Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-08-28

From the Boston Transcript
The farms of the older States were
hewn out of the forest before the more
productive lands of the West were known.
The early settlers here anticipated the sub
division of their lands among their des-
cendants. They planned largely for the
future, and cleared extensive farms. Their
foresight was wise when Judged by the
circumstances of the time. But the set
tlement of the West has wrought changes
surprising to us, undreamed of by our
fathers. This settlement has made the
heaviest drain upon the farming popula-
ton of New England. 1t has, at the same
time, completely changed the conditions
of farming here. 1t has cheapened the
values of farm products and enhanced the
prices of labor. The profits have gone
IN the one direction or the other. The
present holders of the farms find them
selves with more acres on their hands than
they can till. 1t is found that profitable
farming requires that the soil be put in II
state of productiveness equal to that of the
West. 1t Is not altogether Il question a.
to whether this can he done at II profit or
a loss. If it were easily practicable, it is
by no means certain that it would he desi-
rable. The general public has large inter
csts at stake on this point Much
of the soil of New England can he made
rs productive rs that of the West but
for this we must pay, over and above the
cost of labor and fertilizers applied, Just
what the West has always had to Pay for
its fertility-Hn annual stipend of disease,
The pure air of our hills would be tainted
and vltiated the springs and streams
would be corrupted The appearance OF
malaria where tobacco is cultivated along
the Connecticut and other streams shows
what sort of IA curse follows close upon
high farming. Many an euterprsng
farmer makes his fields an offence to his
ncighbOrs and to the casual passer-by, and
thinks himself entitled to credit for this.
He who makes two blades of grass grow
where but one grew before does well
where that was the proper thing to be done
but wherever this involves any risk to the
health of himself or others. the one who
rcfrains from cultiVating the extra blade
of grass does the better.
The question remains, What shall he
done with the acres of cleared land which
can no longer he titled The farms can
not he divided, and portions Of them sold
for there are no purchasers TO be found
The giving up of the harder, the poorer
and the rougher fields and pastures to the
growth of wood and timber ought now t.
be encouraged as good huSbandry. II
causes regret to see how much OF Labor
is lost. Many of the best WOodlOtS of New
England are fenced with substantial wall,
of stone. These walls were built abou
cultivated fields to protect very ditlcrcu
crops from this indeed, the trees requir,
no protection. The builders were shreWd
tar-seeing, practical men, but they Coult
not fOrcsee the competition which chcal
and rapid transportation was to bring. |
the men of that generation were living to
day, they would he quick to note TN
changed conditions under which their call
ing must be followed and would relin
uuish to Nature the lands which they coul'