Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1921-01-26
AGRICULTURALLY


Alphabetically Orleans County
takes first rank in Vermont as shown
by figures taken from the recent CEN
sus returns made by the United States
government. To say just what coun-
ty ranks above all others would be
difficult In the 20 items selected for
comparison We find Franklin county
at the head of the list in nine instanc-
es, Orleans in five instances, Addison.
and Caledonia in two each and Rut-
land and Windsor in one each. There
are scores of items which are not COM
pared but to this paper it would seem
that those taken are the most import
ant. One item in which Orleans coun-.
ty ranks first may easily be consider
ed in its reverse That item is with
reference to the number of mortgag-
ed farms and the amount of mortgage
carried. We have many more mort
gagged farms than any other county
and about $1,OOO,OO0 more loaned on
those farms. It may also be pointed
out that the ratio of debt to value is
also the highest here of ANY county.
viz, 48.6 while the next nearest drops
to 42.1. Franklin ranks next to Or
leans in the amount of mortgages car
ried on farms and this fact is proba-
bly, accounted for by the great trans
fer of farms to Canadians in the past
ten years in these counties. In
most instances the new owner places
a heavy mortgage on his property. 1t
may be said, however, that very few
of these Canadians fail to meet their
obligations promptly. It might also
be stated that the average rate of in
terest paid here is Sc per cent, the
same as the average rate in Caledo-
mia, which two counties pay Il per
cent higher rate than any others in
the state.
While speaking of the influence
Canadian farmers may have had on
certain phases of the report we are
discussing, let us speak of Other
points influenced by the same consid
Grafton. While Orleans county ranks
high in the number of farms, land I'M
der cultivation, dairy products made
and crops raised, the amount paid ou
for labor ranks seventh, indicating
that the large Canadian families con
tribute to the work of carrying on thu
farm in a most substantial manner
saving expenditure outside the fam
lily.
1t is noticeable that while the amour
of crops raised in Orleans county com
pares with the very first counties O.
the state, the money expended for fer
tilizers ranks 10th in amount. Thi
may indicate several things. Tina
the fertility of the soil in this count.
is very high and that the amount O.
large; or it may indicate that ou
farmers are robbing the soil. Thi
paper believes that the first two fac
tors are large ones, but is fearful alst
that the latter is true to some extent
While the county leads the state il
the amount of milk produced, it sells
by comparison a small amount of mill
and cream to be shipped to outside
markets and for this reason produces
more fertilizer on it's farms than il
otherwise would. Nevertheless it is
noted that the number of swine kept
in Orleans county is comparatively
small. With much milk kept within
the county, and pork usually finding
a profitable market, why are not Or
leans county farmers keeping more
swine?
1t is also noted that the county
ranks low in the number of sheep kept,
six counties ranking above Orleans.
Cannot more sheep be kept at profit
in Orleans county?
Comparatively small amount of
poultry is kept in our county and
scarcely any cheese is made within the
county Few bees are kept here also
and the number of horses ranks below
the counties with which Orleans keeps
company in other things. In orchard
products and small fruits Orleans
ranks low and cannot do otherwise.
The same is true of corn production.
Orleans county cannot raise hard
corn. In the production of oats,
wheat and barley, Orleans county
ranks among the very largest produc-
ing counties of the state.
Our county taps more maple trees
than any other county and is probably
the largest maple sugar producing
county in the world. Other state fig
ures are not now at hand but it is
doubted whether or not any other