1868. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



519 



teen towns, but no town was entirely reported. 

 On each of these farms there was an average 

 of 32 acres of pasture, 23h of mowing, and six 

 acres of land in grain and hoed crops, — mak- 

 ing Glh acres of cleared land. The value of 

 all the products of these farms averaged 

 S841. 60,— being $13.75 per acre. Besides 

 which, these farms averaged a sugar orchard 

 of 214 trees, yielding 490 pounds of sugar 

 each. 



But 3 3 the greatest part of these productions 

 ir.ust be conramed upon the f:::rm, cnly a small 

 portion could be exchanged for money. The 

 wool, the butter, a i'ew oats and potatoes that 

 we may suppose could be spared, may bring 

 in a cash income of some $355, on each farm ; 

 which must pay the taxes, the doctor, the gro- 

 cer ; clothe the family, provide new and repair 

 old farming tools of all descriptions, &c. It 

 is evident, therefore, that there will be but a 

 small sum remaining to invest in government 

 bonds. Of for sending the sons to college. Is 

 this average of Orleans county less than the 

 average income of other counties in the State ? 

 I will not admit that it is. Certainly, then, 

 if there were no hope of rising above the 

 average, farming must be considered an un- 

 profitable vocation. But from my own door 

 I can look on two farms that yield an average 

 income of $2000, besides paying hired help 

 and family expenses, and that without count- 

 ing the forage that sustains the stock. 



On one of these farms, there were raised 

 75 bushels wheat, 600 bushels oats, 700 bush 

 els potatoes, 100 bushels corn, 50 tons hay, a 

 ton of butter, a ton of cheese, 2600 pounds 

 pork, live weight, besides sheep, fowls, calves. 

 On this farm were fattened 600 turkies, for 

 market, that j ielded a good profit. 



The other farm of the same size as the first 

 —220 a';res— yielded 31 bubhels wheat, 400 

 bushels oats, 750 bushels potatoes, 100 bush- 

 els corn, 75 tons of hay ; 32 cows yielded 

 3000 pounds butter and 5000 pound cheese, 

 2100 pounds, live weight, of pork were fat- 

 tened, 500 pounds of sugar were made, 23 

 bushels beans raised, aside from many other 

 items of income. Both of these hard-working 

 farmers are increasing their respective in- 

 comes, and adding to the wealth of the State, 

 by the bountiful productions of their farms. 



Now some may ask, how can the average 

 remain so small, where such farms exist? 1 

 answer, that when I turn my eyes from these 

 farms to the west, I see on the side of the 

 mountain another farm, with a log house and 

 a log barn ; the axe sticks in the log where 

 the wood was cut to cook the breakfast, and 

 an emaciated pig squeals and roots around the 

 kitchen door. The owner remarked to me 

 that as he could now cut about fifteen tons of 

 hay, and alihough most discouraged, he didn't 

 know but he had better rub and scrub and set 

 out a few apple trees. 



It has been hard work for that farmer to 

 live ; and there are many like him in Essex, 



Caledonia, Lamoille, Washington and Frank- 

 lin counties, and probably all over the State. 

 These small farms of rough land, poorly tilled, 

 cut down the average production, but serve a 

 valuable purpose in helping to make up school 

 districts, and giving variety to the neighbor- 

 hood. There are in Vermont many acres 

 cleared, and many farms occupied to-day, that 

 should have had the grand old forests ^till 

 waving over them. On such land men wear 

 away their lives with small reward. The soil 

 is perverse and obstinate, in its wet, ston} or 

 precipitous hardness. Master and mistress 

 show, in their rugged, care-worn features, 

 angular forms, and calloused hands, the evi- 

 dences of constant industry and economy. At 

 the same time, there are other acres yet un- 

 cleared and untilled, that would bountifully 

 reward the labor bestowed. 



Having considered the farms, we now turn 

 to the farming. While the farms were being 

 cleared, the crops from the newly burned land 

 were generally satisfactory, and as they were 

 consumed by the cattle, winter after winter, 

 piles of manure accumulated about the barns. 

 After the stumps were rotted, and the plough 

 disturbed the soil for the first time since crea- 

 tion, the crops were still satisfactory. Yet 

 continual cropping soon lessened the yield, 

 and the accumulated manures were gladly ap- 

 plied. Still as the plough made its way from 

 one new field to another, more was taken 

 from the soil than was returned to it, and then 

 a diminution of crops was the result, but not 

 i<ufSciently perceptible to occasion alarm. 

 Generally one portion of the farm was put 

 into permanent pasture, another into perma- 

 nent field, and the plough run here and there, 

 as choice or necessity dictated. For a time a 

 scanty dressing of manure gave a fair crop 

 of grain, but eventually the grass seed failed 

 to catch, and if the owner has grown old on 

 the place and has reared a family of children 

 that have Itft, you see a run down farm and 

 a home for sale. 



There are many farms in this condition, and 

 now all depends upon skill. Henceforth it 

 becomes a straight fight of skill against sterility. 



Under these circumstances, it may not be 

 amiss for us to study the operations of farm- 

 ers in other nations, that have accomplished 

 what we must now undertake. In England, 

 agriculture is not only self-sustaining, but con- 

 stantly improving ; barren heaths and downs 

 are, by the assistance of turnips and sheep, of 

 drainage and thorough cultivation, made fer- 

 tile estates. A system so satisfactory in its 

 results there, must be worthy of our attention. 

 A mere glance at English farming suggests a 

 need of a change of sentiment among us in re- 

 gard to permanent occupation of farms. This 

 must be one of the first steps towards improve- 

 ment. For miles, on some roads In this State, 

 every farm has its price, and not a few change 

 ownership as often as once in five years. 

 Now with such feelings, permanent and thor- 



