The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-10-11
Good Opportunities on Vermont
Farms

Farms
In commenting upon our recent In
vitation to young men to come to
Vermont, the Rutland Herald prints a
dolorous picture of the experience
which a young farmer must undergo,
If he accepts the invitation, owing i'm
part to tax conditions and in part to
lack of income. Accepting the finan-
cial conditions stated by the contem-
porary as correct, for the time being.
farm which can be secured for the
sum named. $500, can be made a
very profitable investment in Vermont
/. The trouble with farming in Yer.
mont is not the size of farms. but the
lack of cultivation of land on business
and up-to-date principles.
We believe this condition of affairs
is due In large degree to lack of
knowledge on the part of many far
mers how to manage their farms to
better advantage, and one of the great
needs of the time is the adoption of
measures on the part of the state to
furnish object lessons in different sec
tlons. The State Agricultural Col
lege and the Agricultural Experiment
station in Burlington are doing this
sort of work, but unfortunately this
service does not reach many farmers
who need just such instruction now.
For the young man who has a good
knowledge of farming, there is no bet
ter chance to secure farm at a rea-
sonable price and with the prospect
of winning success than in Vermont
The situation in this state is unques-
tionably similar to that which pre-
walls in Central New York at the pres
ent time.
Professor Milton Whitney, chief of
the national agricultural department
has just made public report of his
inspection. made in Tompkins county
New York. That county is in the
heart of the so-called abandoned farm
territory of the Empire state.
To the eye of science the soil of
Tompkins county as we'll as that of
the other counties of the State which
have been inspected is in a rundown
condition, not because it lacks fer
tility; but because there is no one TO
ill it," The trouble" Professor Whit
ney says, lis not with the soil of the
county. Its nOn-productive state is
due to depopulation."
Professor Whitney was agreeably
surprised at the condition of the soil.
Some sections were found to be very
fertile and others are suffering from
lack of care and attention. He de
clares that if the young people can
be induced to return to the farms
there will be no lack of profitable
crops. With provisions growing scar
GER and dearer in the cities the return
to the farms. so earnestly recommend
ed by the State and national authori-
ties. will soon become a matter of
necessity.
One of the most effective ways of
securing a return of profitable cult
walton of our Vermont farms as
whole. is the emphasizing of the sue
cess of those farmers in our State
who have applied intelligent methods
and industry. as examples for others
to follow, An old saying is. what
man has done man can do" With
shining examples of success on a host
of Vermont farms it is not necessary
to argue that success is possible on
other Vermont farms. and the man
who does not see an upward tendency
of prices of farm lands generally is
not careful or exact observer.
So we repeat our invitation to the
young man who wants to secure a
farm reasonably and with prospect
Of success, come to Vermont at once
and purchase at moderate prices
while you may, for ten years from
now Vermont farming will have a diff
ferent story to tell.-Burlington Free
Press