Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-04-25
Chr fresm an.
Letter From Minnesota.
FREEBoRN, Mimi. April 13. 81

L
DEAR FREEMAN My ink hottie having
got thoroughly thawed out after our iong
freezing winter I will improve the time to
give YOU little retrospect of events rom
This land which has seemed so near Of
kin to the Arctic regions for the past few
months.
There is sign of relief from all sides
now that the croaking Of the frogs and
the singing of the birds proclaim that
the winter is actually over. For time 1t
has seemed as if Minnesota had seeded
from the temperate zone anu would here
after only be known IS a part Of the
famous polar country so difficult and dam
yerous to reach Roads were blockaded
everywhere Drifts were piled on drifts
Trains could not run and even the hardy
railroad men could not stand the cutting
winds to shovel out their trains. Blizzard
succeeded blizzard with scarcely time to
breathe between. They were regular
polar cylones. hurting the snow ike an
avalanche in horizontal direction. The
past has been winter long to be remem-
bered. The 'oldest nhabitant' coniesses
himself TO be outdone. For intenseness
and persistentency the past winter can
claim to be without 4 rival. The mercury
was from 20 10 45 degrees below zero for
weeks at a lime. and when 4 south wind
81 Il to -nln
little, instantly from The north came a
blast more piercing than any that had
preceded it. As one man said ne could
enjoy once IN l while n cold snap but he
didn't like TO have it snap all the time.
The first three or four winters l spent
in Minnesota l was disappointed. l
wanted 10 see one of The blizzards Of
which this country was famous, but my
wish was not granted. The winters then
we're lust good reasonablei kinds of winters.
nothing extraordinary in the line OF
storms or cold. Last winter, however,
gratified my curiosity in this direction
completely. am fully satisfied with the
Exhibition. I shall never doubt any
story about what Minnesota can do in this
line after this. But I hear Of no one
being frozen to death on the prairies.
Stock of all kinds have stood it we'll and
are coming out in usual good condition
this spring. Such body of snow as fell
last winter we expected would make
food in The spring, but it melted so grad
ualy that the streams are hardly full. l
expect those poor fellows along down the
Mississippi we're glad enough that the
snow from this country went off so slowly.
They had all they could attend to without
rush from this quarter
VI Seeding has already commenced.
Farmers will put N more Of other seed
n and less of wheat ths year rhan heretofore.
This las been the tendency for several
years past. AS he country grows older
wheat raising becomes less and less
profitable. 1t seems that only virgin
soil can produce the best results in wheat
The line of wheat growing IS constantly
moving west. But rs wheat becomes less
certain other crops become more so. The
introduction of creameries has stimulated
the dairy business and raising stock is
found to be, Notwithstanding our northern
latitude, q safe and profitable business.
Cows are worth now Just about double
what they were four years ago. Butter
brings a good price and so long as good
hay can be put up for $3.50 per ton,
though our winters may be long, keeping
cows and making butter cannot help but
be profitable. Corn and pork is demand
ing increased attention. Corn is found TO
be sure crop and he raising of it
demands no sucn outlay of capital for
harvesters. seeders and other machinery
as does The raising of wheat. Wool grow
ing is becoming more of q staple industry.
II would be still more so if it we're not for
the havoc made among he sheep by the
worthless dogs hat almost every farmer
is infatuated to have around him. Last
year we had 4 dog law which it was
hoped would do something towards reme-
dying the evil, but The owners Of these
atfectionate pets made such IN outcr7 that
the law has become 4 dead letter.
suppose it is useless 10 scold. People can
manage some way to get along without a
dog | have often been amused TO see
how much Inconvenience and annoyance a
person will put up with from a dog for
the very suall moiety of benefit he gets
out of him. A friend of mine has dog
of no earthly account except 10 make
night hideous by his bowling and he has
to keep aim chained because ne is so fierce
no stranger dares approach the house in
his pl essence, but my friend would take it
as a personal atfront if you should say
anything disrespectful of that dog. Passing
by The house of poor farmer not long
since, who can hardly lind bread for his
children, three large dogs came running
out with a fierceness that might have been
intended to intimidate 4 regiment of men.
had intended to make a friendly call on
this man, but when I saw so many dogs I
concluded he had all the company he
cared for and accordingly drove on. I
saw woman almost harassed to death
because her dog would follow her when
she went visiting or when she went to
meeting for he was always in mischief.
In reply to The question, of what Use is
your dogP "Oh," she says, "he keeps the
cows away from the door, Riding in a
railroad car, crowded to its utmost capac-
ity the other day noticed one seat mo-
nopolized by ladies' genteel lap dog.
The pressure was very great but it was
only upon he most solemn assurance that
the dog shoudn be disturbed that another
lady with little child was allowed TO sit
beside that precious dog. I have read
what Mark Twain has h; d 10 say about
the dogs of Constantiaople, but | beljeve