The geography, topography, and geology of this county are elsewhere treated of. — The soil in the county is fertile. There are no unreclaimable swamps, and no sand wastes. There are, however, mountains and rocky hills, too rough for culture, and only suited to forest growth and pasturage. In the three towns of Clinton, Westbrook, and Old Saybrook, there is considerable land in the highest state of cultivation, producing crops which would be considered enormous in the virgin soil of the West, and specimens of corn and vegetables grown on these lands have gone abroad to other States as wonders of eastern products; while in the other towns in the county there is more or less land quite equal in fertility, especially in Middletown, Middlefield, Cromwell, the northwestern part of Portland, and the northern part of Durham. Much land is admirably adapted to produce the largest and finest crops of tobacco, grain, market truck, and fruits, large and small, these fruits being superior in intrinsic richness to the same grown South or West. The pasturage on the hills of Middlesex county is superior, the fine natural grasses abounding, and the butter from the milk of cows fed on it having an exquisite delicacy.
We often wonder, as we travel in other States, how sons of New England can leave the green hills of the East and squat on the low prairies of the West, enduring the fierce winds, the poor water, and the coarse, inferior products of that region. It is a noticeable fact, that at the State fair held in Connecticut in 1879 or 1880, where a special list of premiums was offered for fine butter, four out of five of these premiums were awarded for butter produced on the hill-farms in northern Middlesex, and the other on an adjoining hill-farm in Hartford county, just across the line. Fine strains of Jersey blood in cows, pure air, pure water, and the sweetest of pasturage are the necessary conditions for such superior production.
Now, while butter, fat beef, veal, and mutton are produced in such fine quality, choice and superior fruits are grown. The Rhode Island Greening apple grown on the Middlefield hills, and analyzed at the Middletown Experiment Station a few years since, was found to have a greater specific gravity and a better analysis than any European samples on record. The Newtown Pippins, as grown in western New York, and in Michigan, while being superior in smoothness, are greatly inferior in intrinsic excellence, and the Baldwin, the great apple of New England, and a staple for European markets, although planted largely in western New York, Ohio, and Michigan, nowhere equals in quality that of best grown New England specimens.
Grass is here, as elsewhere in New England, the leading product, and the county is adapted to produce good crops of hay of excellent quality. From an examination of the census sheets of a single town, it is found that the largest average yield per acre of a single farm was 1 ton and 171 pounds, which, at $20 per ton, would be $21.71 per acre; so there is no doubt that the hay crop of the county is a paying one, and when the farmers come to make two blades of grass grow where but one grew before it will be still better.
Corn. — There is hardly a farm in the county that does not raise maize or Indian corn successfully. A yield of 100 bushels per acre is occasionally reached, and 75 bushels frequently. In Middlefield, according to the last census, the highest farm yield was 80 bushels of shelled corn per acre, while the average town yield was 40½ bushels. This shows beyond all question, that on suitable land this crop is a paying one. It is undoubtedly so all through the county, and particularly in the warm, rich lands of the Connecticut River valley, and in the shore towns. Clinton, Westbrook, and Saybrook have been especially noted for their superb fields of corn, and ears of wonderful size and perfection are always exhibited at their autumn fairs, and at the winter meetings of the Board of Agriculture. A gentleman from Illinois, the great corn State, once said at one of these meetings, speaking of the Clinton corn, that in his State he never saw finer specimens of ears than those. The corn fodder, well cured, is of such value as often to pay the entire cost of cultivation. By freeing land from stones, rocks, stumps, and all unnecessary fences, and by the use of Thomas’s smoothing harrow and good horse culture in rows both ways, corn may be, and it has been, produced at a cost of thirty to forty cents per bushel, while the current price is usually more than twice those figures. There is usually much to encourage the planting of sufficient corn for home consumption.
Potatoes and other root crops. — There is, on nearly every farm in the county, land well adapted to the culture of potatoes. Suitable land of good fertility, a suitable variety, and good culture, will usually secure a good crop.
According to the census sheets of Middlefield, the largest yield was 400 and the smallest 40 bushels per acre. The average yield per acre in the town was 128.1 bushels. Other towns may have made a better average, but we have not seen their returns.
Onions on suitable land, particularly for the past few years, have given paying returns. There is considerable land in the several towns of the county, especially the river and shore towns, well adapted for onions, or any other root crops.
Mangolds, and English and Swedish turnips can readily be raised, and are produced, both for stock and for market, in all the towns of the county.
Oats generally yield good returns. They are usually sowed on land previously planted with corn or potatoes. In 1880 the highest yield in Middlefield was 70 bushels per acre, the average yield 36.4.
Tobacco. — In Middlefield, in 1880, the largest yield was 2,180 lbs. per acre, the lowest 1,400 lbs. The average was 1,794 lbs. Recently, however, the average of tobacco has decreased, and other crops have taken its place to some extent.
Wheat. — In Middlefield, in 1880, the highest yield was 34 bushels per acre; the average was 23 bushels.
Rye in the town of Middlefield for the last census year gave an average yield of 18.4 bushels per acre.
The Dairy. — Having examined some records of the Middlefield dairies for the census year, I find as follows, from eight different persons; in all cases a matter of record with the parties respecting: 1st, 5 cows for the year, 925 lbs. of butter and 300 quarts of milk sold; 2d, 6 cows made 1,250 lbs. of butter; 3d, 4 cows made 800 lbs.; 4th, 5 cows made 1,000; 5th, 1 cow made 300; 6th, 1 cow made 372; 7th, 1 cow made 300; 8th, 1 cow made 408.
The reason for so often quoting from Middlefield instead of Haddam, Clinton, and other towns, is that the full original sheets of the census of 1880 for Middlefield were placed in my hands for a short period, and I was thus enabled to glean many items therefrom which I would not otherwise have obtained without difficulty.
The great superiority of dairy cows has its counterpart in other neat stock. Many farmers in former years used thoroughbred bulls of the Devon and Short-horn breeds, and thereby greatly increased the size and beauty of their steers, producing better workers and finer beef.
A change, however, has occurred in the practice of many farmers, and now more attention is given to gilt-edged butter and less to working cattle; indeed, on many farms, horses now, to a great extent, take the place of oxen.
The popular opinion today is that for butter the Jersey and Guernsey cows are the best; for beauty and work, the Devon; for beef, the Short-horn; for large carcass and abundant flow of milk, the Holstein; for milk alone on good moderate pasturage, the Ayrshire; and all are found here and there, through the county.
Several herds of Jerseys have been kept in the northern part of the county during the last sixteen years and the result has been a great improvement in the character of the dairy cows among those who have availed themselves of the advantages which these fine herds afforded for procuring fine thoroughbreds and grades. Dr. J. W. Alsop has done much to elevate the standard of quality in dairy stock, and the same may be said of Dr. Hazen, of Haddam.
Lyman A. Mills, of Middlefield, commenced the breeding of Jersey cattle in 1868, when much prejudice against the breed existed. He has taken care to have at the head of his herd only those animals and their descendants that had shown exceptionally high butter-producing qualities. The grades produced among the cattle in his vicinity by mixture with his thoroughbreds have shown remarkable results, even to the production of from two and a half to three pounds of butter per day. Stock from his herd has been taken to all parts of the United States.
In 1868 M. W. Terrill commenced breeding Short Horns and continued till 1879, when he changed to Jerseys, which he has since continued to breed. His herd, which now numbers about forty, has shown remarkable results in the production of butter.
A. B. Colegrove, of Middletown, has a herd of fifty registered Jerseys of great beauty and excellence. At the State fair of 1884, at Meriden, he was awarded the premiums on herd, bull, and cow; also a larger number of first premiums than any other herd. It is believed that this herd will strongly influence for good not only the dairy stock of Middlesex county but of the State and country.
From The Constitution, Sept. 23, 1884, Middletown, Conn.
A. B. Colegrove exhibited at the Conn. State Fair at Meriden, thirty head of fine A. J. C. C. herd registered Jerseys, headed by the Imported Kedive bull William the Conqueror, No. 7386, with a young herd of nine of his sons and daughters which took the sweepstakes, gold medal. William the Conqueror headed the herd, consisting of Louvie 2d, No. 6181; Thyme 2d, No. 12430; Chief’s Louvie, No. 14378; Columbine of Maple Grove, No. 14379; Rosamond of Maple Grove, No. 14380, which took the herd prize, gold medal. Louvie 2d, No. 6181, took the sweepstake, silver medal, as the best breeding cow over 4 years old; Chief’s Louvie, 1st premium as 3 year old; Thyme 2d, No. 12430, 2d premium as 3 year old; Rosamond of Maple Grove, No. 14380, 1st premium as 2 year old; Lilly Valeur, No. 20791, 1st premium as yearling; Mary of Maple Grove, 2d premium as heifer calf.
The adaptation of Middlesex county to the raising of poultry and the production of eggs is beyond question. J. Cowan, of Middletown, with more than 1,000 hens, and W. T. Clark, of Durham, with several hundred, are examples of highly successful egg producers.
Sheep husbandry is successfully conducted by Messrs. Lyman, of Middlefield, Hubbard, of Middletown, and other farmers in the county. Much land in the hill towns is well adapted to the keeping of sheep with a decided profit and increased fertility of land. Here, as elsewhere, dogs are the great drawback to sheep husbandry.
Agricultural Progress
Probably Middlesex county is not behind in agricultural progress. The old wooden plough, the old corn fan for winnowing, and many other clumsy devices have given place to better and more convenient implements and machines. Farmers’ clubs and agricultural societies are established in most of our towns, and at the exhibitions of choice fruits, grains, vegetables, fancy work, and beautiful flowers we find that all our towns have made very decided progress, and they are fully as far advanced as other parts of the State or country. The improved fruits and vegetables are abundantly found in the farmers’ orchards, fields, and gardens. At the recent State fair more than half the fruit premiums were awarded to Middlesex county farmers.
The social status of the farmer and farmers’ families is much advanced. The farmer’s home is now the abode of intelligence and cheerfulness. The book, the magazine, the daily and weekly journal, the voice of song, the sweet notes of instrumental music, the fragrance of flowers, and sterling independence and manliness of character, with genuine politeness, make the farmer’s home often an ideal home, and farmers’ sons and daughters are called to fill the highest places of honor, usefulness, and responsibility. This is not a matter of wonder. The educating influence of the farm is potent. A continuous series of object lessons is ever at hand, a constant panorama of nature’s choicest views ever before and around us. The accumulated experience of the past is to accelerate future progress, and though the last half century has been unequaled in history it will unquestionably be greatly surpassed in the future.
Source
Whittemore, Henry, History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, New York : J. B. Beers & Co., 1884.
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