Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-12-22
COWHERDS WATCH
HARTMAN FL0CKS
Shepherds with Crooks a Fur
Their Innovation Planned for
Fenceless Arden Estate.

New York Dec. 19-Mrs Mary Harri-
nan, widow of y. il. Hartman, is going
sack to first principles in farming, back
10 the time of Abraham, whose cattle
were watched on the plain by cowherds
The news surprised the older inhabitants
of Arden, Hartman and Tuxedo, who
can remember when the now great Harri-
man estate was little farms.
The old stone walls are to be torn away
and crushed into macadam and the wood
fences will be burned. TIE 10000 acres
Of land in the ltamapo valley are to be
thrown into one great fenceless planta-
,ion, and the herds Of fine Jerseys. Ctuern-
seys and Holstens are to be watched by
herds1nen Some one suggested cowboys,
but there Is something too modern about
the cowpuncher OF the plains 1t. IS ex-
pected that the horders will wear some
thing like the Tyroloan cowherds cos
tune The "Co-boss, co-boss. co-boss"
of other days I'm the Ramapo valley may
even be supplanted by the yodel Of the
Tvrol.
Another Innovation will he the presence
Of n large flock of line sheep, Shropshires
and merinos. which will be cared for by
Shepherds carrying crooks and accom-
panied by fine sheep dogs The uplands,
which are more adapted to sheep than to
cattle. will he dotted by the woolly crea-
lures and their picturesque attendants.
THE herdinp Of cattle in this way
is Mrs. IIarrlman's own idea" said c.
W. Ford general superintendent "
tho Hartman estate. yesterday, and
so is the keeping of sheep. There is
something essentially poetical in a
great flock Of fine sheep, as there is
n nne herd Of hlucblooded cattle.
We have decided to sell the cattle
On the Glove valley farm down at the
"love cut the land into small holdings
md establish high class colony for
!olks having business in the city. The
ute has the most wonderful view in
the state. We are going to construct
series Of artificial lakes.
"But the herds on the big estate
down the valley will be kept mp and
improved Mrs. Hartman has always
tried 70 make this dairy as nearly
deal as possible. She is working out
Tho certified milk idea Her object IS
aot to mako the place a money maker
sut to give an object lesson to the
milk trusts She hopes, by setting ar
>xamnle of what can be done, - force
The producers and handlers of milk
FOR the big cities to come up to the
,evel of her dairies."
CLEANLINESS THE RULE.
The barns certainly are remarkable
They are kept spotlessly clean and th'
cattle live in cleaner quarters than many
families do in cities. When the mixers
come in from work in the fields to mill
the cattle they 20 into great Wasi
room. battle. put on white duck SUIT
and clean their finger nails.
All the departments in Mrs Harri
mans great establishment are undo
the direc ton of college men. The farm
ers are graduates from the great agri
cultural schools Those who look afte
the forests have been picked because o
previous training. Every few weeks al
the cattle are put through most rigiC
examination for signs Of tuberculosis OF
pther ailments and no COW even suspecte,
S permitted TO live.
Mrs. Charles &. Rumsey. Mrs. Harri
mans daughter, who sailed with he
artist husband on the Mauretania Sat
urday night, will bring home from
Europe farming ideas that viii lie triel
at Arden