The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-06-17
Editorial NOtings.

If we were an agricultural college
professor of horticulture, we should be
glad of an opportunity to show our class
an impressive object lesson now visible
in section of our new orchard, which
was put out last fall. All the trees are
from our own nurseries except two
which were sent to us for trial from an
excellent nursery in central New York.
They are of the same age and size as
our own; were set out as soon as re-
ceived, and in the same week that our
own were. They were just as good trees
in every way but one-the roots were
less than half as long. They were out
of the ground probably three or four
days longer than ours, but as they were
carefully packed, and came out moist
and fresh, this did not make much diff
ference. There were abundant soak
ing rains Immediately after setting,
and afterwards, until the ground was
closed by frost AT this date, May %,
the buds on the New York trees are
Just breaking, while our own trees have
made an average growth of two inches.
The above statement is not an adj
vertisement of our own trees, for we
expect TO plant every tree we have
growing in our nurseries that is not
already sold or engaged. Were this
not the fact, we would not allude to
the matter here at all. We are prac-
tically out of both the seed and the
nursery business - growing neither
seeds nor trees, except under contract
with dealers. We therefore feel free
to draw this lesson for the benefit of
our readers. The New York trees re-
ferred to are of a new variety which
we were anxious to obtain and which
we only could obtain, under pledge
not to propagate from them for sale.
If there was any difference in planting,
or care, it was in their favor; and we
know of no way to account for such
late and feeble starting into growth,
other than the difference in the roots.
SEVERAL times we have referred in
these columns to the farmer governor
of Georgia, Mr.. Northen, as a genuine
and excellent example of the farmer
in office. The Ne,c York Evening Post
(Which seems to be almost alone
amongst city papers in showing an in
terest in and fair acquaintance with
the condition of the farming INTEREST,"
prints the following editorial reference
to Governor Northen, in connection
with the general complaint of good
farm help, and an exodus of farmers
from the farms
There is complaint in the South, as well
as in the North, that farmers are deserving
the rural districts and pressing into the
towns. The views of Governor Northen
upon this subject are of interest He admits
the existence of such a tendency, but thinks
that it is produced by temporary causes, and
can be overcome. "That's DUE" he says,
to several things which, when they are put
right, you will see the people who are now
flocking to the towns going back to their
farms, and they will be glad to get back,
and farms and farming will be at pre-
MUM" The most important element in the
case, in his view, is the fact that people
are not going to live in this day where they
are denied the advantages of civilized life -
in other words, where they can not educate
their children, but must raise them as
heathens. Upon this point he says: They
will sell out at any cost, as they are now
doing, and go off to the towns. Our theory
in Georgia has been that educational advan-
tages could not be practically secured for
many rural districts for the lack of popula-
ton. Now, the very reverse is true. We
can never have the population until we have
the schools. Here is land, for example,
which goes begging at So per acre. There
is no inducement for families to move into
that section, and hence there's no demand
for the land. Put a good school there, i'm
prove the roads and the agricultural meth
DDS, bring in new industries and after a
little the land that could not be sold at So
an acre will bring S15 or $50. What has
done it? You have made it to the interest
of the people to come in, and they come"
There could be no more striking evil
dence of the hold which popular educa-
ton has already secured upon the pro-
gressive men of the South than the
preaching of such doctrine by the gov
ernor of Georgia.
IN our part of New England there
has never been much difficulty in get
ting a sufliciency of good farm help,
though the high rates of wages in
southern New England are not without
effect, even in northern Vermont. AS
to abandoned farms, they are much
fewer in our section than farther south,
near the Massachusetts border, and
along the mountains. Our county is
situated in the "Y" of the Green