The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-01-02
THE ABANDONED FARMS OF NEw
HAMPSHItE.

HAMPSHIHE.
Mr.. N. J. Bdchelder, the Commission
er of Agriculture aud immigration,
sends me price list Of more than one
hundred abandoned farms in this state,
An accompanying note says that these
farms nave been reported by the select
men of the various towns to have fairly
comfortable buildings, and that they
comprise but a small part of the aban-
doned farms of the state, a full descrIp
tion of which win be given in forth
coming catalogue, IL the necessary facts
are reported by the owners. The COM
missioner observes that "in most in
stances these farms have rot been abin-
dOned because the soil has become ex'
hausted, or from the lack of natural fer
tility, but from various causes appear
ing IN The social and economic blstnry
OF the state. which will be more fully
discussed hereafter
This is an inleres ing and important
undertaking The law authorizes the
collection of neces 'ary Information In
regard 10 the opportunities for develop
ing the agricultural resources of the
state through immigration, and the
facts Obtained and The advantages
offered to immigrants are to be circu-
lated where the governor and council
may consider III for the best interest of
the statt. The. inqhHy and discussion
which will result cannot fail to be or
great interest and value, aud hope that
everybody will CO operate with Mr..
Bachelor in his purpose to make the in
yestigation as thorough as possible. AT
this stage | sub nit some notes OF OBJ
servatiOns made while living here during
the last ten years.
Some of the abandoned farms belong
to men who left them IN early life and
have established occupations and homes
elsewhere. There is nothing mysterious
or remarkable in their having remained
away; the point of Interest is in the
TACT that nobody has cared to buy and
work these farms, as many of them have
,ng beeu for sale on extremely easy
terms. Oue of the chiei reasons why
men who could have bought such farms
nave not done 80, is that they have pre-
erred to go west and take the chances
# b-ttering their condition there. l
nave seen many of them, in all the
regions from western Iowa and Mime
suta to the Pacific coast; most OF them
| WOIklUR udEutI bilAu hoNS
TO work here, and having a much poorer
ivIng, the life of the women long star
walton from homesICkDess and hunger
II mind and heart. But few OF these
-mIErants have grown rich, and they
ali leave their old homes in the hope OF
,eing among the few fortunate ones.
The conditions of soil and climate in
his state are such that farming will
yield living on most of the lana that
las been brought under cultivation, II
he farmer ana his family do all, or
,eArly ali, Of the work, and practice
reasonable economy. Some accumula-
ton would he pD slbIe, but the gain
you'd be slow. Some of the best farms
would admit of the employment of a
nired man during part of the year, at
east, if he would work faithfully and
ficiently for moderate wages, as III
.arller times; bur, IN general, the
farmer and his wife and children would
ave TO do nearly all the work. The re-
urn tor their tll, the prospect or out
d, ok for them, would be the possessiun
| II home of their own, with the same
steady hard work kept up till age unfit
them for it, when tney may hope to
ave laid by something for tie support
| f their later years.
Nuw the race of men and women who
| will 20 on thus toIllng patiently and
practicing small economies all their
ives for the sake of mere living, ls
very nearly extinct in this region, The
| young men and women will not stay
ere under such conditions they will
20 elsewhere for the chance of doing
better. Iilusion is an important ele-
ment in the life Of most Americans.
| We do not value security very highly
but prefer the possibility OF splendid
fortunes TO the certainty of moderate
gains. Usually the possibility is only i'm
| ,ginary, but the fascination of the game
lures young men on, and there is still
an element of inflitlon and romance in
the practical life of our country.
1t is also to be noted that the growth
of manufacturing industries has
Drought about great economical changes
In many irs'ances the former town
organization has been modified by the
development and dominance of the
manufacturing villages, with their pop
Ilation of OF eratives, often largely
fl ating or changing one, in the employ
| ( the proprietors of the mills; and 1t 10
,tten apparent that the farmers have
ss interest and prominence in town
fairs than they had under the old
rider Of things. One effect OF the
;hange is that the sense of the commu
nty, of common interest in the well
fare OF the town, has been to a consider
lie degree eliminated. There appears
be less of public spirit, and, at any
IL tphaf rnnaina ia nlSirlllTpn
mong so many citizens as formerly.
The truth is that the old New England
civIliz ilion and organization of society
las here mostly come to an end. 1t has
un its course, has completed its cyclr,
nd we are beginning again with new
nd very different materials. We have
lready large populations OF French
Canadians and other foreigners, and II
l- plain that for a long time to come
Ae shall have, in the principle commu-
nIies of this state, the civilization and
he intellectual and social lite which
bese people and the Roman Catholic
Church will produce under the new con-
itlons of life IN New England, The
farmers still stand by the churches OF
he earlier time. but the bond which
ney furmely supplied for the social life
aud public spirit of the towns has be
'Ome less vital and efficient with the de-
cliue of the rural population.
Many people here advise the encnur
agpment OF immigration from the north
f Europe; and have no doubt that
Swedes aud Norwegians could make
| wing on these abandoned farm be-
ause they would do more work and
.unsume less for their living than ma
i've New Englanders. and the value OF
axsble property and the volume OF
business in the towns would be in
creased. But the gain would be tenn
uorary. II the new inhabitants send
heir children to our schools we shall
Don Americanize them TO such degree
hat they will not stay on the hills, and
twenty or twenty-five years the
arms will be more abandoned than they
IRE now. think there can be no per-
manent restoration of farming in thl'
ate without some considerable changes
the methods OF it, and in the thought
md methods Of life of our people; and
beginnings in such things are apt to be
d Aicult.
Natural conditions are favorable for
tJck-raising' and many Of our leading
ilzans have done much to promote the
general welfare by improving the char
,cter of farm animals. The state is
| .d.n,ad in n macmillan dpuraa tn the