch OF
all he surveyed, unnoubled by competition
from any point of the compass.-say near
the end OF the last century: A good many
log houses yet remained. but they were
made to'erab!y comfortable if small and
lnconvenlent; farms were reasonably well
supplied with barns, and there was II plenty
of the stal lles of food for man and beast
There was no money; wheat did nominal
duty as circulating medium, but barter aud
credit was the rule of trade. Wheat 81
per bushcl in earlier days was now reck.
oned at 81 cents, and other grain in pro
portion. A good horse was worth $50
pork to 3, beef H. and salts of lye 4 to i
cents per pound. This article of " black
salts" made from the ashes of log hear
burned in clearing the land. leachcd on the
spot and hauled to an arrangement OF
fixed kettles called Il "pot-ash," of whicl
there were several in town, was at first the
only article produced by the farmer for
expectation, and continued of importance
for many years. Farm laborers received
50 per month and mechanics so to 81
cents per day. These iigares are approach
ed by some which farmers grumble about
to-day; but in the prices of things import
ed there is vast contrast between tina
time and this. Salt was three dollars +
bushel, loaf sugar AZ, brown II, pepper I;
cents and green tea 81 per pound; broad
cloth S8 to- $40; cotton cloth 62 and calico
SO to rs cents per yard, and other articles
in proportion. Home industry was mos
thoroughly protected With these price
of exports and imports, and with home
produce costing more labor than it doe
now, any but the most limited exchang,
was impossible. The farmer raised fa1
and wool from which his wife and daughter
made all the family clothing, sewing OF
home made pewter buttons with home
made linen thread. The neighborhoot
carpenter made the scanty household fur
niure, the cloth making machinery, tn
wooden farming tools and every othe