Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-01-14
Grafton Farmers Club.

q Met on Wednesday evening, Jan.
' at the residence of S. ID. Conant an'
3 discussed the following question Wha
kinds of stock improve our farms most 7
4 j. ID. PErTESGILL said he thought fo
making manure there was no animal Al
good as the hog, with proper attention ii
providing material Cor absorbents large
amount of good manure could be made
But for general stock for the improve
ment of the whole farm he thought sheep
the best that could be kept They would
always get on the high and dry land to
stay nights, thus leaving large quanti-
ty of manure on the poorest land, and
where we should receive the most benefit
from it. They also keep the pasture
clear of brush and briars. With proper
care during the winter months they
would make large amount of the best
manure. For the meadow and tillage
land without any regard to pasture, COWS
would be best if they were kept in the
yard or stable nights.
S. d. CoNANT thinks sheep the best
stock FIR the whole farm. Pastures
stocked with sheep hold their condition
better than with any other stock, and
thought they generally grew better, and
o,ta1 snpoa ;Dc,o,oos +b,+ he 1-,o,,, ,,bora
there was great improvement considers
COWS, if the object is to improve meadow
and tillage the best stock that can be
kept; A large amount of valuable ma
nure could be made by yarding nights
and putting IN litter and M, ok for alb
sorbents but the pasture would grow poor
and poorer. He thought a larger guam
tity of good manure could be made from
the same value of feed by hogs, with the
sty where the manure from the horse
stable with bedding and muck could be
worked over by the hogs, than from any
other stock. Thinks the manure from
the horse of less value than that from
other stock.
A. PUTNAM considers that if horses are
fed with the same value of feed as other
stock their droppings would be as valu-
able. Cattle chew their feed finer than
horses and their droppings are less bulky.
If the manure from the horse was con-
densed to the same bulk as that from
other stock, farmers would not think
there was SO much difference the same
amount of feed fed the horse would pro-
duce manure of as much value as the
same quantity and quality fed to other
stock. Pastures were kept in better con-
dition with sheep.
T. HOLDEN thinks horse manure as
good as that from any stock, horses make
more bulky manure than other stock,
would not improve the whole farm as
much as cattle.
JOHN THOMPSON has pasture that
has been stocked with sheep for a num-
Der of years; it has improved very much
during the time, and thinks sheep valua-
BILE stock to improve our pasture lands.
Mr.. FRANKLIN of Townshend.-I In
some respects sheep will improve our
farms the most, have pasture that ten
years ago was mostly covered with black
berry briers, it was then stocked with
sheep, the second season the briers wereaIl
killed out, was stocked with sheep for
several years and at this time it produces
feed enough for four cows. Horses make
manure Of the least strength but DO not
chew their feed as fine as cattle. don't
know but when rotted down to the same
bulk would be as good. Think cows
will enrich the whole farm the most of
any stock.
Mr.. RUTTER of Townshend, would
keep cattle, has never been able to dis
cover much difference in manure from
different stock, uses large amount of
absorbents, thinks the liquid manure
from the stable of as much value as the
solids and can make as much manure of
as much value from cattle as from any
other stock. Manure from horses kept
up and grained is of as much value as
from other stock. Hogs are fed with
richer food and therefore make richer
manure. Would pasture with mixed
stock.
The club adjourned to the residence of
Harvey Stoddard on Wednesday even
ing Jan. 10Th, 1870. Topic for discus.
sion, What kinds of stock shall we keep !?
j. D. PETTENGILL,
Secretary, Pro TEN.
"A