Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1895-01-11
BOARD OE AGRICULTURE.
INSTITUTES HELD LAST WEEK AT TOPS
HAM AND CANAAN.

INSTITUTES HELD LAST WEEK AT TOPS
HAM AND CANAAN.
An institute was held at Topsham on
Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. and 3.
The full board were in attendance and
each session brought out very full dis
cussion of the topics presented. The at
tendance of farmers was good and they
seemed to take a lively interest in the
meetings.
Considerable interest was shown in
the matter of tuberculosis among cat
tie, but it did not appear that there was
evidence of any diseased herds in the
vicinity.
The leading industry of the town is
dalrying, and Il creamery is IN success
full operation there.
Considerable progress has been made
in the past few years in farming meth
DDS, and the interest of the farmers in
their busiaess indicates hopeful future.
On the 3D. and 18th inst. an institute
of two days was held at Canaan, the
northeast corner town of the state.
Agriculture IN this town has never
received very much attention, the bust
ness Of numbering, for which this is an
important center, being the leading in
dustry. There are some good farms
here, and fertile soil, and at no distant
day agriculture is destined to occupy
more prominent place.
The meetings here were not very fully
attended, and there seemed to be but
little interest exhibited.
If not prominent as an agricultural
town, Canaan must not be considered rs
behind other towns in industrial matters.
But few towns have as good reasons
dence as has Canaan. 1t is the center
for good trade and has energetic, en-
terprsing citizens.
Recently a large hard. wood manu-
featuring industry has been located in
this town at Beecher Falls The saw
mill which forms part of this plant has
been here several years, but for the past
year has been idle. 1t is now in full
]
from 30 to - thousand feet of maple and
birch lumber per day. In connection
with this sawmil has been built AN i'm
mense furniture mandatory in which
il is proposed to manufacture all the
lumber sawed at This mill, which is cx-
pected to be about five million feet per
year. This new building is y feet long,
four stories high and has been erected
since the 10Th day of last November.
On the 3lst day Of December the ma
chnely was in the building and the en-
CINE running There are some matters
of detail yet to be completed, but The
whole business is expected to he running
on full time early in the spring. The
machinery in this building is to be
driven by $50 horsepower engine man
ufactured by +. p. Allis u Co.., of Mil
waullee Wis. This firm made the nam
moth engine of 2000 horsepower exhibit
ed at Chicago last year.
Every detail in the planning of this
establishment seems to have been care
fully considered with view to ecOnO-
MIXING labor. From the time the log
goes on to the carriage at the saWmill
until it is delivered at the factory to be
cut up into stock, no person has to han
die the lumber. 1t goes upon system
of rollers from the saw to car, on
which it is taken to the dry house, hav-
ing capacity of 100000 1T. at time,
comes out again on this same car and
goes to the factory.
The skill with which this establish
ment has been planned and the energy
with which it has been pushed toward
completion is high compliment to the
ability of the manager, Mr.. Geo. T..
Comins, and such ability merits, and,
doubtless, will command success.
1t is expected that about POO men will
be employed in this industry and the
advantage which must come to the town
is self-e gident
\ few rods south of the village of
Canaan is another industry of consider
able Importance, the stock farm of Geo.
Van Dyke, the wealthy New Hampshire
lumberman. Like other farms of its
kind, it is operated for pleasure rather
than revenue, and very pleasing toy it
must be to Mr.. Van Dyke. Fertile
fields, elegant and extensive buildings
and carefully selected stock have in
them more real enjoyment than most of
the luXuries in which people indulge.
Finely bred horses and fat steers are
kept there and among the horses are
some noted for speed as well as blood.
Early Bird, record, 2:l24; Diamond,
2:lSi; Grand Isle, PSI; Nicola, four
years old, ;23i aud Royal Wilkes, four
years old, 2:25i, form a combination
hard to equal and are great credit to
the Wilkes blood which they represent.
The forty or more steers of Hereford