Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-11-29
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
FACTS AND OPINIONS GATHERED
FROM CONTEMPORARIES
HAVE NO FEAR OF THE DEER.


became an authority on all matters per
tanning to Vermont when it described
this semi-arctic region sixty miles from
Springfield as covered with four feet o
snow on the level six months In the year
wakes lachrymosal in its concern for thu
farmers and fruit growers Of this state
who, 10 the brief period when they arr
compelled to drag about on bare ground
find a great bug-a-boo In the danger OF
destruction of crops by the numerous
herds of deer. The Republican says the
farmers and fruit-growers "face the
necessity of obtaining legislative relief
of some sort or putting eight-foot wire
fences about their cultivated lands and
orchards"
The Republican may believe that 1t is
disseminating "the news and the truth
about it," but its statement appears
nothing short of ridiculous to 80 out of
every 100 persons in this state. Twenty
FIVE years ago deer were extinct in Yer
mont, except in the northeast corner of
the state, where the primeval forest
stretches away to the great timber tracts
of New Hampshire and Canada. Enter
prising sportsmen from Rutland and
vicinity brought from other states few
deer and liberated them in the mountains
east of the Marble City. These deer
were protected by stringent laws, they
multiplied rapidly, and they gradually
found their way TO other sections of the
state in small numbers. They have,
however, never become numerous except
in few towns near where the deer were
first set free more than 20 years ago. In
fact, more than one half of the 544 deer
shot since an open season was established
in 1898 have been killed in six or eight
towns in Windsor and Rutland counties
within a radius of 30 miles of the spot
where the Rutland sportsmen started the
experiment of stocking the state with
deer.
A few farmers in the widest section of
Windsor and Rutland counties may sus-
tain slight damage to crops from the
incursions of hungry deer, and similar
conditions may exist in widest Essex
county, but not one Vermonter in 30 ever
saw wild deer in the state, and not one
farmer in hundred ever had his crop
damaged by the animals. a person may
roam through the woods and fields of the
state weeks at a time and not get a
glimpse of one of the beautiful ANIMALS.
There are lots of green things in YER
mont deer have never tasted, and if the
Republican man comes to this state to
investigate the subject of predatory deer
he need have no fear of personal injury.
-Brattleboro Phoenix.
1000
GOVERNMENT AGRICULTURE IN PORTO
RICO.
There is considerable special interest
in Vermont and particularly in Rutland
county In the effortslof this government
to help the agriculture of Porto Rico by
the establishment of one of the govern.
ment's experimentistations in the island.
This is for lthel reason that a Rutland
county man, o. w. Barrett of Clarendon,
has been chosen.for position of respOn-
slbiity I'M connection with the work.
There is no question that this govern.
ment can do,much along the line of in
telligent assistance, to the farmers and
planters of these new possessions.
OF the government work in this direc-
ton, MIR. Barrett writes The News: 1.-The
office of the PortolRico Agricultural Ex-
pertinent Station was moved on Noyem-
Der from San Juan,to the new expert
mental grounds at Rio Picdras, town
seven miles from the capital. Expert
mental work is progressing finely on the
thirty-acres tract recently leased by the
Station. Anotherslot forty acres, be-
longing to the Normal School at Rio
Piedras, will soon,be placed at the dis
posal of the Stationifor experimental and
economic purposes. The location of the
Station on the north side of the Island
will be of immediate benefit to several
large American fruit-grOwing and agri
cultural syndicates. The coffee districts
of the interiorgare one days ride distant
while the sugar, tobacco and fruit dis
tricts of the south.side are only two day:
travel from the Station.
"Under modern methods of agriculture
the Station.hopes to at least double thu
coffee crop and to very greatly increase
the tobacco and fruit crops. The suga
industry is already well started. A syn
dictate on the south side of the islanC
will soon reproducing IS to 100 tons o
sugar daily. The profit per ton on suga
is about $40."
Mr. Barrett ia now in charge of tn
Station, the director, F d. Gardner
having gone to Washington for few
months on official business. Mr.. Barret
thinks the present boom in agricultur
in Porto Rico will .be permanent -Rut
land News.
THE NEW DEMAND FOR FICTION.
The sale of books of fiction has In
creased enormously in the past five years
This is true as regards the absolute mum
Der of novels sold, and is still more strik
ingly true when the demand for fiction
as compared with the sale of other book
written and published for the genera
reader. Indeed, some very well-infornet
publishers assert that the demand TO
biographical works, volumes of essays
books Of travel, and the various otbe
elias SificatiOnS ont side fictiOn has actuall'