Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-04-19
Homo OpPoriuaiiies fer New England
EurnnSrs


The Manchester Mirror makes a vigorous
and timely protest against the tendency Of
New England farmers to go west" for ag
rcultural opportunities which are to be
found, if looked for. right at home. The
Mirror is convinced that half of the farmers
who have deserted New Hampshire, Maine
and Vermont during the last twenty five
years and gone west would have been bet
ter off-that is to say, would have made
more money and got 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 Minneso-
Ia. which have never been touched nv the
plow, or impoverished by cropping of any
kind The Mirror has especially in mind
the region OF upper Coos, concerning which
1t makes this highly suggestive aud interest
ing statement;
How many have an idea that the hill
towns of Coos are fertile beyond any to be
found in any other portion of the state :
How many know that beyond the Connect
tut and between that river and Canada
there is a single township containing TWEEN
ty-sx square miles, with a soil several feet
deep, free from stones. and capable Of pro
ducing enormous crops with little outlay of
labor or money Very few indeed The
tnwn of Pittsburg is entirely north of the
Connecticut river 1t contains more than
2u0, 900 acres, only 10 O0O of which are un-
der cultivation. What is known as the In
ian Stream country ON the western side
has been settled long time, aud there are
nowhere any finer farms or better farm
buildings or more evidences of agriculture
thrift and prosperity than can be found
here hut stretching north to the Canadi
AN line and east to the Connecticut lakes is
an immense territory Hs destitute of signs
# civilization as when it was the home Of
the Indian. a road runs near the river from
Stewartstown to the first lake, and alo z
this is tier of farms On some of them
are log houses about which are spread hold
ings of from one to two hundred acres in
closed in rail fences The soil is wonder
fully rich and productive. Five hundred
bushels of potatoes To the acre is not an un
usual crop, and the 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
primeval. The growth is hard wood and
spruce, and the former has thus far been
without value as it could not be hoated to
market IN the streams, and it has thus been
free to all who cared to cut it. All these
wild lands were sold by the state during
Governor Harriman's administration for
about 20 cents per acre. They are worth 80
times that now, owing to the spruce tim
Der that is scattered over them, but by
leaving this for the seller they can be
bought for low price, and when cleared will
grow more POTATOES hay, oats barley, and
wheat than half the lands in Wisconsin
Minnesota and Dakota, which are in the
same altitude, but are swarming with set
tiers, some of whom have gone from New
England as ignorant Of this Coos garden az
if were located III the wilds of Africa"
This is certainly highly attractive picture
of region whose agricultural possibilities
are little known, even to old New Englanders
There is good deal of force to the Mirror
suggestion that such opportunities should
be investigated before the youth who have
grown up on our New England farms go
west to seek a chance in life. The crops
which are raised in the New England states
have market value far greater than those
grown OH the western praries, because they
are nearer to good markets. II this region
answers to the Mirrors description of it,
it will certainly be surprising if New Hamp-
shire farmers, as that paper expresses it,
continue to 90 west and leave this land to
the bears and deer. The exertions which
Vermont is about to make to advertise the
agricultural possibilities of that state may
well be emulated in New Hampshire and
elsewhere in New England. -Deerfed Val
ley Times.