The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-11-27
BENNINGTON. VT, NOV. 20, 1912.
FARMING, FISHING AND FOXES

FARMING, FISHING ANU rONEo
Two or three weeks ago ] wrote
letter to The Banner relative to a
trip to Chelsea in which ] commented
briefly on the low price of the farms
in that section, good farms being
purchasable at $500 to 5000 and first
class ones at from $1,000 to $500.
A few days ago ! had the pleasure
of visiting a rural section in the
town of Mortified, but within easy
driving distance of the thriving cities
of Barre and Montpelier, The farms
there are not as smooth and easily
cultivated as those of Chelsea and do
not appear as productive, yet | found
that the prices are more than double
the prices of farms of similar area
in the neighborhood of Chelsea.
The reason is that the cities of
Barre and Montpelier furnish mar
ket for ali that can be produced right
at their doors. The value of these
farms is steadily rising. A few years
ago they were salable only at sacri-
fee prices, but the improvement OF
the nearby markets has increased
their worth from so to 100 per cent.
1t seems to me that there is les
son in this comparison that the farm
-, &c Nor,,ont opd acnaoial1V those
in the legislature ought to take into
consideration. If the growth and
prosperity of Barre and Montpelier
has increased the value of the farms
in Berlin, Northfield, Plainfeld, VIII
Jamestown and other near by towns
by from so tc 100 per cent, it seems
to be fairly evident that the great
est thing that could happen to the
farming interests of Vermont would
be the growing up of more thriving
industrial communities.
In the legislature, we hear a great
deal about legislation for the benefit
of the farmers Perhaps we have
been short sighted in the matter and
should make more effort to build up
the industrial interests. Perhaps by
doing so, the farmers would be the
greatest gamers.
Our trip to this corner of the town
of Mortified was for week end
visit to camp on the shore of a
small private pond. This pond which |
was made by the erection of dam,
three or four years ago. does not in
clude over three acres of water yet
has furnished during the past sum
mer several hundred pounds of trout
to the owners of the camp and their
friends.
There ought to be more of these
private trout ponds built in Vermont
by those who can afford it. Nobody
wants to see our public waters taken
over by private clubs. but all over
The state there are little hollows and
valleys where poads could be built at
small expense and not only furnish
fishing for those who are share
holders and their guests, but whiUn
will also improve the fishing in the
stream below the pond.
Moreover every one of these pri-
vate preserves lessons the drain on
the public fishing waters and thus
gives more opportunity for fishing to
those who cannot afford membership
in private clubs. If such clubs will
build artificial ponds and stock them
at their own expense, they should be
welcomed by all fishermen in any
community where they may be locat
ed.
While at this camp in Mortified
saw the most curious hunting Incl
dent ever witnessed. A fox came
down across a broad meadow not far
from a farmers barn. Now a fox is
one of the fieetest OF animals as well
as one Of the shyest. The farmer
was standing by the barn with a fork
in his hands and with no expectation
of getting the fox, started toward the
animal which ran under the barn
where he killed it with the fork. II
had probably been chased by dogs
until it was completely tired out.
The general opinion is that foxes
are steadily increasing in the rural
sections OF Vermont. Fox hunting is
less popular than it used to be and
where there used to be a number of
expert fox hunters in every town
there are now comparatively few.
+. L. II.