Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-06-28

nave BOOu IGdSOuS lOI DGllGNluS GIdG Lle
Water Company is, and always has been,
ready and willing to meet the village or
its committee half way, and in a future
issue we shall give the reasons for this
belief.
Hon. William 3. Arnold, Farmer.
In recent years much has been written
and said about farmers and farming.
Particularly has the Improbable and
undesirable side of the farmers life been
dwelt upon, until there is a general feel
ing and belief that to be farmer is to
be in the last ditch.
This is in large part due to the farm
ers themselves. Especially to that class
of farmers who like to ''bottom chairs"
better than they like to hoe corn. 1t
may have grown out Of the fact that the
cash value of farms in the East has
changed much in the last twenty-five
years. In the initiation days immedi-
ately following the war, 'farmsS were
rated at all kinds of fictitious prices.
When matters settled generally the
price of farm land went down and the
farmer who had called his farm worth
$4,000, coming to realize that it would
not bring $1,000, promptly went into
mourning for his losses. The farm to-
day, however, will raise as much hay
and grain, and as many potatoes and
keep as much stock as it ever would.
1t is not so much what the farm will sell
for in the market as what it will produce
that settles the question of its value to the
farmer. Really then, the farmers loss is
largely an imaginary one, but the con-
ditions mentioned have done much to
make of the farmers dissatisfied class.
1t is refreshing to find exceptions.
is one such. Mr.. Arnolds farm is in the
town of POwnal on the south slope of
Mount Anthony, and is reached from
Bennington by the mountain road lead
ing from this place to Pownal. We re-
Gently took a ride over this road and an
accidental interview with Mr.. Arnold de-
cided us to print this sketch. 1t seems
to us that it contains points of es.
pecial interest and value to all who
know to what extent the welfare of our
country depends upon the contentment
and success of the farm population.
The ride from here to Mr.. Arnold S
farm is an enchantingly beautiful one.
AS you wind slowly hound the noun.
tain the view up and down the Walloom-
sac valley is beyond description. To the
east beyond the valley is the great slope
of the green mountains with the dark
fringed crest marking a sharp outline
against the sky. That immense noun
tain slope, covered with its luxuriant
dress of green, presents an example of
landscape beauty combined with grace.
full sweep and curve and eXpanse and
mountain grandeur unsurpassed. AS
you reach the summit, mile this side
of Arnolds, you see down into the Hoo,
sick valley, and away beyond the famous
Berkshire Hills with old Greylock and
his Massachusetts, companions in the
distance. Miles away on the mountain
side you see the Bailey clearing, where
Vermont and Massachusetts corner
against New York, thus giving one q
clear view of three states.
Before you in the valleys are numer.
GUS little urban centers, among them
Williamstown and the city of North Ad,
ans. Every hamlet and city is embow.
cred in trees above which nothing rises
save the church spires and the music oil
their bells. From his doorway, sur
rounded by his fertile acres, Mr.. Arnold
has looked out upon these scenes fol-
thirty-seven years. He came there al
the age Of 30 in 1858 and by life Of
pluck and energy he has made the will
derness blossom as the rose. Mr.. ar
nold's farm consists of 270 acres ALI bu
20 acres of which are under cultivation
The soil is an argillaceous loan will
sand to the east and limestone on thu
lower slopes. 1t is first of all grazing
land, but is adapted to the production o
of all crops that belong to these ATTITUDES
The farm is divided into fields of vary
ing sizes, all surrounded by substantial
slate walls and all provided with run
ming water. The buildings consist o.
a comfortable story and half house
with an inviting veranda on the cas-
side, together with two other dwelling
houses, and nine barns most of whicl
are provided with cellars and water
Some notion of the fertility of his farm
and the extent and variety of his farm