The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-03-31

From what other class of men have so
many been drawn to furnish the brain
aud culture of our State? How many
generations back shall any man of local
or national reputation in any or all call
ings, where influence or brain are the
standard of superiority, go without COM
ing to the farm? What calling on earth
could stand this steady drain upon 1t
without ruin but that of the farmers?
What class in the world but the farmers
have so many men that are by nature
fitted to step into any position of respon-
sibility or trust, and honor the office?
The yoemanry of the State of Vermont
always will be the strength, the
sinew and the power of the State.
The farmers alone stand the brunt of
taxation. They, single-handed and
loyal, fight against trusts and cOmbina-
tions against their products. They alone
are the prey of produce gamblers and
spectators, and still sturdy and strong,
support the government and pay hun
bred cents on the dollar.
The farmers of the Champlain valley,
including portion of Chittenden and
Rutland counties are situated differ
emily from those of almost any other sec
ton of country in New England, and |
responsible for their condition as the
combination of circumstances entirely
beyond their control.
This section, as has been truly said, is
naturally the garden of Vermont, and,
under the old system of farming, made
its inhabitants the wealthiest in the
State. | have heard of the time when
Addison county pastures were filled with
cattle awaiting transportation to market
or for home slaughter. have been told
often, how Jack Simonds secured the
county for beef cattle, and paid the
farmers good prices. Those were the
DAYS when the farmers could feed their
cattle at stacks and fatten them ON grass
| in summer, and make money; but that
business is all swept away.
lean remember when the farmers of
Addison and Rutland counties crowded
their pastures with sheep, and fed every
ton of hay raised, and could Sell every
pound of wool for from 80 to 30 cents a
pound, but that business, too, is all
swept away. | can remember when
Addison and part of Rutland counties
were the source of supply of Merlno
sheep for all the West and Southwest,
and at large prices. That, too, is past,
and to day the Addison county farmers
|
having their business and means of liveli-
hood all swept away fl ON them, but, are
/ believe, in position, to rise, Phoenix
like, from the ruin and establish new
system of agriculture, with new source
of wealth, but in an entirely different
line from the old.
1t must necessarily come slowly, but
believe it will eventually come in "a new
| system of dairying The change from
sheep-raising and beef pr dnction is 50
radical that it will take time to get
started but as the rest of the State has
been SO long time engaged in it, there
need be but few mistakes made There
are to-day diaries in Addison county that
claim to be making money; there are al
so creameries springing up III different
sections, and believe when this branch
of business is fairly introduced into this
country the problem will solve itself.
think the farmers would find it to theil
advantage to establish creameries which
shall be adapted to the manufacture OF
both butter and cheese, and run then
through the whole year. This would
enable them to manufacture cheese
through the hot weather, and butter
during spring, fall and winter. This
would give the dairy farmer steady
business, which would yield him steady
income, il would encourage his having
warmer barns, better cows with bette
care; it would also give employmenG t.
his hired help in winter, thereby allow
ing him to hire the better portion of his
help by the year at reduced wages, al
advantage to both employer and EN-
plOyed.
Iwould advise farmers to look int
this method of farming, and see if i
does not offer inducements to give 1t
trial. | think the future of Addison
county will be, smaller farms, stocked
with better cows, housed in comfortable
barns, consuming the entire product o.
the farm and enrlching their owners
not by large and rapid sales, but b!
more steady income of industrious ant
, intelligent labor.
do not by this wish to preclude TIL
, keeping of sheep and horses as an ad
junct to the farm, when desired.