St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-08-02
A SUCCESSFUL FARMER
Story of What F. B. CaIkins Has
Accomplished on Leased Farm
Near Burlington.

That it pays a man to use his head
in agricultural and dairying pursuits
the same as in all other lines of in
dustrial activity, is doubly apparent
in the success that has attended the
energetic efforts of Fayette B. Cal
kins during the four years he has
operated the large Riverview Farm
on the Intervale road.
Mr.. Calkins, who is but thirty
seven years old, is a native OF Col
chester, and is self-made man IN
every way. Through the death OF his
mother when he was IA years DID, MS
family was broken up and he went
out into the world to make his own
way. Perhaps to this one fact Mr..
CaIkins owes much of his success, Tor
when a boy assumes the responsible
ity of making his own way at an early
age, he is almost sure to grow into
man of responsibility and integrity
Mr.. Calkins' ancestors for several
generations were farmers, his grand
father at one time being the owner
of that tract of land which is now oc-
cupied by Fort Ethan Allen. Pos
sessing a greater knowledge of ag-
riculture than of any other occupa-
ton. he continued to work on farms
when he went out into the world for
himself and with the exception OF two
years, has followed this pursuit all
his life.
Four years ago Mr.. Calkins took
a ten-year lease of the Riverview
Farm on the Lntervale road, which is
now owned by Mrs. George B. Brown.
The farm contains 400 acres, more or
less, of the richest meadow land in
iah ho n nor
mitted to deteriorate until at that
time it was in the lowest possible
condition of productiyeness.
With the farm in this condition,
Mr.. Calkins readily realized that to
make of it one of the mot success
full agricultural enterprises in this
section of the state would require a
vast amount of well directed effort
and that even under the most skilful
management it was probable that for
a year or two it would not much more
than pay expenses.
He was at this time conducting the
Collins farm at Colchester, and max
ing a decided success of it, though on
a smaller scale, and for the first three
years continued to carry on the Col
Inns farm in connection with his larg-
er undertaking. By that time the
Riverview farm had grown in sue
cessful productiveness until it re-
Quired nearly double the number OF
hands to operate it, and as the secur-
ing of competent farm help was Sc
rious problem, Mr.. Calkins decided
a year ago to give up the Collins
farm and has since devoted himself
exclusively to the conduct of business
at Riverview.
Improvement of conditions and de-
VeIopment to the highest state OF pro-
ductiveness, together with the install
lation of modern facilities enabling
the accomplishments in the matter OF
results, with the smallest outlay OF
time and energy, has been the slogan
at the Riverview farm under the eff
fcient management of Mr.. Calkins,
and his success can be illustrated in
no better manner than by compari-
son of his first year on the place with
the results of the last.
Big Increase In Crops.
His first years hay crop was SO
Ioads-estimate As tons. Last year
in addition to feeding LOS COWS, 22
horses and about 20 head of young
stock, he sold 10 tons of hay to John
Devlin and still has over 20 tons OF
last years hay crop stored in his
barns. In the production of milk is
shown a still greater Increase. Dur
ing the first years occupancy OF the
place Mr.. Calkins delivered an av-
erage of 200 quarts of milk a day to
the consumers in Burlington. To-
day his deliveries aggregate more
than 900 quarts day, and this pro-
portion of increase is apparent in all
other lines of production.
Mr. Calkins now has under cult
walton about 225 acres of ground
producing hay and crops. His pf1n-
cipal crop is sweet corn and he man
ages the. sales from this crop III a
manner so that the proceeds it brings
feeds all his stock and pays his fer
tilizer bills.
The variety of corn usually raised
is the Stowell Evergreen and as soor
as the ears have matured to the best
size for eating, Mr.. CalkinS begins
its delivery to a long list of custom
ers in the city, and he keeps this VI
until the crop natures faster thar
can be consumed when the excess
crop is carted to the canning factory
where it is disposed of by the ton
and at prices that make corn raising
a profitable pursuit. This year Mr.
Calkins has between IS and 80 acre:
planted in corn.
In addition to his sweet corn eul
ture, Mr.. Calkins raises about 2,00(
pdShSlS VI ySlIoM SOAA CeASn ; SSA-
use on the place in feeding the chick
ems, pigs, horses, etc.
Reclaimed SwampIand.
1t would require long list t.
enumerate the many Improvement
that have been made by Mr.. Calkin
during the last four years. One o
these, of more than ordinary I'M
portance is the reclamation Of larg
tract of meadow pasture land, which
in years gone by has always been in
undated by water at this season o
the year, but which by system Q
ditching and draining, has been mad
accessible to the COWS, and whicl
yields a luxuriant growth of pastur
age by far surprising the best hi
pastures in this section.
In this work of reclamation MI
1,o. ro1ouvod