The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-06-18
VERMONT TER.

Charles j. Bell of Walden, secretary
of the State board of agriculture, has
been in the CITY on official business
and in conversation with Waterman
reporter he gave some interesting in
formation on subjects which his Off
cial position makes him thoroughly
conversant with. The first topic dis
cussed was the state of crops in Yer
mont. Notwithstanding the fact that
week of rain has followed the dis
heartening drought of April, May, and
early June, Mr.. Bell says that the
general outlook for crops of every kind
is anything but bright. Concerning
the hay crop he says that on the valley
and level farms where the land is in a
good state of cultivation the prospect
is fair, but on the hill lands and on
poorly cultivated ground it is extreme
ly doubtful il the yield amounts to
anything. The outlook for clover is
poor. In sections visited by the severe
frosts of few weeks ago Mr.. Bell
thinks the first crop of clover is lost,
but he believes the second growth may
prove all right. Mr.. Bell called at
tentiou to one blessing that has been
largely overlooked, namely the absence
of grassnoppers this summer. He stat
ed that he had seen none whatever and
that inquiry in various sections of the
State brought like information.
Concerning corn he said that seed
planted late was coming on satisfac-
torily, but where it was planted about
May 25 or earlier the chance of a crop
is very uncertain. The potato crop,
too, is uncertain and much of the land
devoted to potatoes will have to be re-
planted or seeded to some other crop.
In the matter of pastures, Mr.. Bell
thinks there will be shortage all
summer, as most of them cannot DOS
sibly recover from the effects of the
dry season.
From the rather discouraging topic
of crops, the conversation turned to
the mole cheerful one of Vermont's
dairying interests. After trying for
several years to get some reliable year.
ly information concerning the output
of creameries and cheese facto lies,
Mr. Bell sCates that he has been suc-
cessful in getting an almost complete
report for the year 1902. A few estab-
lishments did not report but the out
put of these was carefully estimated
and the result by counties, in pounds,
is as follows: Butter-Addison g. 007,
1889: Bennington 5000; Caledonia,
1899, sos; Chittenden, 1855, 407; Es-
sex, 22l, 4S5; Franklin, 4,259, 1884 ;
Grand Isle, 365, 403; Lamoille, $40,
1866; Orange, 1866, 721; Orleans, 1924,
522; Rutland, l, 4S4, 021; Washington,
2, 592, 11S; Windham, sos, 475; Wind
sor, 900, 4S3. tee5e-Addison, 500,
421; Bennington, 7G0, 303; Chittenden.
222, 962; Franklin, SO, 1l9; Rutland,
1893, 1863, Windsor, PSF, $50. These
figures show that the creamery pro-
duction of butter alone reached the
enormous total of 20, 4S0, $40 pounds,
and the cheese factory production
3, 922, 554 pounds. Mr.. Bell thinks
that the amount of butter pro-
duced by creameIies is about three
fourths the total amount He also
stated that the output of this product
had been curtailed somewhat because
several factories had ceased to make it
and where shipping the cream to city
markets, practice that is rapidly in
creasipg. The census of 1900 showed
that Vermont produced 1000, 600
worth of dairy products in 1899 but
Mr. Bell believes that the value of
the output in 1902 was considerably
above this figure, showing that Ver-
mont's chief industry is having a
STEADY CROWN.
Speaking of the work of the board
of agriculture in general Mr.. Bell
said that the interest in it's farmers
meetings and other work was steadily
increasing. THIS year the board at
tempted through the listers of each
town to secure some data i'll regard to
the agricultural industry and every
thing pertaining to farms The at
tempt was only partially successful as
many boards failed to return the in
formation wanted. Consequently the
data received is of little value so far
as the State as whole is concerned,
but much valuable information con-
corning many towns has come into
possession of the board and it is hoped
that in the future every town will be-
come interested enough to make the
desired report. That interest in Yer
mont is increasing is evident from
the fact that when Mr.. Bell first be-
came secretary of the board letters of
inquiry concerning the State were
seldom received. Now, hardly day
passes but what letters are received,
inquiring about some feature of the
States agricultural industry, or the
abandoned farms" Mr.. Bell says
that foreigner who travelled through
the State and was charmed with the
beauty of the scenery, wrote to in
qulre if the woodlands along the noun
tain sides were wild lands belonging
to the State, and if so how tract
could be secured.