The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-12-26
Boarding ROund---NO. ,.
EAST FAIRFIELD.

Starting out in the mud and rain on
Monday, the 18th, and by zig-zagging
over three lines of railroads, we found
the board at eight p. NJ. snugly located
at the Isham House, in the little village
of East Fairfield, Franklin county. 1t
takes a pretty bright man to keep a
hotel, and | wish to acknowledge right
here our obligations to those able and
experienced landlords. Messrs. Barrett
of Waterbury, lsham of East Fairfield
and Pike Of johnson, for excellent ac-
commodations at very reasonable
price. Tuesday morning opened dull,
snowy and sloshy; meeting "A little thin
and cold at its first session. Rodney
Sturteyant was chosen chairman and
made rare good one. The welcome
was given by |. n. Chase, ESQ, a
young lawyer who was bred on a farm
and wished he was back there again
His address was an able one and well
prepared. Mr.. II. G.. Smith of Pitts
ford then read his paper on " Farms
and Farmers" very comprehensive
/ topic. The lateness of the opening
hour did not leave much time for dis
cussing this paper. Previous to adj
journment Mr.. Chaplin said he should
talk in the afternoon on maple sugar,
and if that was not sweet enough
would talk strawberries and cream.
He wanted to see more people out, es-
pecially the women. The afternoon
audience was larger and the hall
warmer, but it was an easy place to
take cold in all the way through-and
most of the board men brought away
large cold without paying for it.
Mr.. Chapin's "Forestrv and Maple
Sugar. was about the same as that
printed in the last report, only that this
year he talks it with his mouth instead
of reading it and gets in many varia-
tons. This subject was thoroughly
questioned and discussed by Judge
Leach, Lyman Newton, Perry Chase,
II. ii. Scott, Mr.. Wells (he chairman)
and many others whose names | failed
to note. This appears to be great
reproducing region-and so is La
noble county-and the people seem to
think it one of the best-paying indus
tries. The greatest hindrance to max
ing choice, nice white sugar is in the
fact that many of the buyers for west
ern trade will give about as much for
dirty, black, strong sugar as for good.
1t is said the strong, dark stuff will
flavor and color more glucose and adul-
terated denominations. Fudge, brother
farmers, don't make blackstrap! Make
your sugar pure as the morning dews
of heaven and white as the driven snow,
if you can. Educate better taste and
better class of customers, and let the
adulterers 90 to the bottomless pit,
where they belong.
The evening session opened with
sweet music by the village choir. Mrs.
n. A. Sturtevant then read a paper
on the old, old question, Is Farm
ing Protitable?" which was a we'll
written essay. No extract can do JUS
tice to the nice things that the women
say, so will make none, but will hum
woman, if you love it and will patiently
and earnestly perform, all and singular,
the many duties of farm-life, with
cheerful spirit, farming is profitable"
having the promise of the life that
now is" etc. 1t is the other kind of
farming that doesn't pay.
M. w. Davis then took up that veXed
and veXing question, Hired Labor on
the Farm" which he handled with the
vigor and skill of veteran. He urged CO.
operation, more and better machinery,
ETC., to lessen the amount of labor re-
quired on our farms-more system, bet
ter management and better class of
laborers. His lecture was well received
and sharp questions and quick replies
filled up the evening hour. This de-
batting often brings out the very truth
we are looking for. Somebody hits on
the right idea.
Wednesday morning Mr.. l.. w. New
ton of East Fairfield read a paper
on " Buying Feed for Stock" in which
he gave statistics as to the amount
of feed bought outside the state, and
urged the farmers to raise more grain
and better grass, to feed apples and
roots and to buy less foreign feed. Next,
Mr.. Winslow of the board gave a sound
and sensible address on horses. He
claimed that the Morgan is the typical
Vermont horse, and that with crossing
with the Hamiltonians we get a little
more size; that by improving the stock
we now have Vermont can furnish the
best carriage horses in the world. He
would have horses of 1000 to 200
pounds weight, short-limbed, arched-
necked, fine head, close-ribbed, active,
enduring, docile, etc., etc. In short,