Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1860-11-09

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State Board of Agriculture.
Remarks Of Mr.. Woodbury. of Springfield.
aud Mr.. Field OF Ncwfrnc.
On Wednesday of last week, the bill TO
establish State Agricultural Bureau came
up, the question being on the motion to re-
consider the the vote dismissing the bill.
Mr.. Field had addressed the House against
the bill, and Mr.. Woodbury. of Springfield
said:
1t seemed proper that he, as one of the
committee who reported the bill, should
present what appeared to them its merits.
Will it pay? was the primary considefa-
| ton. That is what we want TO know in
/ Vermont. Now this measure calls for the
| appointment of some six men, and of a
| Secretary, with lecturer, whose services
shall be procured for sum not exceeding
4 $500. The estimate was not over $1,000
call it $500. He had made a mathe-
NAUTICAL calculation. There were in the
state 100000 acres of land. Now, dis
tributing this into parcels of $50 acres
each, the proportionate tax on each parcel
for the maintenance was less than four
cents less than one would pay for drink
of brandy, or for Whit at Havana cigar.
Such, then, is the tax bug-a-boo that killed
this BILL
Why is -four imported in this state p
Why is corn imported? Look at the con-
dition of our farms; many of them will
not pay the cost of cultivation. Are the
farms poor, or is there no application Of
science to insure large crops? The land
is worn out; the SHINING system had been
practiced where the science of farming was
not known. The results were obvious
twenty years ago. In specific case named
the principles Of genuine agricultural sci
ence were applied and the skinned, run-out
farm made productive.
He referred to his own experience TO IL
lustrate the advantages that would accrue
from the passage of the bill. Once he had
been engaged in raising stock but deter
mined to engage in sheep raising He
purchased flock with much pains in Sc
lection of fine animals. Another farmer
in his acquaintance purchased at the same
time, but conceded that his own flock was
care on grain but they did not do so well as
he expectad, did not turn out as well as
: those of his neighbor, on inquiry he found
| that his own had been Fed higher than the
others. He could not solve the problem,
till he visited the stables of the other and
found radical difference in the racks of
his acquaintance, from which the sheep fed:
and he assured his friend that he should
| not think to do anything with sheep with
out that contrivance. Now, If he were to
raise sheep he should 20 to an experienced
and skilful friend and learn his whole meth
cd. To make this interchange of useful
: knowledge was the aim of the contemplated
bureau. 1t will be constantly sending its
circulars all over the state. He believed
That there was general feeling among the
farmers in favor Of the bill a conviction
J that it was needed, and that it would prove
serviceable TO them. IF it be defeated now
it is their intention to hold meetings in ev-
cry school district, and pour in petitions to
the legislature till it should be convinced
that the farmers were in earnest for this
measure.
Mr.. Field of Newfane replied to the
Springfield concerning the importation of
flour, The srticle was imported because it
could be bought cheaper than it could be
raised. The farmers of the state, generally.
could raise oats and buy their flour TO a
greater advantage, with more profit, than
they could expect in raising wheat. The
object, than, of this bureau. is to collect and
diffuse knowledge. The Geological report
was akin to it. But no good would ever
como Of 1t, no real practical benefits.
Look, sir, at the history of legislation in
this state. The wool mania siezed on the
people. They went to raising sheep. The
cry was raised that the foxes were killing
the lambs. A bounty must be given on
foxes. Well bounty was offered. What
was the result? Everybody was digging
foxes. The boys were digging on week
days, and were digging on Sundays. The
people became sick of it, and the act was
repealed.
Then ii was discovered that the crows
we're picking the lambs eyes out. A boun-
ty must be given for crows. This was vot-
ed. The boys killed the crows, carried
their heads to the town clerks, obtained
their certificates, and the clerks threw the
heads out of their back doors, when the
boys came in the night, stole them and
presented them again for bounty. This
also was abandoned. Then the silk-worm
fever possessed us. Somebody who had
visited Italy had compared its scenery with
our own. Vermont was the Italy of Amer
ica. We could produce our own silk on
our mountains. This production must even
be iostered by legislative assistance. APP
preparations were made. The experiment
was made in Springfield and elsewhere :;
the hills sides were covered with racks TO
Keep the worms in. A few thousand dol
lars were spent when il was discovered
that Vermont was not Italy after all then
SIX raising was all moonshine. But our
experiments did not close here. Some
SZ,ooo were appropriated for county agri-
cultural societies. Had any good come of
this! II had shown the farmers in the
small towns that they could get up their
own exhibitions. 1t had been of no use