St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-08-24
VERMONT DAIRYMEN.
Rocky Soil Of Ryegate Turned into Farms wit
Good Incomes.

uOOu inCOmcS.
George G. Nelson of Sunnyside farm,
Ryegate, has 260 acres mostly in pas.
turing He cuts 1875 to $50 tons OF hay
in season and raises 16 to 10 acres Of
corn for ensilage, which he cuts, filling
two silos having capacity of nearly
200 tons each. Mr. Nelson keeps 100
head of cattle and from 6 to 10 horses,
and milks on an average ~ cows, which
are mostly thoroughbred Jerseys. He
plans to have them come in al all seasons
Of the year. The milk goes to Jersey
Hill creamery, which is on the farm.
The butter product of this fine farm ex.
ceeds 10000 pounds year, and the in
come from the same is about $4,000 be-
sides several hundred dollars for pork.
The output of this dairy OF 70 cows for
the month Of March was 32,742 pounds
of milk, which produced 1900 pounds Of
butter lat, for which Mr.. Nelson received
$414. Mr.. Nelson's barn will easily
hold 200 tons of hay and 400 tons of
ensilage, and he has stable room for rs
cows. The barn floor is 26 feet above
the bottom of the hay NOW, so the hay
goes down instead of up.
William Thompson of Ryegate has
lately purchased farm of 90 acres,
only 35 acres of it being in tilage and
the balance in pasture. He has 10 acres
Of corn for ensilage and will build a silo
this fall. He cut so to 60 tons of hay
and milks % cows, mostly Jerseys. The
herd will be increased to 40 or so. The
milk goes to Jersey Hill creamery. For
the month of February the milk product
was 13 1875 pounds, making CSC pounds
of butter, for which Mr.. Thompson re.
ceived $164 Ga. This was from 20 COWS,
being an average OF 25 pounds milk, or
one and one-quarter pounds Of butter,
for each COW per day. For June Mr..
Thompson received $3.50 from 20 COW s,
with butter at Is cents a pound, and
this was on pasture feed alone.
Mrs. Carrie ]. Nelson of Ryegate is
thoroughly practical farmer, and man.
ages farm of ZIG acres, only 3S being
tillage land, and the balance in pasture
and woodland. These 3S acres furnish
fodder for 60 head of cattle and four
horses, 10 acres being in corn to fill two
silos, and the remaining % acres cuts rs
to 80 tons of the best hay. The dairy
consists of 35 to 40 high grade Jerseys /;
the milk is separated by horsepower,
using No. 3 U. S. separator, and the
butter is made on the farm. The pro-
duct of 1897 was 500 IL pounds for
each cow for the year, and for the two
years previous only little less. This
record is exceeded by only one small
dairy in town, and it is doubtful if it is
equalled by many in the state.
N. H. Kicker of White Clover Dairy
farm, Ryegate, has fine grass farm OF
200 acres, 40 acres being in permanent
moving, some of which has not been
plowed for 80 years. Mr.. Kicker, unlike
his neighbors, has no silo, and does not
raise any corn or grain, but depends on
his early cut hay to produce milk. His
first crop OF hay is always cut in June,
and as he topdresses literally he receives
three tons of the best hay to an acre,
and usually cuts second crop in Aug
ust. On these 40 acres Mr.. Kicker raises
fodder for so head Of cattle and five
horses. The dairy consists of 80 cows,
Jerseys and grades. The milk is separa-
ted and churning done by horse power,
The 35 cows are at present making $50
pounds of butter per week.
The labor of clearing these farms Of
rocks was very great, and the expense in
some cases exceeding 500 per acre. but
the sturdy cid Scotchmen who settled
this town were not easily discouraged
neither were they afraid of hard work
as these broad, fertile fields, surrounded
by massive stone walls amply testify
New England Farmer.