The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-11-15

Vermonters were an uncouth, Hitter
ate, poverty stricken people; and q
surprisingly large number of persons
only Il Few hundred miles away Took
upon journey to Vermont ia winter
as one involving almost as great dis
comfort as a trip to the Arctic Gree,
Anything that tends to strengthen
such erroneous ideas is damaging 10.
the reputation OF the State.
The average acreage Of United
States farms, according to the last
census. is 1882 and the Vermont
average is 1851 The Vermont aver
age is larger than that oil any other
State III New England and larger
than any State in the Middle Allan
tic, or East South Central groups OF
States. Only the large farm areas
in the States west Of the Mississippi
river bring Vermont's average below
the general average.
Nor does 1t seem to those of us
who live in Vermont the year around
that our climate deserves to be pic
tured in forbldding terms. II is the
climate OF the north temperate zonc,
with its advantages and its disadvmt
ages, the climate of New England,
and northern New York Although
temperatures sometimes drop. below
the Zero mark. the lack of humidity
makes the weather seem less cold
! tran the same regis sis.,.on of the
Thermometer would in some other To-
calities. Surely the Vermont climate
does net differ materially from that
Tor Maine, Nav Hampshire, Massa-
chusetts or northern New York.
1t viii be news to many of our
people that Vermont mas a 'precar'
ious market. mo conveniences Of
transportation, and that the Yer
mont farmer has no certainty of
good living in any year The latest
census figures show that in 1919 YER
mont produced crops, dairy products
poultry, eggs. honey. maple sugar
and fruits valued at almost SSo'Veo,-
900 and this does not include the sale
of live stock, beef, veal lamb, NUT
ftons or forest products, The total
gold production for the United States
for that year was only little more
than sos, 100000.
The government crop reports FOR
this wear. arc not yet available but
Hast wear qs20) Vermont's average
Weld Of corn per acre was greater
than that OF any other state % Inc
Union Only one State IL WV eN-
ceeded Vermont in bushels OF ryesp'%
acre. only one in bushels OF buck
Wheat per acre. only seven in bushels
of spring wheat and bushels Of barley
Der acre, only eie.lt in bushels OF pc.
tatoes Der acre land only two OF
those were east Of the Rocky Noun
Etains1 only ten in bushes Of - " pei
acre. Only four States east OF the
| Nississipni river raised more tons OF
thny mar acre than Vermont, In 1914
only Zone State exceeded Vermont n
bushels of potatoes per acre ana on
" one in bushels Of spring Wheat per
acre. ,o-n ,ooo
For the lorty-year period, lS1O-lso9
Vermont led the Union IN average re-
n,rns Ter acre lor tho three most I'M
lportant cepeals. corn, wheat and OATS
NV several decades Vermont has
ranked wen toward the top OF ne
ilist in Yields of staple crops per acre
No other state equals Vermont in
number Of dairy COWS per acre OF I'M
proved land. , ou
The State is on the direct rali
route from New York, Boston and
southern New England to Montreal
the Canadian METROPOLIS; ana "
served by three great transportation
lines, the Central Vermont, aiflliat
KY a,s,i, VIVA c.rond Trunk the Rut-