The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-08-10
FARMING A LEADING INDUSTRY
Superintendent C. C. Jones Believes
in Vermont Agriculture.


New England is on the eve of an
agricultural boom. People are COM
ing back to the abandoned farms
Farming is growing more and more to
be strictly business proposition in
this section, and in ten years our
farm lands will advance at least 80
per cent. in value.
Such is the opinion of Superinten-
dent c. c. Jones of the Fillmore
Farms. Bennington, VT, comprising
1890 acres, and among the largest
and most successful farms in New
England. He has been the guest of
the Pilgrim Publicity Association of
Boston for several days. Mr.. Jones
tells the Boston Sunday American
why he believes in the farming future
of this section.
81 am a New England only by adop-
tion' he said, though l have lived
here eighteen years. But | married
a Vermont girl, and that is the State
which | have selected to die in. You
native born New Englanders don't
appreciate your heritage.
mo line of production has PROCESS
ed so slowly in New England as
farming. The trouble is that the far
mers' sons have been attracted into
other industries. Well make far
mer of our son Bill, We say, because
he isn't good for anything else.
Nov, if man can't make sue
cess of anything else, neither can he
make a success of farming Old con-
ditions have passed away. Modern
business methods must be applied to
agriculture. When farming is done
with some brains and lots of muscle,
success Is absolutely certain.
New England is now second In the
amount of corn that can be raised
per acre. If corn, why not cattle for
beef? We can now produce beef and
mutton as cheaply as the West
When it comes to pork and lamb We
are way ahead
Boston and New York will take
| all the Winter lamb we can raise In
New England. Last year my lambs
Melted me from 5000 to $l1.9S 8
head. There is an unlimited demand
for high-grade lamb from December
until March.
"Sheep raising can be made lucra
tive here. A sheep farm is easier t
take care Of than dairy farm. Thu
sheep improve the soil In England
a farm is rated according to thu
number of sheep 1t pastures, ant
that may eventually be true OF thi
section.
Orchards in conjunction with
sheep farm Is a good proposition. Thu
apples of New England are the hes
Favored of any in the country. Thos'
of the West look better, II is true, bu
they haven't the same flavor. 1t i
not necessary to plant new tree
here. The old ones will be produC
tive with pruning and spraying.
"One of the great problems is Il
find labor for our farms. Yet life il
the country is in many ways prefer
liable to that In the city. For on
thing, $1,000 in the country will go a
far as $4,000 in the city.
Mans inclination is naturally 70
tie soil No occupation is more hon
orable or fitting. The minister work
for God, but the farmer works wit
Him.
Il should say to a farmer who ha
a bright son-teach him the trade
Give him short courses in an agricu
tural college II you will. but lie
actual practice be his main teaching
Agriculture will eventually be
leading industry of New England
abandoned farms are being occupie
and values will advance. Method an
Industry are all that is necessary 70
success.
Our farms in Bennington are d
vided into three units, with a for,
man for each. In February | make
list OF the crops to be planted. togetl
er with the details of ploughing, SOW
ing. etc, as well as estimates of tn
yield. My direct supervision of d.
tail ends there. The foremen ar
responsible. Yet on land which fou
Iiyears ago yielded twenty-nine bushel
OF oats to the acre. we are now ge
ting about forty-nine."