Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-09-26

western states a similar movement has gone
on The difference is that in that section
there were others ready to buy the lands VI
those who moved on, while with us there
was no tide Of immigration to keep the
/ population good One reason why western
| lands were formerly so attractive was that
| they needed no fertilizers, but now that
state Of things is gone by, aud western
| lands must be fed and kept in heart Just
| like those Of the East
The commissioner rehearses the facts al.
ready made familiar to the readers Of The
Phoenix, that Vermont stands at the head
rs dairy state, her annual product Of 80,
00O, 600 pounds Of butter averaging more
per COW and more per farmer aud per farm
than any other state She leads in the pro
duction Of maple sugar, aud her II, 600, 600
pounds annually could easily be increased
to go, 600, 600
Her prestige as a horse growing state is
being recovered Her poultry interests are
of larger Importance than is commonly re
allied. Not less than 30, GOO turkeys are
sold from our farms each year The sales
from hens eggs aggregate 2jO, 900 dozen.
The amount of all poultry sold annually is
over ., 800, 600 pounds, exceeding the states
product of wool in pounds
Cereals and other products are raised
with success. As many bushels of corn,
wheat, oats, rye and barley are produced
in Vermont, per acre as in the western
states, and the prices received per bushel
are very much greater Corn in Nebraska
seldom exceeds 20 cents per bushel, while
here it is seldom less than 60 cents.
From this point the commissioner goes
on to give in detail the history Of the move
ment to bring colonies Of Swedes to Yer
mont to settle on our abandoned lands
With this history our readers are familiar
because it has been given in full in our col
umns, as the several events occurred The
Swedes were chosen because wide observa.
ton had convinced Mr. Valentine of their
native honesty, and of their prudent, thrifty
ways. The total number brought over
as the result of Mr. Nordgreu's mission to
his native country was 50, only - being
women, the young men for the most part
leaving their wives in Sweden to be sent
for in the future. The party was divided
into three colonies, seven families going
to Wilmington in this county, 10 TO IVES
ton in Windsor county and the balance to
Vershire
The colony at Wilmington has been
success from the start. f. L. Wheeler and
II. Mann, jr,, have spent much time in max.
ing the new Corners contented and have
furnished them all the work they have
wished to do outside their own farms The
Weston colony has also been successful,
though we Judge the native residents have
not shown as cordial aud helpful an inter.
est as was the case at Wilmington. The
Nershire colonists did not remain long there
because there was no work for them to do
outside their farms to enable them to earn
ready money. Most of the members of
that colony went on their own account, in
an independent, self reliant way to Essex
county, where they are not lost to the state,
but have bought lands aud are establishing
homes for themselves Taken all in all. it
is evident that Mr. Valentine looks upon
this colonization experiment as furnishing
great hopes for the future for the rehabili-
tation of our Vermont farming interests.
In view of the extravagaut statements
which have been made of the cost of Mr..
Valentines work for the state, it is Of in
terest to quote his declaration that the total
cost of the bureau for two years does not
exceed $4,000, and of this sum not more
than one third can be charged as the cost
of the establishment of the Swedish colonies
In spite of the uniavorabe criticisms
which have been made of the commissioners
course in putting before the world the facts
about Nermont's abandoned" farms. it is
evident that much good has resulted from
the advertisement thus given these lands
In several cases unoccupied farms have
been sold the direct result Of this course.
In this county Wilmington, Grafton and
Jamaica are cited as towns where such farms
commissioner says
1t may not be Inappropriate to here
mention the fact that the last reports from
the listers showed an asking price for farm
ing lands of from 81 to 50 more per acre
than in the earlier reports Taking the
lowest figure AS basis, the people evident
ly think themselves Sl9, OOO, 900 richer than
when the first circulars aud blanks were is
sued. -
Space does not permit us to refer to Mr..
Valentines observations upon the manu-
featuring interests of the state, or to speak
in detail Of the CONCLUSIONS which he
reaches as the result of his work. Thi,
hasty summary will show, however, that
the report is one Of great interest and sug
gestiveness; and We wish opportunity might
be given for it to he read by every intclli
Gent Thinking man In thn slnte