Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1922-09-13
KIMBALL TALKS
Speaks of Vermont's Development,
Farming and Politics.


Mr.. Editor:
Your paper has been doing great
service by publishing an outline of
"Vermont's Government" which has
been appearing in it's columns for
the last several weeks (and the end
is not YETI, that the people of YER
mont may know where part, at least,
of their tax money goes.
| have no business to crltlc1se or
suggest, yet it looks as though the
expenses of the state were far out
of proportion. Not every man an Of
fee holder feeding at the public crib,
yet in my opinion far too many-too
many bureaus, boards, commissions,
supervisors, etc. To abolish some,
consolidate others and cut down 9TH
ers, would appeal to the next legisla
ture as acts of wisdom and good judg
mention the safe side to elect men
with pruning knives. Nothing like
burdehsome taxes to create discon-
tent. Little wonder that Mr.. Simp-
son of Glover, voicing the sentiments
of thousands of others, registered a
big kick.
California has been passing through
a like experience, and in the late.
pledged to retrenchment.
Though a nonresident for more,
than half century, | have never lost
my love for the land of my birth and
the home of my boyhood and / am
anxious to see Vermont prosper and
her people happy and contented. A
greater development of her resources
would be a great factor in that direc-
ton. If Barton and other places of
great natural advantages are not rea-
dy to engage in manufacturing on a
large scale making things of iron,
wood, leather, wool, cotton, etc., they
can with small expense put up can
ming factories and equip the same for
canning fruit and vegetables, that
farmers can raise successfully and in
large quantities and find a ready
market. That industry cannot be
overdone. Thousands and thousands
of families in our cities, mining dis
tricts and thickly populated centers
Eve almost entirely on canned truck.
Perhaps there are canneries in YER
mont, but if so l never heard of them.
/ have seen in groceries in the Mid
die West and even in California sweet
corn grown and canned in Maine. If
that industry can be made successful
Ill
tomatoes, beans, peas, string beans,
squash, pumpkins, and what not, can
be with care grown successfully in
Vermont. A large hotbed in early
spring would be very helpful. An old
barn could be converted into can
merry where electric power could be
obtained. Equipment would cost but
little; then with one experienced man.
ager and plenty of boys and girls
when needed, cannery could be made
ready for business. Why not some
enterprising man of Barton, Glover or
other nearby towns, get busy and be
ready with cannery for next sea-
son? Advertise thoroughly and if
satisfied with fair profits, good prices
can be given to the farmer for his
products. Just as well make 5000
from an acre as 500. There is no
country, state or locality, however
we'll watered, but that can be helped
over dry spell at some time dur
ing a series of years by having a lit
tie irrigation. Hardly farm in Yer
mont that could not have good well
and windmill at some point where it
could be utilized sufficiently to irrl-
gate one acre, perhaps more, in case
of emergency.
Speaking of sweet corn, there is a
variety called yellow Bantam" the
sweetest I ever ate; small ears, grows
quickly, short, prolific, yields we'll,
said to be the best sweet corn ever
grown. If planted late as June 1t
would be ready for the cannery be-
fore September LIST. / had some in
my garden this year, planted in May
and all eaten before August LIST. Have
now a second planting on the way.
Beyond doubt it would do we'll in
Vermont.
Another industry-that of raising
BOD corn-the use of it is largely on
the increase. Cities everywhere are
full of popcorn stands. am well
acquainted with retired farmer In
Kansas who became wealthy raising
pop corn. Of course that industry
might be overdone, but not probable
A farmers 15-year-old boy with hall
an acre in pop corn could beat his
dad with two acres of field corn. POP
corn now sells in market at five and
a half cents a pound, equivalent tc
$3.50 a bushel. The popcorn fra
ternity down here on the beach are
using what they call "yellow poI
corn" They know it by no Other
name. They claim it to be the very
best variety they can get. 1t has g
small yellow kernel. The growing Of
both pop corn and sweet corn in Yer
mont for commercial purposes ma!
already be receiving full attention
If so, my letter does no harm; if not
it may help somebody. If anyone
cares to write me will give all in
formation I can obtain.
When the Vermont farmer gets on
ly four cents a quart for milk ant
the consumer in Boston pays IS cent
a quart, when the Kansas farmer re
,ceives only so cents bushel for hi
wheat, and the public has to pay 1;
cents a pound for bakers bread, i
shows there is something wrong
somewhere. Twelve hundred per
cent between producer and consume
is pretty steep proiteering. Their
are entirely too many people in thi
fair land of ours who are trying t
live by the sweat of some other fel
lows brow. With patience and long
suffering they endure squeezing, bu
when it comes to SHINING they kick
The advice Ben. Franklin gave t
the signers of the Declaration O
Independence can apply very appro
priately to the farmers of our countr,
TO-DAY, that is, eff they did not han,
together they would hang separately.
Farmers cannot expect speculator
II l. G. Il.