St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-02-02
agricultural.
Vermont Farms.

Vermont Farms.
Prof. George y. Boardman, LID,
ut the banquet of the Sons of Vermont,
at Chicago, closed his remarks on the
subject of vermont Farms as fol-
lows:
every part of a Vermont farm has
its appointed office. and brings IN Its
quota of produce, from the sugar stolen
from the spring sap of the maple to the
butternuts gathered in October. And
the Vermont farmer, as he reads his
Bible. supposes he was the man i'll Da-
vid's mind when he spoke of the good
man as being lin league with the stones
of the field
"There is a great deal of sentiment
connected with Vermont farm; 1t Is
a faithful servant. il comes to be cher
ished as Il member of the family; 1t Is
thought of as taking interest in all that
interests the household. Talk with
man, perhaps sixty years old, as you
stroll with him across his fields, and
see how much he feels himself indebt-
ed to the acres where he has labored.
When his father and mother died, the
farm kept on its way responding to the
childrcn's plans and efforts as 1t had to
those of the first settlers. 1t paid the
bills when the 'Old folks were sick, it
buried them decently, and set up hum
bile head-stones over their graves
not 81 stately as some of those i'll Grace
land. but they tell as much truth per
haps. and well become the place where
the forefathers of the hamlet sleep
The farm has worked out many other
4 a 81
looked for, in the experiences of life.
The farmer has buried one of his
daughters. who faded away under the
blight of that disease known too well
under the shadow of the Green Noun
tains. consumption. The old home
stead missed her tread, and mOurned
with the others it did what it could,
it took the bills aud paid them one by
one (for there men do not pay then
debts by simply drawing checks), and
was proud To do Othc full whatever was
required. The good old father, now III
years himself, can tell yOu many tale
that he remembers with stirring Oi
the heart. He remembers how the
girls were pOrtiOned off when they
were married, and how one of the boys
perhaps now Chicago lawyer, was
sent to college, and drained off a little
more than his surplus income. He
thinks the little scamp might have been
somewhat less liberal with money thai
hc did not earn, but it is well enough
if he can take care of himself now.
"Thcse Vermont farms sometimes 60
into winter quarters rather early, hui
they lose less time after all than We
10, ,
south, do but little after September
closes. and those among our eastern
hills are bright and CHEEKY, if sere anC
leatlcss, through October, and till pas
the Indian summer. Let them lie quie
under the SNOW; they are not dead
When another year comes, the day'
will lcngthcn, the sun will call then
to their work, and you may be sur,
they will come to time. Already, be
fore the snow drifts have left the hills
Won will find the livcrwOrts and anem-
ones in bloom. and the sunny expos
ures are awaking from sleep before
any one has thought of it. 1t is true
the spring comes slowly, the hills holC
their snow long, and the winds occa
sionally breathe out frosty air quit,
down To the middle of June, but witt
the help of IA blanket now and then
in truth not really needed the early
garden plants hold vigorously to life
and in little time we reach the short
hot nights, and then all is safe. Tn,
cultivator of the soil, of course. mus
enjoy the pleasure of a little grumbing
lie says, NO crops this year the sea
SONS are changing hay will he light,
and the pastures are dried up Blu
the harvest comes; one thing aftel
another is brought in, and the barn i,
about as full this year as it was last
the cellar has its good things and til,
garnet too. and the hearts that had thei
fears have now their eXultation.
"\OVcmbcr comes, and its last Thurs
day comes, the minister has read from
the pulpit the proclamation of til,
governor; in obedience to its call TIN
people gather in their accustomed
places of worship to hear how God lee
his people of old. and still takes car
of his chosen. They do not spare thei
lungs nor old Caledonia in the clos
ing hymn, with songs and honor
sounding loud and from the meeting
house they 90 to their homes to 81
down To feast to the honor of Coz
and the land he has given them, =
feast at which one must eat iudiciOuSl,
if hc expects to hold out to the END
God bless the farms and farmers q
Vermont