The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-08-20
Vermont can Reat the West.

Vermont Can Beat the West.
When Senator Carroll s. Page in
formed his colleagues that Vermont
led all the states in the Union in its
cattle and dairying interests, they
were astonished beyond measure.
PROBABLY the great mass OF the peo-
pie of Vermont do not appreciate our
states leadership in this industry.
We have become so accustomed to
think OF other parts of the country
as a1ording better opportunities in
every way that we have unconscious.
" taught our young men and young
women many things that are not so,
as regards Vermont's opportunities
and advantages, and this applies par
ticularly to our farming interests
Secretary Wilson of the department
of agriculture stated in an article
recently reviewed in these columns
that the way 10 reduce the cost of
living and especially of meats was
to increase the productivity of our
farms.
The chances are that most people
in this state thought that might do
! very well for some other parts of
| the country, but it would never be
possible for Vermont, for example,
to produce beef to compete with the
West to say nothing of other meats.
Actual experience talks in case
Of this kind. and We are greatly
pleased to be able to place before our
readers this morning an actual dem
Onstration of the fact that Vermont
can now compete with the West in
the profitable production of beef as
we'll as in other directions.
Frederick d. Prindle of Essex
Junction rought two Hebeford calves
at the Vermont State fair, and tried
the experiment of feeding them beef.
When the pair Of steers were eight
cen months old a few days ago, they
were purchased by F. f. Howes OF
this city, who has furnished us with
the figures.
These two beef cattle, little more
than yearlings, tipped the scales at
I2.10O pounds live weight. After dress
ing. the meat weighed 1911 pounds,
which was worth at wholesale fifteen
cents a pound. The hides weighed
40 pounds and were worth S13 per
hundred. The suet which weighed
seventy pounds. was worth 1927, and
the tongues and livers. 81 %. The
total value of the two animals dress
ed was. therefore, $204.37.
When a Vermont farmer can take
cattle and make them worth when
eighteen months old over 800 each
in the home market. there is afford
ed marked encouragement for re.
vival of the meatproducing industry
in the Green Mountain State and it
is no longer true that we can not
compete with the West in the profit
able production of beef
The same thing is true of mutton
and poultry and pork. and in the
near future We confidently expect 10
| see the income of Vermont farmers
from the production of meat products
! largely increased. All it needs is
the adoption of right methods and at
tentio nto details.
We thought at one time that the
| West had outstripped us in the pro
! ductiOn of fruit, but as a matter OF
actual experience and demonstration
we have discovered that our apples
are far superior to those in the ia
nous apple region of the northwest,
and we are not only nearer to mark
Of, but We also offer a better invest
ment, for our land can be purchased
! at q much more reasonable figure
than that in the West.
When Vermont farmers can make
$4,000 and more from an orchard OF
II acres there is no excuse for go
ing West" to make money in fruit
The New England Homestead has
compiled figures from the census re
turns showing that New England
land is a much better investment
than western land with reference to
grain and other products.
The average production of wheat
per acre in NNmont is % bushels per
acre as compared with only II in
| Illinois: of corn. 40 bushels against
39 in Illinois; potatoes, l34 bushels
MS compared with IS i'm Illinois. Yet
! the average price of land in Yer
mont is only $l3 per acre as com
pared with sos in Illinois.
We have more waste land as com
pared with Illinois. but on the other
hand il We deduct the waste land Il
makes our yield so much the more
per acre for our tillable land.
The lesson of all this is that we
must stop talking about the superior
advantages and attractions of the
West for farmers. and speak and
think the truth about Vermont
As a matter of fact. the young
farmer has a better chance In Yer
wont today than i'm almost any other
state than can be mentioned. and q
host of them are making money 10y
mixing brains and progrcssiveness
with soil. That is the whole secret.
Burlington Free Press.