Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-12

The address at this fair, given below, by |
native of the town, Rev. Perrin b. Fisk, |
was listened to with marked attention by |
large crowd, who punctuated it with fire. |
quent marks of applause;
Address.
1t is always pleasant to return to scenes of
childhood, wherever they may be, but there is
beauty in the scenery of this valley not found in
every place The running brooks, grand noun
tains and beautiful color of these trees not be
found in western landscape. Perhaps the bril-
liant hue of the naples is owing to the fact that
they have been slipping the sweet sap all summer
Since was here four years ago there has been
marked improvement in the farms and buildings
of the valley, owing to intelligent farming, and
expect there will be still greater in the years to
come.
The speaker then gave in brief some account
Of the methods Of western farming and its ad-
vantages, compared with the east. Minnesota
farms are in much larger fields than here, the
prairies are 80 level, and often the plow makes
but fourteen turns to acre. All blowing is
done in the fall with Z" sulky plow turning two
burrows at a time sixteen inches wide, and NAV
all be done by any boy who can drive a span of
horses. Wheat is sown very early in spring, as
soon as the frost is out of the ground three
inches deep. sowing the wheat with seed sower
and In harvest the reapers are also self-binders,
not now binding with wire, as formerly, but with,
| strings Last year the speaker saw one field Of
wheat of fifteen thousand acres twelve miles
long; this year there are nineteen thousand acres
in the same field, and in harvest twenty-one self
binding reapers cut the crop 1t is then threshed
in the field and sent to market Seed-time and
harvest are days of hard work for both men and
women on western FARMS but all farm-work is
largely done by machinery. After this there is a
time to rest, to do other work, or TO read and
learn.
Men who go west and bring back very good
regors very bad reports do not try to tone down
either, for both true. Some are successful,
and 30 enjoy life there; others locate unadvisedly
| suffer hardship, and are homesick. 1t Is a very
good plan to go west in colonies and settle in the
same vicinity. One family went to Dacota short
time age, which consisted of the aged grand pa
rents, the father and mother, and the children,
some of whom were married and had children
| four generations, making two carloads of people
with four carloads of goods Another still larger
colony located in township and reserved quar-
ter section of land in the center of the town for
church and school. This they mutually worked
in addition to their own land putting in crop Of
wheat, and from the first years crop paid for
church and parsonage. The native fruit of Min
nesota is only wild plums, but very nice apples
| are now raised At recent fair in Lake CITY,
embracing four towns in its limits apples were
shown even superior to those in the agricultural
| hall to-day.
| The great west and northwest is fast filling up
with immigrants, many Yankees, and three times
as many Scandnavians but the Yankee keeps
ahead in brain-work and always will, though the
young people OF all nationallties choose to be
called Americans. The Scandinavians are good
farmers.
Up to this time the main product of the west
has been wheat. It has been told as fact that
there comes time in the history of all lands that
they have to support the largest population Of
which they are capable. When Minnesota and
Dacota come to this point they will be able to feed
two hundred millions of people with bread and
already is is prophesied by some who are far see.
ing that there will be another London when Min
neapois and st. Paul grow and spread until they
unite in one city. What will become of republi-
canism with such population as that will be
How shall we perpetuate our republican institu.
tions, which hardly bear the strain of the for
eign element already present? A great many peo
pie have gone west from New England and they
have good influence there and they are needed
Business men, school teachers, both men and
women, equal to seventy-fve regiments. already
mingle in and mould western society and princ
pies. Many Vermonters are prominent men in
all public work. and still are rising in offices OF
trust and Importance, and will make their impress
on the future Of the country.
Notes and Incidents.
TAKEN all in ALL we pronounce the fair of 1881
fully on a par with those of former years The
exhibition was in every way creditable, the com
petition kindly, and the premiums so small tina
no one could possibly be tempted to act in an!
way dshonorably, and the expenses OF the societ!
are very slight.
WAIrsFIELD cornet band has again recruited
full ranks some quite youthful members, bu
there was very general satisfaction manifested
and freely spoken, both for their presence AM
music. With generous financial encouragement
from the public, so that they can procure first
class teachers to develop the talent OF this band
, it will soon be one OF the best in the state.
, THERE are many good results from the loca
fairs that amply compensate for the outlay Ma
River Valley takes high rank in agriculture, edu
cation, temperance and religious worship; and W
would congratulate the society on the absence O
, all gambling, cider or beerdrinking or any O
, those side-shows which cost so much and retur
80 little, and we hope this society will never b.
! allowed To falter or die.
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