St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1870-02-25

interested III Agriculture, cam off nj the
Avenue House on the 22d, according t.
program. After an hour or more spent
in social intercourse, and in getting ac-
qu%inted, the company repaired to the
Hall.
The meeting III the hall was called to
order by the President, JoNA. Law
RENEE, Esq, who introduced Hon. +.
K. CARPENTER of Waterford, a. the first
: 10 address the meeting. After appropri-
ateiy referring to the day, as the natal
day of the Father of our country, Mr..
Carpenter SAID we come not together IL
politicians or statesmen, but as ci zen
farmers, taking cognizance Of the calling
which we till and the eocdly heritage OF
the soil we cultivate He was Gid o!
the organization OF Il farmers club in this
county. Agriculture lies at the founda-
lion OF all our prosperity. His subject
he announced as, Hints on Progress
or the relation of Science to Agricu!-
ture." Judge &. then spoke OF this agc
of improvement. He thought farmers
should not permit themselves to be lei
behind other professions in these matter,
Much has already been done in the i'm
prOvement of farming machinery, implc-
ments, ETC.; and the formation OF this
club was IA step forward by the farmers
OF this county. We shall continue t.
differ i'll our views on different subjects
until we bring science 10 The aid Of AZ
riculture. The methods OF ma>ina
bread. butter, and of curinL meats. exc.
are done on scientific principles: bu.
the, have been done 80 so lon" that th,
fact is lost sight Of by complying with
no les important and well-establishcd sci
cntilic rules in agriculture, success i "a
certain as the making OF batch Of
bread. Judge c. then spoke of the way
nature rccuperated the earth Of the
habits Of man in taking away elements
of plant food from the soil and rc.!ucino
the quantity and quality of the crop.
Men attribute the failure of this or tina:
drou hi, or the condition of the moon a.
the time OF planning, when science would
teach them that both theory and rrIctic
was wrong Judge G. hoped +" 500 the
day when this farmers club would iavr
n well selected library of scientific work
on agriculture.
Capt. +. l.. HovEY then address
the audience on the Past, Present ana
Future of our County" One hundred
years ago there was not Il house in Ctlc-
donna County. March 4, 100, the first
settler located at what is now S,cvcn~
village, in Barnet. There was no agri-
culture for the nc>t 80 years. The few
settlers We're clearing away the forest
and struggling TO keep their families lrou
perishing of hunger. 1t Is only within
TIE past twenty-five years that aericul-
ture has assumed any proportions. Cal
edonla county was supposed to be hard
locality 10 get a living il, and for l5G
years after the landing of the Pilgrims
this part of the country was Stunned
and when II last it was settled, it wa
done by poor, hard-worktng men. 1t j.
not possible in our day to comprehend
the hardships of coming to or Twin" in
this county during the first 30 year, after
It's settlement. Some attribute apathy
and neglect TO those first settlers. but
when we think of the almost iuSurmuuni-
able obstacles which they ovcrcamc. W.
wonder at the progress those pioneer
made. Mr.. Ilovey here introduced tht
story OF Mr.. Stm'l SWEET, who, gettIrg
out of provisions. started for Ncwbury.
the nearest grist mill, 30 miles distau'
blazcd trees for a guide \ snow storm
came on, he wandered from his courSc.
and was zone much longer than antici-
ptted. His wife and children had eaten
W the last morscl Of food, and for two
days they had had nothing. The gnaw
ings OF hunger prevented sleep. At last
the mother hit upon a ru>c: she told the
children that she would roast them some
potatoes, and putting some round ston,s
into the ashes, her children soon fell
asleep, and before the morning broke tie
father returned with the Ion. looked for
food Mr. Hovey then comtrastcd thu
rude implements Of those former time,
with those Of the present day, and
thought it was not true, as sometimes
charged, that farmers were slow TO adopt
improvements. He thought these invid
iouS croakings against farmers were
made by book farmers" Yet he be-
lIeved in educated farmers and educated
farmers wives. His advice would be,
put more thought into your work-de-
vote more time to acquiring valuable
knowledge. The farmer needs more
general knowledge than any other class,
besides special knowledge for his special
departments. Farmers should strive for
something better than broad acres and
numerous mortgages, they should seek