Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-02-17

more to be desired. Flowers adorr
our houses instead of tin pans, the
churn and butter worker.
Getting Rid of the Stones on the
Farm.
In Mr.. Chittenden's letter in the
ADVOCATE for Dec. 6. he says: Z" l
shall use the last 20 rods Of stone wall
on my farm this fall, in the construc-
tion of the drainage that l am now do
ing, and shall be glad to see the last
stone disappear from sight,"
do not blame you bit friend c.,
and many other Vermont farmers
would be glad to be able to say the
same. But the trouble is there are
so many stones on large proportion
of our farms that it would require a
pretty long life time of labor and cost
to accomplish so desirable an object.
On many of our farms there are
stone walls by the hundreds of rods,
in some instances miles, and in the
years gone by that was thought
to be the best method of disposing of
these distractions to good cultiva-
ton.
This was before the extensive use
of improved machinery on the farm
and small fields inclosed with stone
walls were thought to be an indica-
ton of thrift and we'll expended labor:
and indeed it did appear SO then, but
now, with the right methods of cult
walton, the descendants of these old
farmers would be very glad If the
walls were somewhere else, rather
than in their present position.
But if these walls, or portion OF
them, can be put into drains that will
be serviceable on the land where most
needed, at not too great expense, it
will be accomplishing two excellent
object at once. in improving the land
and getting rid of the stones.
The writer, and no doubt a goodly
number of the readers of the ADvo-
CATE, would be pleased if Mr.. Chit.
tenden would give his method of build.
ing these stone drains, and as to their
durability when rightly constructed.
Farmers now want larger fields for
in the production of their
crops.
A generation hence there will
doubtless be but comparatively few
stone walls or piles of stones scattered
about the fields to be seen. They will
either be in drains or used for perma-
nent road making.
There has been enough of this kind |
If work already done, even in this
state, to convince the Inhabitants |
that this kind of road is one of the !
great improvements of the day, and |
should serve to heartily endorse the
lction of the state in donating GER
ain per cent of the taxes for this pur.
bose.
was glad to see from the commu.
lication Of &C. w. S." in a recent
lumber Of the ADVOCATE, that his
experience in passing over the high
ways of the state confirms the fact
hat this money is being judiciously
expended in permanent improvements.
The people will not be adverse to pay.
nga considerable tax for this purpose,
they can be satisfactorily assured
hat it will be judiciously expended.
If this work could have commenced
generation or more ago, what pro.
ress might have been made by this
lme placing us far in advance of
there weare today.
But this work is to continue, for
nee having realized in a measure the
alue of good permanent roads, there
lould be no going back.
And here will be most suitable
place of deposit" for the, walls that
re no longer wanted as we'll as the
lies of stone that distgure the land.
APE and interfere with the most
'onomical and profitable cultivation
the resulting large and unobstruct-
fields belonging to the farm.