HISTORY OF ORANGE said day." At a Town Meeting held October, 1825, it was voted that "the Selectmen examine the clothes of the town poor when taken by him or them who shall bid them off, and require them to be as well clothed when returned as when they take them."
At a special Town Meeting, November 20, 1823, the following action was taken: ''Voted, that the Selectmen be required to notify all owners of land that has Canada Thistle growing thereon to remove the same as the statute directs; if neglected, to put the law in force."*
It was also voted that ''geese found in any enclosure, not the owner's, are liable to be impounded at six cents per head."
''Voted that no swine be permitted to run in the highways over two months old, without a ring in the nose.''
''Voted a bounty of six cents be paid for every crow or crow's head killed within the limits of the town, and delivered to the Selectmen."
Mention has previously been made of the handwritten book which was prepared by Rev. Erastus Scranton, entitled ''Statistical Account, Town of Milford." The following excerpts refer to Orange:
'There is no evidence that the planters of this town ever suffered for want of food or bread corn. . . . A majority of the wells in North Milford are dug ten to fifteen feet into a species of slate rock, mixt with white flint. And it is found to be about the same distance from the surface down to water in the valleys as on the hills and high ground . . . The principal productions of our ground are maize, rye, wheat, flax, oats, buckwheat, barley, potatoes, turnips, grass. Our lands are almost exclusively cultivated by oxen, or a joint team of oxen and a horse. Carts. only, instead of ox-wagons are made use of on the farms."
* An act to prevent the spreading of Canada Thistle was passed by the General Assembly: "All owners shall cut all fields or in highways containing Canada Thistle. No person shall plow any lands on which Thistle grows; if neglected, he shall pay a line of $5.00 for every offense. If any grass seed sold could have Thistle in it, a fine of $10.00 will be imposed."
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