The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-11-06
Boarding ArOund---NO. ,.
AMONG THE GOOD FARMERS OF PoMFREI

On the crest of the ridge between the
White river and Ottaquechee stands the
old town house of the good old town of
Pomfret. Here we found assembled on the
:ilSt of October not only most of the lead
ing farmers of that town, but many also
from the adjoining towns of Woodstock,
Hartland and other places. 1t was the
Harvest Meeting of the Pomfret Farmers
Club, and all hands came-men, women
and children. When we arrived, just after
noon, the crowd was partaking of "A free
dinner in the town house hall. There was
lively running of walters, a Gathering of
dishes and an active working of three hun
bred pairs of Jaws. The food was abund-
ant, plain and good. At one table there
were a score or so of two to three year-old
babies nicely fixed mp for baby show, but
thu committee did not dare to decide which
was prettiest. The chairman said that his life
insurance policy had ust run out. The
children were all bright, pretty and active,
and bid fair to keep up the reputation of
this good old town that has produced hum
dreds of the best farmers of the state; also
twenty-five clergymen, thirteen lawyers,
twenty-five physicians, three editors, many
teachers and fifteen commissioned officers
in the late war We were sorry to miss the
forenoon eXercises-an address by Edwin
Allen, president of the club. and another,
" What Do Not Know about Farming" by
the genial gentleman from Pomfret " in
1885 Henry Brockway. We can give no
report of these, but know from the char
acter of the men the subjects were well
treated
After the dinner and a social hour the
meeting was called to order by Mr.. Allen,
one of the best presiding officers have met
in the state Rev. b. Nj. Tillotson of
Woodstock gave brief but pleasant and
instructive address on THE Social Benefits
of these Meetings" He illustrated how
the social element runs through all created
things by the tlocks of birds, the schools of
fish and the herds of animals, and urged farm
ers not TO forsake the assembling of them
selves together and to be sure to bring their
wives and children with them. After this
came miscellaneous papers, read by Mrs.
+. T.. Lamberton and Mrs. f. l.. DAVIS.
Many OF these were sensible spicy and hui
morous, and the reading was excellent.
Then came the address of William Chaplin
of MiddleseX on Vermont Farmers" He
gave a short sketch of some of the early
Vermont farmers-Ethan Allen, Seth War
ner, Remember Baker, Jonas Gausha,
Thomas Chittenden, Ezra Butler, Samuel
G. Crafts and others of Nermout's early
day. He compared their faith, energy and
pluck with that of farmers of to-day, and
pointed out some of the causes, conse-
quences and remedies of the evils that sur
round the farmer class. This address was
| listened to with perfect attention, but
whether the frequent and hearty applause
was due TO the speaker or TO three-Year-
old girl that was dancing on the stage just
| back of him is what we are in doubt about.
AT five o'clock p. NJ. free supper was
| given to all who could stay. did not eat
so much as at noon, because, you see, !
| could not; but heard one minister remark
| that il he felt we'll he "should eat enough
to last him week" (He was not Pom
| fret mani Lots of music was had in the
! intermissions and between exercises and
good music, too-under the direction of a
grand leader, o. M. Tinkham, ESD yeo-
man. In the evening Hon, T., M. Goodwin
of Hartland read "A paper on Keeping
| Poultry for Profit" He dwelt mainly ON
the profit from eggs, recommending the
Leghorn and Plymouth Rocks as good
laying breeds. He presented itemized ne
counts which showed clear profit of al
most 500 ON fifty hens in two years
Washington county takes some pride IN
Goodwin, and we are glad he is "a dom
we'll" Some discussion was had as to the
cause and remedy for "gapes " in chickens
1t was finally settled by Mr.. Tinkham, wht
said gapes were caused by a worm in the
windppe. The worms name il Strdnguld
rius Gelorius, as nearly as | can spell IL
and remedy, kill the chicken and take out
the worm. The Board of Agriculture be-
ing called on, said it did not know anything
about gapes-the chickens did not cape
when they were "a talkin' TO EN-" More
debate was had on the question of whether