GREEN MOUNTAIN RANGE. 301 



our meadows have never been ploughed. Some of our best 

 farmers are sanguine that ploughing good natural grass land is 

 malpractice in farming, and recommend that we avoid ploughing 

 such land as long as possible, applying the manure upon the sur- 

 face in the month or August or September. One-fourth has 

 never been blessed with a dressing of manure, but is mown 

 once a year ; and, I am sorry to add, is generally fed by stock 

 through the fall, which, in my opinion, is very injurious, and 

 contrary to the true principles of successful farming. 



The amount of hay grown upon an acre is from one-half to 

 three tons, varying to correspond with its management. A 

 small amount of our hay crop is sold, nearly all being consumed 

 upon the farm. Our desires are best satisfied when we have an 

 abundant crop of grass, as we rely upon this crop for cancelling 

 the mortgages from our farms. 



Our pastures are rocky, rough and broken, not generally sus- 

 ceptible of tillage ; consequently what we do to regenerate their 

 productive capacity, aside from underdraining, must be applied 

 to the surface. Included in the fields we pasture is consider- 

 able waste land, that at present would not pay for reclaiming, 

 which is left to the tender mercies of nature, and our stock that 

 roam over it. 



Ninety out of one hundred of our farms have woodland suf- 

 ficient to furnish wood and lumber for home consumption. Fifty 

 out of one hundred have a surplus, by which our villages, man- 

 ufactories and railroad corporations obtain an abundant supply. 

 Large amounts of wood and lumber are yearly transported from 

 our hills to the nearest railroad station, and instead of the 

 majestic forest, we have the cash proceeds at our disposal. 

 Much of the farmer's time in winter is spent in this business, 

 and frequently a part of his capital has gone with his time and 

 woodlot without any favorable realization. 



One-half of our farms have a sugar-orchard, which is used 

 to a greater or less extent. The amount annually produced 

 within the towns mentioned is about one hundred and twenty 

 thousand pounds, which has been an item to us worthy of notice 

 for a few years past. The making of maple-sugar in March and 

 April, is a business that comes at a season of the year when we 

 can neither be engaged in lumbering nor farming, conse- 

 quently the time we devote we can spare as well as not ; the 



