The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1890-07-31
Aerilnltnrr.


To rs. Individually, IL Is the deprivation
oil long and much loved friend. eyti
ready with hind word aud helpiog band
10 everymessure for the adsAncrmeutof tbs
agricultural interests Of the s,sie, 81 Ne~
Engisnd, and Of The whole renntry M
yermoni farmer was more widely known,
none was more highly esteemed ~hsr
known.
Francis Drloas Dousias was born Aug
81. 1898, in Cornwall. VI. He was th,
youngest son and child OF fourteen born
10 Colonel Bcnsjsh Douglas. who did mo-
live 10 welcome this son into the world,
Educated in the common schools q
Bran don. and At Csstieion Semieary. Mr.
Douglas at first proposed to tit himself fol
the legal profession. but weakened sigh
made il necessary for him 10 abandon thi,
purpose. la 1855 be married Miss Char
lo,te @. Flower, and In the succeeding
year began life as . farmer in the town o.
Shoreham. An intelligent thinker. be was
early 9 writer on agriculture aud on other
subjacts Of public interest. A series oil
articles 10 the Middlebnry Register upon
the subject Of Usury. written Ia 1869. Ars,
attracted general notice. These articles
ELECTED the attention OF James NJ. SIsde,
Jr., s. d. Rockwell and others. Who attack.
ed his position on the subject. but 10 the
opinion Of most OF his readers Mr.. Doug
las made it good against oil corners.
He was among those enterprising farm
ers Of his time snd location who became
deeply interested in developing the quail
ties OF the Meriuo sheep. aud bred, among
other notable animals. the ram Monitor.
which took the second prizs at the world 's
show of Meriuos at Rutland. early in the
COS. For this ram he was tf.red ~ 900.
In 1866 be removed TO Whiting, where
he acquired beautiful estate OF 1856 acres
ia the Otter Creek valley. known Ms "Riv'
erside Fam" on which he remained for
the rest of his life. Here be established O
herd OF dairy cows, aud devoted himself To
butter dairyipg. in which lie soon became
a leader in intelligent experimentation. II
was soon after this removal that, as the
editor OF the Vermont Farmer. and co
member OF the Board OF Agriculture, we
first made Mr. Douglas acquaintance, and
had the pleasure OF visiting him at bis
farm. He was pioneer 10 the deep set
ting OF milk for cream; and there can be
no doubt that bis example and his ins,ruc.
tions, as given in the addresses on the sub
iect which, as member OF the Board oil
Agriculture, be made in all parts Of the
state, led to the general adoption OF this
method OF handling milk for butter. All
the notifications thereof. including the
Moseley the Wooster and the Cooley, were
brought out very soon after. The big.psn
method, which had just before been much
advertised and widely adopted, was soon
discarded for deep setting in ice.water, a.
advocated by Mr. Douglas. and e1empli.
fed in his daily practice in advance Of all
these notifications.
| Mr. Douglas experienced with cans OF
pals Of varying depth, from six TO twenty.
inches. For these experiments be had the
watts and pals made which be has used
continuously since. extending over period
OF iwcnty three years. During that time
he had his noted trial contest with the
Cooley system. in which Mr.. Douglas dem
onstrsted slight superiority.
During oil the succeeding time. up to
the last winter, Mr.. Douglas has been 10
demand as a speaker at dairy meetings in
ali the New England States. as we'll as 10
New York. In 1885 be was elected presi
dent OF the United States Agricultural As
ISOLATION, at the sessions OF which be fou I
times represented the Vermont Dairy men's
Association az its delegate. At home his
popularity was demonstrated by his being
called to occupy ell the town Offices, 10 cd.
dition to that OF representative in the leg
islature.
| Mr.. Douglas first wife died November
10, 1873 January IS, 1876. he married
Mary A. Rustegue. who survives him. His
only child is son by his first wife. Frank
NJ Douglas. young man Of fne abilitie
and excellent character.
10 this brief and hurried sketch we have
gathered together only a few leading facts
in the life Of typical. and we feel jnsti
fed in saying, model Vermont farmer -
a man not satisfied merely TO advance his
own personsl interest. but one eager to
promote improvement, and the consequent
welfare Of the community 10 which be liv
3D. Throughout New England he bus lat.
ored successfully in developing aud pro
noting the great dairy interest. vi,hou
the least selfish motive. ond. indeed, at
the sacrifice OF much valuable time. he
was man Of fine personal appearance. >
plain but clear speaker, who labored sue
cessiully 10 the instruction Of his bearers,
aud who at once won their confidence by
the thorough practically Of bis teachings
Though few have followed his exact meth.
DDS. the whole country has accepted the
principles upon which they we're based.
Mr.. Douglas enjoyed apparently good
health until the past suiumn, whtn the
evidence Of serious liver disease appeared.
He was able to attend aud partly preside
over the Dairymen's meeting 1t Rutland.
whence he returned TO his home, which
thereafter he did not leave being most Of
the time confined TO his room. or bis bed
uutil the end. Ills name will be writ, n
In the Inst Of Vermont's most useful eli
zeDs. aud his memory will live long among
those who have protited by Li. teachings
DIR. Hoskins In Waterman.