Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-06-15
Proceedings of the Vermont Board
of Agriculture at its Session at
brandon, June and y, 1871.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

: FRIDAY AFIERNOON. -
3 DR.. Hiram A. Cutting, of Lunenburgh
r read paper on "Meteorology." 80
=. The subject was introduced by a briei
statement of the chemical and physical
character of the atmosphere. The causes
and courses of the wind were then spoken
of. The effect in evaporating water to be
subsequently, deposited as dew, rain and
snow, was explained. The situation OF
Vermont, with mountains on both the
east and west, give local character to
our winds. Tornadoes are unfreuuent,
but not unknown; some very severe ones
were named. Tropical winds were al
luded to. The manner of the deposition
of dew was explained. The cirrus clouds
were spoken of, being the light feeoy
clouds at great height. When they
dispense, forming dappled sky, they in.
dieate fair weather, but if in long stream
ers. a storm. The cumulus cloud was ex-
planned, also the stratus. The nimbus, or
rain cloud, was next considered. The
rainfall during twenty-four hours is rarely
over one inch. Only seven times in TWEEN
ty years in Vermont has two inches of
rain fallen in twenty hours. In the
South they have three times as much rain,
while Vermont has three times as many
rainy days. On an average the rainfall
of Vermont is forty-five inches in one
hundred and ffty-six rainy days.
The instruments used in meteorological
observation were briefly described, and
their application in prognosticating
changes of weather explained.
DIR. Cutting stated that many of the
weather forecasts now published by the
government did not apply well to his To-
cality, owing to local disturbances caused
| by the vicinity of the White Mountain
range. But in the case of extensive
storms they were usually correct.
Mr.. Douglass, of Whiting, alluded to
plain valley, the west side, under the
Adirondacks, having very much the most
snow. The quantity was again greater
on the east side of the Green Mountains
Col. Stowell mentioned a reverse con-
dition in the same region during a long
continued prevalence of northwest winds
Mr.. G. G. Prindle, of Charlotte, then
read an essay upon
INTERPOLATION OF PLANTS.
Mr.. P. began by stating that the same
law applied in the breeding of animals
and of plants. High feeding, special con-
ditions and judicious crossing enter into
each as elements of success in moulding
them according to the experimenter's will
He bad found the works of Charles Oar
win of great use in directing his labors of
by bridizatiOp, and had no doubt that they
would be equally useful to breeders of
animals AIusion was made to the de-
velopment of useful grains and roots from
their wild originals. This il slow and
Ia borious process, but left TO themselves
the degeneration is very rapid. Under
draining. deep tills9e and manuring are
required to keep up these improvements
and beget new ones.
Those who neglect good culture gener-
rally call improved plants humbugs, be-
cause under their culture such plants fail
to show their good points. The same is
equally true of improved animals under
the ignorant and careless farmer. Corn
is almost the only plant in which farmers
exercise selection, and is consequently the
one which best preserves its good quail
ties. Until recently selection has been
alone relied upon for improvement in our 1
cultivated plants. This is very slow
process. But by by bridiz alton or cross
breeding we can attain results at once
which we might otherwise wait long f
years for, and indeed could never other |
wise obtain. BY this method, intelligent E
ly used, we can almost mould the objects
of experiment at will. We make use of :
selection among the products of hybridi- c
zatiOn, and again breed together plants
that exhibit valuable qualities, until !
these characteristics become fixed. and =.
new and permanent varieties are obtained. /
Accidental by bridization is constantly t
going on as the work of bees and insects. t
and many good varieties result. Even q
when this is not done, great good results ?
n preventing the close breeding that
usually occurs when no external agents
,ome into play. =
Mr. Prindle entered into details of the a
process of artificial liberalization, most
interesting but impossible to give within
he necessary limits of this report. c.
His experiments in crossing the potato f
ave resulted in many new sorts, very al
istinct and some of them very promis-
ng. The mother plants, in this expert +
nent, were Early Rose the male parents. II
Excelsior, Sebec, Peach Blow, and Mercer. b
nd all the cross bred plants showed char. D
rteristics of the parents in various de- q,
rees. Mr.. Jameson, of Irasburgh, sua- =,
ested that Mr.. Prindle should send ont
is by birds through the department of Ag- IL
culture, at Washington, to be tested in tr
Il parts of the country. CO
Prof Collier then proceeded to make o,
,me observations upon
COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS.
Professor Collier remalked first upon -
he acknowledged decline of the prodoc- er
We power of our farms after having been en-
on xr,orHo1 in he =.
he elements necessary to the thrifty
:owth of crops have been taken off in
he crops previously produced, and sold In
way from the farm. What are these ele- 1t
ents? They are the substances which mc
e found Ito exist in the ashes of the mr.
op. and sthe volatile elements of the p
ants dispersed by combustion. Of the .n'
neral elements of this ash, some are Itu
III existing in the soil in sufficient album. WI
nee OUT others, which usually are in jus
lall amount in even the best soils, have of
ore or less completely disappeared.
1ese must be replaced, and when this il + :
ne. the fertility of the soil is restored tbf
other thing, no matter how necessary To,
. the plant. will serve the purpose. 80
With every needed element present U.S.
We one. the soil is still unfertile; and l
ese substances must not only be present. oul
t they must be present in soluble Mr.
addition, SO that they may be taken UP D.,
the roots of the plants. This condi.
n may be promoted, as regards ele. NIL
nts already in the soil, by cultivation. the
! especially by following. Fallowing era
1 rotation OF crops are well-known MI;
thods of promoting fertility. The ad- -,
ion of some indirect fertilizers, such as COZ
ster and lime, also help in decomposing due
soil and causing it to surrender up its Adj
tilizing ingredients to the plants. wit
3ut with all this, under ordinary Gull and
e, it is also necessary to add direct fer.
zers in the form of such substances AZ ooP
wanting. OF these, among minerals. and
ally only potash and phosphoric acid nell
dene1ent IN ordinary soils. These Bar