Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-04-30
AVlSlT TO "CLYDESlDe,"
Tho Farm on which Major Grout Lives
Its Practical Operation.

Its Practical operation.
In an interesting letter to the Farmers
Advocate Mr.. e, w. Scarf writes fol-
lows concerning visit to the farm owned
and operated by Maj. Josiah Grout:
/ visited Maj. Grout at his home in Der
by, TO see for myself his farm establish
ment and describes 1t to the readers of the
Advocate.
/ thought to do this because he is cam
didate for an office the farmers have often
desired one of their number to occupy, and
T. seemed to me they should be informed
about him as farmer.
The farm buildings and stock one sees at
Clyde side suggests those things belonging
to good farming. There is probably not
another similar establishment in Vermont,
large or small conducted more economical
~ than the Grout farm, with everything in
such apple-p order and of such a gem
eral farm-like character 1t is an example
of farming and farm life worthy of imita-
ton, with which the proprietor may feel
satisfied and of which the State may be
proud. You sec there no fancifully deco
rated features, but from house to barn,
barn to shed and shed to the tool room,
everywhere order and neatness. The
whole plant is appointed for convenience
and finished for comfort. AS much as |
ever saw, it is Il farm with place for
everything and everything in its place.
CLYDESIDE,
as the home farm is called consists of $50
acres near the street of Derby Centre VII
lage, and is divided into tllage 100, past
ure 400, and woodland $50 acres. The ara
BILE portion has, been cultivated nearly
century and produces better now than
ever, for when the major began here II
years ago these acres sustained about 80
head of stock and they now furnish most
Of ha Of far fo-
over l75 head, the result of intensive farm
ing. The pasturage also has been greatly
improved.
THE STOCK
consists of over 100 Jerseys. 20 horses, so
sheep and about 80 swine. An average of
GO cows are continuously in milk the an
nual butter yield of which runs about $50
pounds per cow
The sheep are high grade Shropshire, and
a fine looking flock. The pigs are fat asd
grunty for they are turned over to the
butcher at seven months and 800 pounds.
The horses, aside from the work team, are
fine drivers but the owner is waiting for
buyer.
THE DAIRY,
20 in number, is Il healthy, handsome look
ing lot of cows and as they stand in
stabbed rows of % each, dehorned and gem
for tuberculosis last October and found
free from all traces of the dreaded disease,
rendering them all the more desirable.
THE SUGAR ORCHARD
has 1900 trees. the sap OF which is piped
from convenient elevations to the sugar
houses. The boiling is done at two places
but tho sugaring-off at ono place only.
The main sugar house is model of its
kind 20x9O feet, wood shed at one end,
evaporating room next, sap storage tanks
next and II sugaring-off room at the other
end completes the building. Each apart
ment is so appointed as to be commodious
and convenient. The annual output of
this sugar camp Is about $1,000 pounds.
This sugar place is probably the most eX-
tensive and best equipped of any in the
State.
THE BRYANT PLACE.
is a small farm of about 40 acres which
has undergone "A great change since the
Major bought it and many spears Of grass
and other crops grow on 1t now where
one hardly ventured in sight a few years
ago
THE EATON PLACE.
| Is another farm of about 100 acres which
| Is rapidly changing from "A barren waste
to fertile field. on this place is found
| the TCStTNOlr ana springs lnat supply the
| village below with water.
When asked how he brought about such
changes in his farms he replied "by cul-
| tivating and fertilizing." Most of the
| fertilizer referred to he would make on the
| farm by feeding all crops and as nearly
| as possible returning to the soil, In con-
verified form all that is taken from 1t. His
idea Is that the most practical crop in Yer
mont is grass, and cut early 1t is the best
| food nli consolidating
cost; that nothing has been so valuable
| an aid to his farm work as the study he
| has made of how best to make grass grow
on pasture and meadow and how to use II
in keeping stock. A good second is corn
as it begins to scar. fed dry or tnsiloed
ears and stover together, An equally good
feed is oats cut as soon as headed, and
cured as hay.
He thinks the farmers should raise those
crops combination of which constitutes
a complete ration for the dairy cow, as
such folders are also good rations fol
other kinds of stock. In doing this. muct
mill feed can be avoided and thousands O.
dollars saved annually.
THE BUILDINGS.
are the home dwelling, an ancient two
story house. one of the first built in Derby
modernized and made pleasant Twin,
place. A tenement dwelling In the sam
yard, occupied by hired help; hors
barn 3Ox5O, another 30x4O; a barn 3Ox5O, an
other 40xl3O another 40x6O; a tool hous
20x90 u scale and wagon house 30x60;
carriage and wood house 20x60 and a dairy
wagon andice house 22x9O
The dairy house is equipped with steam
power and supplied with creamery appli
ances as complete rs any creamery To-
making butter This establishment ha
made and put upon the market In a yea
49, 900 pounds of butter from the Clydesid,
dairy.
The tillage lanfkk4es in beautiful leve
fields to the eastS6frhe buildings and from
many an acre of 1t in many season ha.
been taken at two harvestings hve ton.
OF early cut hay. When an acre Is sus