The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-07-17

u ell lNO bhhb q oOiiO hos Wv
tailed write-up of the work now
in progress and of things in gen.
eral at the State Experiment Station,
Burlington, VT, would be of special in
terest TO the large and intelligent farming
constituency of the WATCHMAN, and
would not be wholly devoid of interest
throughout its wide area of readers, the
editor has long had in mind sending a
member of his staff to Burlington on
such mission. One day last week, by
appointment, the reporter was met at
the station in Burlington by d. D.
Howe, the farm su oerintendent, and
taken direct to the farm. After an ex-
celent dinner at the hospitable home of
Mr.. Howe, that gentleman devoted his
entire time during busy afternoon in
haying to showing the WATCHMAN man
through the buildings and over the
farm. For every question he had an
intelligent answer, and seemed anxious
to give the scribe the fullest ingorma-
ton in regard to everything. Professor
j. l.. Hills and President NJ II. Buck
ham drove out during the afternoon
and courteously supplemented the eff.
forts of Mr.. Howe to assist the reporter
in getting material for this story, thus
making the days assignment, for him,
pleasant outing.
THE FARM.
The experiment farm contains 1875
acres - thirty-fve pasture and one
hundred tillage - and was purchased
four years ago of the Mary Fletcher
Hospital trustees and the administra-
tor of the Baxter estate. From the Gu
pola of the main barn, and from the
upper windows of the residence of the
farm superintendent, fine view of
Lake Champlain is obtained; but it is
the grand panorama of mountain, val
ley and busy villages, spread out to the
eastward, that makes the location of the
farm indeed beautiful for situation. 1t
is not to be wondered at that the sum-
mer visitors with which Burlington is
now filled drive or walk to the farm, so
often, to take in the magnificent views
from this point. To the northeast lie
Winooski, Essex junction and Fort
Ethan Allen, surrounded by rich mead
ows, with Mount Mansfield in the dis
lance. Directly east is the range of the
Graa,, Mnnntoino tma
with the country intervening spread
out to the eye, and Cancels Hump
standing guard over all, while to the
south extend the most fertile sections
of Williston and South Burlington. The
view reminds one of that to the west
ward from Cabot Plains,s one of the
finest in Vermont.
Six men are constantly employed on
the farm, and on the day this visit was
made six additional men were engaged
in securing the hay crop. The farm
cuts about 100 tons of hay, and, Incl
dentally, it might be said here that one
of the pressing needs of the farm at
present is more barn room. With the
knowledge of practical farmer, Mr..
Howe believes that the mo, profitable
way is to feed out all the hay, instead
of selling a portion of it, With the
barns nearly full, and only about half
the haying done, some of the hay must
of necessity be stacked this year or sold
from the field.
or course, all the work at the Station
is largely of an experimental nature.
The results of the work to be men
toned in this article cannot now be
given, but will be published in full in
the annual report next autumn, after
the crops are gathered and the results
of various experiments determined.
THE GREENHOUSE.
Under Mr.. Howe's guidance, the
greenhouse was first visited. This
building is eighty by twenty-four feet