The Newtown bee., 1901-08-16
BACK FIELDS OF CONNECTICUT

BACK FIELDS OF CONNECTICUT. WHAT IS BEING DONE IN LITCHFIELD
 COUNTY TOWN.
 "The back fields of Connecticut" is the subject of an interesting letter in the Rural New Yorker signed s. M., Litchfeld county, Ct. The writer says: "In regard to the two farms that I rent, years ago one of them was con- sidered worth $1O,0O0. At the time of the death of the owner, some l2 years ago, it was appraised at $500. The other farm, the party that rent them both of, paid $550O cash for. They con- tain about 300 acres. Trent them both with teams five horses) and tools of ev- cry kind for $30 month. There are two good houses; outbuildings need re- pairing; good creamery with boiler, engine and separator, and everything to make first class butter. I own the stock, average over 50 head, from 40 to B COWS, the rest in young cattle of my own raising. We are making about 600 pounds of butter month, which l send to Derby, Ct., at P cents for last month. It will go up now every month until I get 28 cents, where it will stand for the winter. l use to print my butter, but now l send it in tubs, the buyers paying the freight. l have to go the depot but once week. There are two farms adjoining these on the south. About twenty years ago one of the farms was bought for $550O and new barn was built.
 "A year ago last March young man bought it for 5000, and in 10 months paid all his expenses promptly and $4OO on the principal. He told me the other day that he could pay for it all this year, but he wanted to build a si- 10 and repair the house, as he thought he could while owing so little. This farm contains l6O acres. The other farm was bought for $65O0 25years ago it contains 28O acres. A year ago last April it was sold for $500, and only $1O0 paid down. l know of three farms that were sold at auction this last spring that did not bring much over One-third of their original cost. In Warren, a town south of us, property has decreased in value more yet. A place known all over as very desira- ble one, and containing 200 acres, was sold for $6OO-a large, we'll kept house and good barns.
 "The reason for all this suppose is that in this back country, there is little to attract the young people. They uall go away to larger places. The old people, all very we'll off, are left alone to the mercy of hired help, and, when they pass away, the farm is sold at just what they are offered. Another thing there used to be great demand for charcoal and all these old hills have been cut over several times. In every town from here to the Massachusetts line were furnaces for making charcoal pig-iron, which madeEa good market for all the wood the farmer had, and brought a great many in town. This business is all gone and the furnaces with all their property are idle and going to decay. This iron company less than a year ago closed up the business in this district, and sold good wood land for soc an acre.
 In regard to the markets selling milk to the New York cooperative milk and cream company is the princi- pal business. Some 20 years ago milk sold in New York from $12O to $l. 40 per cent of 40 quarts. Now they get from 50 cents to $l.l5. I think last month it sold for 60 cents This com. pany owns creamerieS at nearly every station on the Housatonic road, and great quantities of milk are produced, about.2OO cans (40 quarts) going from this station daily. This is a beautiful country, and nowhere is it healthier The land is somewhat rough and rocky, but very strong and icapable o1 producing enormous crops, and we or this place are nearly as early as some a good deal farther south. Although we