The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-01-21
GOVERNMENT STOCK FARM
Improvements at Weybridge Practical.
ly Finished for Season.

Middlebury, Jan. 1.-THE first def
mite information of what has been ac-
complished at the government farm in
Weybridge since Col. Joseph Battell
decided the 600 acre place to the agri-
cultural department nearly year ago
was made known to the public today.
The farm will be devoted to expert.
ments In the scientific breeding of Nor
gan horses, and 1t is only a little more
than six months that the work of put
ting the property in thorough repair
was started. The carrying on of the
improvements is now practically fin
ished for the season.
AS one approaches the farm from
the direction of Middlebury the first
thing to- attract attention is wire
fence five feet high and having neatly
painted posts. Nearly two miles of
this fence has already been built.
The house, which has two stories,
stands with the west end toward the
highway and fronts the north A deep
piazza runs along the west end and
north side. The main part of the
house, 26xi5 #, has nine principal
rooms-parlors, sitting room, office,
chambers-together with suitable
halls, coat rooms, closets and toilets
An AZ 29x30 IT, Joins the main part
about midway of the east end and ex
tends toward the south. 1t has five
large rooms-dining room, kitchen
chambers-and the necessary smaller
rooms. The entire house has been or
Is being reconstructed. The inside
| finishings are done in cypress. A
pumping apparatus which throws wat
er into 700 gallon tank situated in
the garnet, has been installed Steam
heat electric lights, and the telephone
have also been introduced. Altogeth
er the house, while by no means lux
, lrious Is convenient. substantial and
attractive. 1t is just such house as
1 prosperous farmer of large holdings
| would be likely to own.
The barn, 51x90 it.. is situated north
east of the house and faces the west
| II is practically three story building
H., Monday to visit her daughter
| section which is used as a carriage
room, and separated from 1t about q
feet is another large compartment in
to which the horses are brought to be
groomed. On this floor are three fine
box stalls and eight single stalls. Here
too. is the groom's room, harness
room, granary, room for the wash
ing of wagons, together with Fair
banks hay scale. Above this floor are
the hay lofts. The basement extends
under the entire building and on thu
east side opens out upon the level o.
the ground. This floor has been con
GREETED. 1t has 16 roomy box stalls ant
convenient passageways between. TIL,
building Is supplied with running wat
er. The barn is an EXCEPTIONAL!
handsome and useful one and Is il
good repair
East of the barn about $50 feet, an,
parallel with it, ledge drops ava,
toward Otter Creek, which is the cas-
tern boundary of the farm. The spac,
between the ledge and the barn is Civ
en- up yard 100 feet wide by 500 fee
long A lane 40 feet wide runs tn,
length of this yard on the east side
and the remaining 60 feet of space t,
the west is sub-divided into six com
partments of varying lengths measur
ed north and south. These six inclos
ures are surrounded by high ceile,
board fences and each has its doc
opening into the common lane. Her
the horses and colts can be separate,
and given outdoor air and exercis
when 1t is not advisable to allow then
greater freedom.
A good beginning has already beel
made in gathering together superio
grade OF Morgan stock. The splendi
stallion General Gates heads the strin
and there are IL brood mares, fou
two year old FLIES and seven wear
lings," black brown, bay, chestnut an
sorrel. They come of the best MOI
gan blood in Vermont, and the "blu
grass" country Is well represented
What may be done with this gran
breed of horses under such favorabl
. conditions can not fail to be subjeC
of deep interest to all true horse 10,
ers the world over.
One of the aims of the present eff
lent management is to bring the farI
to higher state of productivenes!
i. This season 125 tons of hay was hal
vested.
Should the department of agricu
ture at Washington ever see it's wa
clear to undertake anything in the lin
of scientific forestry or botanical e.
pertinent for New England, this farI
in Weybridge is fine place for sue
work. 1t has a variety of elevatio
and soil, and upland, and falls ava
= to Otter Creek, which is its easter
boundary, and it has 100 acres {
| woodland.