Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1889-02-22

American makes a vigorous and
timely protest against the tendency
| of New England farmers to ego
West" for agricultural opportunities
which are to be found, if looked for,
right at home. The Mirror is con
WINGED that half the farmers who
have deserted New Hampshire,
Maine and Vermont during the last
twenty-five years and gone West
would have been better off-that
is to say, would have made more
money and got a great deal more
out of life if they had remained at
home. The Mirror declares that a
days ride will carry one to broad
sections as fertile and easily titled
and productive, and in every way
as inviting, as Northern Wisconsin
or Minnesota, which have never
been touched by the pillow, or impov-
erished by cropping of any kind.
The Mirror has especially in mind
the region of Upper Coos, concern
ing which it makes this highly sug-
gestive and interesting statement:
GLOW many have any idea that the
| hill towns of Coos are fertile beyond
any to he found in any other portion
of the State? How many know that
beyond the Connecticut and between
that river and Canada there is II
single township containing twenty'six
square miles, with IL soil several feet
deep, free from stones, and capable of
producing enormous crops with little
outlay of labor or money? Very few
| indeed. The town of Pittsburg is
entirely north of the Connecticut
| River. 1t contains more than 200, 900
acres, only $4,000 of which are under
cultivation. What is known as the
Indian Stream country on the west
ern side has been settled a long time,
and there are nowhere any finer farms
or better farm buildings or more evil
dences of agricultural thrift and pros
perity than can be found there; but
stretching north to the Canadian line
and east to the Connecticut lakes is
an immense territory as destitute of
signs Of civilization as when it was the
home of the Indian. a road runs
near the river from Stewartstown to
the first lake, and along this is a tier
of farms. On some of them are log
houses about which are spread hold
ings of from one to two hundred acres
/ inclosed in rail fences. The soil is
wonderfully rich and productive.
Five hundred bushels of potatoes to
the acre is not an unusual crop, and
grass that will not yield two tons to
the acre is considered hardly worth
cutting. There are plenty of stumps,
| but no stones. Above these clearings
to the north and east of the three
lakes all is an unbroken, wilderness.
Here is the forest prineVal. The
| growth is hard wood and spruce, and
the former has thus far been without
value as it could not be fOated to
market in streams, and it has been
| free to all that cared to cut it. All
these wild lands were sold by the State
during Gov. lIarriman's administra,
ton for about 90 cents per acre. They
are worth 80 times that now, owing to
the spruce timber that is scattered
over them, but by leaving this for the
seller they can be bought for small
price, and when cleared will grow
more potatoes, hay, oats, barley and
wheat than half the. lands in Wiscon-
sin, Minnesota and Dakota, which are
in the same altitude. but are swarm
ing with settlers, some of whom have
gone from New England as ignorant
of this Coos garden as if it were located
in the wilds of Africa"
This certainly is highly attract
i've picture Of region whose agri-
cultural possibilities are little
known, even to old New England
ers. There is q good deal of force
to the Mirrors suggestion that such
opportunities should be investigated
before the youth who have grown
up on our New England farms 90
West to seek chance in life. The
crops which are raised in the New
England States have market value
far greater than those grown on the
Western prairies, for they are near
er to good markets. If this region
answers to the Mirrors description
of it, it will certainly be surprising
if New Hampshire farmers, as thai
paper expresses 1t, continue to &C
West and leave this land to the
bears and deer. The exertion.
which Vermont is about to make tc
advertise the agricultural possibili
ties of that State may well be emu
lated in New Hampshire and else
where in New England.-Bostor
journal.
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.