Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-09-27
Dairy FARMING in Vermont.

The drouth continues, and the falling
off in the amount of milk among the dai-
ries of Vermont is unprecedented. We
have been looking about among the farm
ers and factories for several days, and we
confess to no little surprise at the low av-
erage product of milk reported, and while
we are willing to cnncede very much to the
unfavorable season, we cannot but believe
that it would pay very many of our farm
ers to devote a week or a month to learn
ing their business. Dry seasons have be-
come so very common that no farmer is
justifable in stocking up for a wet, or even
an average season, and making no special
provision for a drouth. There are whole
towns in which it is impossible to find a
single pasture that producing feed enough
to give the cows decent bite of grass, and
vet it is very rarely the case that farmer
is feeding anything. Occasionally one has
little patch Of green corn, but he IS saw
ing it for some other time or occasion; and
in all our circle of acquaintance We do
not hear of more than half dozen who
are feeding at all 1t is not only detrimental
to the cows, but destructive to the pastures,
to feed them so closely. It IS, however,
only part Of the prevailing policy Of tax
ing all that can be got from the farm and
paying nothing back. Most farmers would
feel that it was almost sacrilegious to let a
little grass 20 back TO enrich the soil ;
hence they make provision for getting all,
whatever the season, and punish them
selves 100 often by getting inadequate re-
turns 1t IS undeniable that the net profit
+ from 30 cows giving daily average of 50
/ pounds Of milk through the season, would
be much greater than from 30 cows giving
an average of only 20 pounds; and it i.
quite questionable if an average Of 30 lbs
will be reached by many of the considera-
bic diaries of Vermont this season.
We spent some considerable time last
season among the dairymen Of Central
New York, class of men who devote s
portion Of their time and means to the pro
motion of their interests by the indirec
and unpopular method of attending farm
ers' clubs and dairymens associations, fo
the purpose of getting the benefit of th'
experienced their fellow dairymen, wheth
er near or remote; and we could not bu
infer that among the multitude of improve
ments that they have made in dairying
none is more creditable or more proftabl
to them than the increased production pc
COW which they have attained to, by grea
care and skill in selecting and breedin
cows, and in judiciously feeding them
Among them the expression, the farm vii
carry so many COWS, isalways coupled wit
their production Of either milk, cheese Q
butter Their pastures are not overtaXe
at any time, and efforts are constant
made to improve their productive capacity
1t is true that last season was an unusual
ly favorable one, but not more so for theI
than for Us, and. our remarks are intende
for general application, rather than 70
this season alone.
One ofthe most noticeable results of tn
factory or associated system of dairyin
has been the facilities afforded for compal
ing the products of different localities.
Under the old farm system, every man bc
lieved he had the best lot of cows and IL
best of everything else, and had but lit
doubt about having reached the acme
periectionin his business; but compariso on
so far from proving odious, in this case hi
led to investigations and very marked in
provements.-O. S. BLISS in Country GeI
HemdR.