VEBMONT. 



VERMONT. 



1004 



an covered with UU foresVtrees, and in most places iflbrd good 

 nature. The Inet of country which lie* between the eastern ridge 

 ad the ConiMetiont River U very hilly and broken, and u the Irut 

 fsrtOe put of the state, lu elevation above the lea-level can hardly 

 be lex than 1000 feet, and it hu a bad climate and a poor soil, 

 QOBslstlin motly of rock* and eoane gravel 



The country surrounding the Green Mountains on the south ii of 

 lodiflerent quality. The soil U chiefly stony and gravelly, but it u 

 well drained ; and it is much used ss |>asture-ground, especially for 

 been. A Urge part is still covered with beech, sugar, maple, elm, 

 oak, button-wood, bass-wood, ash, and birch ; and a number of swine 

 are fed in the fowls. In proceeding northward the country improves. 

 The soil is lesi stony, and contains a larger proportion of loam or clay : 

 alone the banks of the Connecticut River some very fertile tracts occur. 

 In then parts an isolated summit, Mount Ascutney, rises, near the 

 town of Windsor, to 8320 feet above the sea-level 



The most level part of Vermont is that which lies on the banks of 

 Lake Champlain, though the surface is broken by numerous water- 

 courses. Near the banks of the lake are some low swampy tracts, 

 from which the country rises gradually to the base of the mountain 

 region, and becomes hilly in approaching it, but the kills have such 

 gentle dopes u to admit of cultivation almost everywhere. This plain 

 is about 100 miles long, and in its southern districts less than 10 miles 

 wide, but widens northward to SO miles. The soil varies greatly, con- 

 sisting in many places of coarse gravel, while in others it contains 

 much clay or loam, but a large portion of it U productive. It enjoys 

 great facilities by the lake and the Sorel River for exporting its produce 

 to Montreal in Canada, 



JlydmyrapJiy, Communications. More than two-thirds of the drain- 

 age of Vermont rui.s into Lake Champlain, which is navigable by 

 Urge vessels. [CnAMFLJJN.] The largest rivers falling into that lake 

 are Utter Creek, Union Kiver, Lamoille River, and Missisque River. 

 Utttr Crtck rises on the western declivity of the Green Mountains, near 

 43* 16' N. lat, and runs north by west, nearly parallel to Lake Champ- 

 lain, draining the southern port of the fertile plain on the east of the 

 lake. Lake vesseU ascend it to Vergennes, about eight miles from 

 its mouth, where the first falls occur ; it is navigable by boats to Pitts- 

 ford, 1 7 miles higher. Onion litter originates in the mountain region 

 of the centre ; runs south-west past Montpelier, and falls into Lake 

 Champlain, 6 miles N. from Burlington. Much of its course is 

 remarkable far the romantic character of its scenery, and it is of 

 gnat value for irrigation and for mechanical purposes. The LamoMe, 

 which rises in the same region, also affords great hydraulic power. 

 Both are greatly interrupted by rapids ; have a very impetuous cur- 

 rent, and are unnavigable. Miuisque River rises iu Canada, and at 

 first flows sc nthwsrd, parallel to Lake Memphraum-.'og. In approach- 

 ing Vermont it turns westward, but soon afterwards enters that state 

 by a south-western course. At Sheldon, about 10 miles from its 

 month, it becomes navigable for river-boats, and falls into Missisque 

 Bay, the north-eastern arm of Lake Champlain, which is about 15 

 miles long and 8 miles wide, and in its whole extent navigable for 

 lake vtsauls. The northern portion of Missisque Bay is within Lower 

 Canada, 



A few small rivers which drain the northern district of the moun- 

 tain region fall into Lake Memphramagog, of which about one-fifth 

 part lies within Vermont This lake has a curved form : it is nearly 

 30 miles long, but in no part exceeds 2 miles in width. It is sur- 

 rounded by mountains covered with forest-trees, and it discharges its 

 waters into the St Francis River of Canada by a channel which is 

 called Magog, and which enlarges about the middle of its course into 

 a small lake called Scaswaninepu*. Lake Memphramagog contains 

 several kinds of fish, especially salmon-trout 



The Connecticut Hirer, which divides Vermont from New Hamp- 

 shire, presents in the upper part of its course a continual succession 

 of rapids and cataracts. The last of these cataracts, which entirely 

 prevent navigation, are the Barnet Falls, which occur near 44 15'. 

 Farther down there are several small falls and rapids; but from 

 Haverhill (44* N. 1st) downwards the river is usually navigable for 

 boau. All the rivers falling into the Connecticut from the Green 

 Mountains are small, and none of them navigable. 



The only canals in Vermont are three short cuts, altogether not a 

 mile in length, made to avoid rapids and falls on the rivers. The 

 railways are nearly all portions of the great trunk lines which connect 

 New York, Boston, and the coast of New England with Canada and 

 the North-West. On the 1st of January 1855, there were in Vermont 

 y* Uoee f railway, having 419 miles in operation, and 59 miles 

 wete in course of construction. The ordinary carriage-roads are 

 numerous, sad generally well kept 



Otology. Jfnwralopy, *c, The geology of Vermont belongs almost 



nUrey to the Orsen Mountain system of M. Marcou, or the Oldest 



Meridional and Moosao Mountain .yitem of Professor Uitchcock. The 



the most part eruptive, consisting chiefly of granites, but 



ne also many metamorphic rocks, including very fine crystalline 



Itoestopes ; Mr. Logan has pointed out metamorphic fossiliferous 



"?*, aboll i Memphramagog Lake. The only non-igneous rocks are 



l ?", ^'ET 8UurUn itr u . "Mch skirt the eastern bank of Lake Cham- 



plajn. 1 he mineral* are as might be expected numerous. At several 



point* of the Creea Mountains quartrose veins traverse itacolumites 



(a quartzose conglomerate, which in South America and India forms 

 the matrix of some of the most precious gems), and contain native 

 gold, though not as far as is known in sufficient richness to be profit- 

 ably worked. In the neighbourhood of Brandon on the Otter Creek, 

 copper of some richness has been found, in some instances in union 

 with silver. Lead, zinc, and manganese ore also met with. Iron-ore 

 occurs in great abundance along the western base of the Green Moun- 

 tains. Sulphuret of iron is found in several localities, and on immense 

 quantity of copperas is manufactured from it. Kaolin, or porcelain 

 earth, is extensively wrought Marbles of various colours, and of 

 very fine qualities are quarried in several places. Slate, soap-stone, 

 oil-stone, granite, and other useful minerals are also quarried, and some 

 of them very extensively. 



Climate, Productions, &c. Vermont is distinguished by the severity 

 of its winter, which continues almost without intermission from the 

 early part of December to the beginning of April The frost is very 

 intense, and the thermometer sometimes descends to 27 or even 30 

 below zero. A great deal of snow falls ; and the ice on the lakes ami 

 rivers, except where the rivers have rapids or cataracts, will b. ar 

 heavy loads. The spring lasts only about six weeks, to the end of 

 May, and the weather is then mild and pleasant, with frequent 

 showers. In summer, from June to August, both months included, 

 the heat in the middle of the day is oppressive, as the thermometer 

 generally rises above 80, and sometimes even to 94, but the evenings 

 and nights arc cool. The most pleasant season is from the beginning 

 of September to the middle of October, the heat being then moderate, 

 and the air dry, elastic, and invigorating. 



The soil and general character of the products have been already 

 noticed. Vermont is an agricultural state, but the greater part of the 

 state is more adapted for grazing than for tillage ; indeed it is said 

 that scarce any part of the United States U better suited to the rearing 

 of horses, horned cattle, and sheep, all of which are reared in large 

 numbers in this state. Swine are also numerous, but much less so 

 than formerly. Of the cereals oats are raised in the greatest abund- 

 ance, and next maize. Wheat is most grown on the western side of 

 the mountains. Buckwheat, rye, and barley are grown, but not to any 

 great extent Very large quantities of potatoes, aud considerable 

 crops of peas aud beans are raised. Garden vegetables are also care- 

 fully cultivated. Some hops and flax are grown. A large quantity of 

 maple-sugar is obtained. Apples and most of the hardier fruits ripen 

 well everywhere ; but the peach seldom comes to perfection. A great 

 deal of butter and cheese is made ; and wool is one of the staple pro- 

 ducts of the state. 



There are still many wild animals in the mountains and forests, 

 but their numbers have greatly diminished, and many kinds once 

 common are now extinct. Fish is plentiful, especially in the lakes ; 

 and abundance of salmon ascend the Connecticut River to Lake 

 Champlain. 



Manufactures, Commerce. Vermont haa no great manufacturing 

 towns, but it has a good deal of capital, and above 8300 persons 

 employed in various branches of manufacture. In 1850 about 1300 

 persons were employed in the woollen, 230 in the cotton, 1100 

 in the iron manufacture; and 400 iu tanneries. The other manu- 

 factories were chiefly such as are incidental to an agricultural region. 



The foreign commerce of the state is principally carried on at 

 Burlington, and finds its chief outlet by the Chambly River to Canada. 

 The exports for the year ending June 30, 1853, amounted to 94,117 

 dollars ; and the imports to 184,512 dollars all in American vessels. 

 The shipping owned in the state in 1850 amounted to 4530 tons, of 

 which 3097 tons were navigated by steam. 



Divisions and Towns. Vermont is divided into 14 counties. Mont- 

 pelier is the political capital There is no large town in the state. 

 The following are some of the more important towns; the population 

 is that of 1850: 



Montpelier, the capital, is beautifully situated between two green 

 and lofty hills, in a rich plain, on the right bank of the river Onion, 

 in 44 17' N. lat, 72 36' W. long., 524 miles N.N.E. from Wash- 

 ington, population 2310; but East Montpelier, separated from it in 

 1848, contained 1447 inhabitants in 1850. The town consists chiefly 

 of a broad street lined with fine trees on each side ; and contains many 

 well-built houses, several churches, a court-house, prison, &c. The 

 state-house is a handsome building of fine-grained gray granite with a 

 portico, and is surmounted by a handsome dome. Several mills and 

 factories are in the town and its vicinity. The state-roads centre here, 

 and the Vermont Central railway increases the commercial facilities. 



BURLINGTON, the largest town in the state, is noticed in a separate 

 article. 



Hcnnington, the oldest town in Vermont, is situated on the right 

 bank of the Hooaac River, 103 miles S. by W. from Montpelier : popu- 

 lation '.:>-',. It is the market-town of a busy agricultural district, 

 and contains several mills, furnaces, and factories. Brandon, on Otter 

 Creek, about 46 miles S.S.W. from Montpelier, population 2835, is a 

 place of some trade. BraUltborough, on the right bonk of the Con- 

 necticut, 110 miles S. from Montpelier, population 3816, is a flourishing 

 place, with woolk-n and cotton manufactures, paper-mills, &c. Tho 

 Vermont Asylum for the Insane is at Brattleborough ; it had 3S9 

 patients in the institution in 1854. In connection with the a-ylnm 

 there U a library of 1200 volumes, and a large number of newspapi -n 



