Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-11-30
1ERMoNT'S FERTILITY
HER HIGH RANK AMONG ALL THE
STATES.
some In.,rue,i,s Comparative Figures.


HOW VERMONT STANDS WITH REFERENCE TO
THE PRODUCTIONS or LIVE STOCK, OF DAIRY
PRODUCTS, OF HAY, AND FOREST PRODUCTS.
Contributed by NJ. o. Howe OF Newfane TO the
Burlington Free Press
More than 20 years ago the writer made
what was designed to be pretty thorough
examination of the statistics of agricutur-
al production in Vermont in comparison
with other eastern states and with the most
fertile states Of the West. The result of
the comparison was surprisingly favorable
to Vermont The article containing these
statistics and comparisons was published at
the time in the New York Tribune and cop
led into nearly all the papers Of this state
Another similar article, based mainly on
the census of 1870, may be found in the re-
port of the Vermont board Of agriculture
for 1876, pages j3354S The facts and
figures there given make wonderfully ia
vorable showing for this state in every
thing except the ratio of increase in popu
lation, in which Vermont was then near the
foot. For the last census decade, or for
the period between 1870 and 1880. Yer
mont was in this respect at the very foot
of all the states, making an increase in
population of only one half of one per
cent No one not familiar with the facts
would believe that the state which is proved
beyond question by statistics of production,
for the last 30 years, to be one of the best
agricultural states in the Union, and which
is on all accounts so desirable part of the
country for rural homes is the state which
ranks lowest of all in the ratio of increase
in population
Had Vermont made a gain equal to the
average gain in the United States, the in
crease of its population in the 10 years
from 1870 to 1880 would have been nearly
| 100, 000 Of A. states and territories only
three gained less than 1915 per cent. New
Hampshire gained 8 per cent, Maine 80
per cent, and Vermont 0.5 per cent Had
| Vermont gained as much as the 44th in the
rank of the states and territories in in
crease Of population, $4,000 would have
| been added TO our numbers during the last
census decade
The greatest present want of this state
is people to occupy it and develop its re
sources. There is no good reason that the
increase of population in Vermont should
not be at least as much as the average in
crease in the United States, or % or 30 per
cent for every 10 years. If the state of
Vermont with soil, climate and people un-
changed, with everything in it just as it is,
was placed 800 miles west of the Mississippi
1t would have a population of more than
half million within the next 10 years.
We cannot move the state beyond the
| Mississippi where its merits would at once
become known and attract immigrants, but
the public can be shown that Vermont has
advantages for those seeking rural homes
that do not and cannot exist on the great
plains of the West. 1t can also be shown
that here are better openings for manufac-
turing enterprises than can be found in
most of the states.
Dairying is acknowledged to be one of
the most profitable branches of general
farming. 1t will be seen from the stats
tics which follow how Vermont stands as
dairyng state. The census gives the num-
Der of persons in each state engaged in az
ricultural occupations the number of acres
! in farms the number of each kind of live
stock the value of live stock the prod
ucts of the farms and the total value of
all the products. From these statistics as
found in the reports of the census of 1880,
| have computed the following tables
The number of mich cows average to each