The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-08-21
Tells Old Home Gathering at
Chelsea
HOW HE BECAME ONE
From Making His Farm Place Of Rec
reation, It Became Most Widely
known Dairy Stock Farm
in This Country.

Mass, and native Of this town, told
at the Old Home Week celebration here
last week how he became farmer. His
address was SO interesting many re-
quests were made to him to allow it to
be published, to which he finally gave
his consent. 1t is printed in full be-
low:
In speaking here, FIVE years ago, /
told something about the business in
which the most OF my life has been
spent. Today, by the kind suggestion
of your committee, am to tell some
thing of my experience as farmer.
Before doing that however, wish
briefly to refer to one remark / made
five years ago. After that meeting a
prominent Chelsea man asked me: DO
/ you mean to tell US that you paid the
United States post Office department the
enormous sum of $4,000 in one year
for postage stamps? My reply was:
Certainly. That and every other state,
ment that made with regard To figures
came direct from the department hav-
ing charge of the subject, and may be
relieved upon as correct
Now, ladies and gentlemen, let me
try to tell you how became farmer
"0ne day in 1890, real estate man
told me chat the property on which the
main buildings Of the Hood farm are
now located, was to be sold at auction,
and he thought should bay il.
My reply was that / had troubles
enough and did not wish to add to them
But Notwithstanding, ! drove out to the
farm about Co be sold. / found it To
be only about three miles from my home
located on a high level plateau. the high
est point between the cities Of Lowell
and Lawrence
Il was particularly pleased with the
beautiful location, commanding as ii did
lovely views for miles around
Mountains in Massachusetts, and New
Hampshire many beautiful groves and
thrifty farms, were included in the land.
seape, while from the west, adding won.
derfnlly to the picture, sparkling in the
sunlight, ran the beautiful AIerrimaek
river, just leaving the busy mills Of the
city Of Lowell, and flowing by the north.
ern borders of the farm, until il was
lost to view in the eastern hills between
Lawrence and Haverhill.
1.-THE Merrimaek river has been called
| the busiest river in the world because
II Is said TO furnish more power for
/ factories and industries than any other
river in proportion to It's length
"Old Indian legends, confirmed in part
by relics which have since been found
at the farm, gave a touch OF romance
to the locality.
TO make this part Of my story short,
/ ! sent man to the auction and through
| him made the first purchase Of about 70
acres, Of what has now become one Of
the most famous farms in the country,
for Hoods farm is probably more widely
known here and abroad than any other
American farm.
Extensive buildings have been con
structcd aud frequent additions have
| been made, until now Hoods farm com.
prises moro than 1000 acres, situated
| in two towns. Andoyer and Tewksbury
aud in two counties, Essex and Middle
sex.
Il confess that in the beginning I did
not dream Of developing the extensive
plant which may be found at Hood farm
today.
a thought, as It was only about 10
minutes drive from my home in the
city, l could make it sort of recreation
ground.
TO tell about its gradual develop
meat from that first purchase OF seven.
teen years ago, to the size and impor.
tancc Of the Hood farm enterprise to.
day, would require altogether too much
time.
Three years after the original pur-
chase | became very much interested in
the great dairy contest at the Wor!d's
fair. in Chicago and at the close OF
that contest Hood farm owned five Of
the rs cows in the competition, includ'
ing Brown Bessie, that won the 30 and
90 days butter test, and Merry Maiden
that won the grand sweepstakes as the
best COW Of AL breeds contesting.
From that time my interest in the
dairy COW has continually been increas-
ing. | am thoroughly convinced, and II
has been conclusively proved, that the
Jersey cow is TIC best for the dairy, and
that the Berkshire is the best hog foI
all general purposes that can be raised
on a farm.
AS proof OF my interest and conf
dence IN these breeds, | win say that
today we have AZ Hood farm about 35C
Jerseys, and our herd Of Berkshire aver
ages between two and three hundred
animals
I'VE cut about 800 tons Of hay, and
plant about 100 acres Of corn, from
which we harvest about 500 to 1000
tons Of cnsilage.
"Our COWS are turned out every day
but our pasturage is limited, aud we de
pend mainly upon soiling crops. Thes,
crops are usually barley, oats, millet
rye. wheat hungarian, and peas, cut
early while they are very succuent, and
fed green.
"Thc revenue Of the farm Is derived
from the sale Of Jerseys and Berk
shires, and from our milk, cream ant
butter.
"The milk and cream are sold in Low
ell, and practically all Of the butter goes
to the Adams house in Boston
Our annual auction sales Of Jerseys
and Berlsshires attract buyers from al
over the country, and animals raised al
Hood farm may be found on the best
farms, FROM Maine to California, anC
from the Dominion TO Texas
Incidental to the management Of the
farm have developed our line Of Iloot
farm remedies, which, growing out o.
the experience and necessities IN main
tanning the health Of our great herds
are now extensively used by breeders
aud farmers thronshowt this country