Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-11-29
PROE. COLLrRR's .rDDHBss.


In response to an invitation of the Legis-
lature, Prof. Peter Collier, the able and ac-
complished Secretary of the State Board Of
Agriculture, delivered an address in the
Hall of the House of Representatives Oct.
81. Gov. Converse presided, and introduce
ed Prof. Collier.
The object of the address was to incul
cate the importance to agriculturists of in
toligent and educated cooperation. Re-
calling the ancient alegory which comes
down to us from the infancy Of the race,
representing the Earth as the bounteous
mother of mankind, from whom all draw
subsistence, in whose ample lap all the
children of men are cradled, and in whose
bosom they are fold ed to final rest, he re-
marked that to-day billion and a third Of
mortals derive their physical life and
strength from the earth. Her fields and
forests and waters still supply our needs.
The command of 6,000 years ago still rests
on the race, to multiply and subdue the
earth. In the long contest all of the varied
forces of nature have in time been forced TO
capitulato. Woods, waters, minerals, air,
the very lightning are subordinate to man.
We gather the spoils of a worldwide bat
tle-feld. Yet the contest must be still
maintained, for nature is constantly re-
claiming as her own every unguarded or
neglected point. There is one satisfaction /;
that we encounter no guerrilla warfare.
Every force in nature is subordinate to
1,,t. II a1 hot f,f Tah
ing in accord with these, we are sure of
success.
Prof. c. urged the need of intelligent CO.
operation in the use of every improvement,
in machinery, or methods of farming as be-
ing especially necessary in this State,
which suffers so constantly from the drain
upon its young farmers by other States
and by other pursuits. AS an evidence of
the progress made he instanced the fact
that no longer ago than 1888, the Gottingen
Academy, in Germany, formally pro-
pounded the question whether the mineral
matters in the soil are of service to vegeta-
tion. To-day millions of dollars are in
vested in the business of supplying miner
al fertilizers, aud on their use the success
is a result of the application of Science to
Agriculture. Mr.. Y. A. Willard tells us
that millions of pounds Of cheese are still
injured yearly by Ignorance of the proper
temperature of the curing room. There is
not doubt that by intelligent application OF
science, our dairy stock in Vermont now
numbering 10000 head, could be increased
in I,u mill To
need and should encourage our Farmers
Clubs and Societies, and Boards of Agri.
culture.
The speaker mentioned the case of O
young farmer, who falling heir TO his faith
el's farm, worked it on the plan of trying
in every case some method different from
that which his father had used. Though
this was not scientific rule, and in many
eases, not a safe one, in this case it was ben
etcial. 1t is certain that less progress has
been made in Agriculture than in other
| departments of human industry. The re-
verse of this fact ought TO be true; for al
other branches of business depend on this
An untimely frost, or even midge may
b ing panic into every financial circle.
Considering the value Of improved meth
DDS, Prof c. said he knew Vermonter
who bought farm two or three years ago
and began by putting up new 60 feet barn
! His neighbors laughed at him, till the,
laughed off ten feet of his barn, but sine
then he had mad TO put up still anothe
large barn. That man has no doubt tha
farming pays. Another man had increased
the yield of potatoes on his farm, from Z
bushels to the acre to 300 bushels Hi
farm had paid for itself, had supported him
self and his family and had trebled in val
ne, in short time. Another has dug thi
year POO bushels of potatoes from seve
acres of land, after losing third of the Gro
by rust In England, the average yield c
wheat has increased 100 per cent. How
it that in the country the farms are general
ly decreasing in production? The troubl
is that many of our farmers have made n
advance over those who cultivated the val
ley of the Nile 1000 years ago. What
most needed is intelligent cooperation
We must persuade our farmers that every
body knows more than anybody. One {
our most extensive butter dealers in Vel
mont says that of every ten tubs of Vel
mont butter but three are first rate. Anott
err says that of every ten tubs, one is fir,
rate, one second rate and one poor. No,
our aggregate annual product ofbutter is Is
600, 900 lbs; allowing but four cents poun
: as the average difference between the fir'
rate, and the second rate and the poor, W
find that our farmers lose annually by nc
making all their butter first rate, as the
might do, no less than $780, ISi.r hu,
dred and thirty thousand dollars, enough I
support our Board of Agriculture for tw
hundred and tifty-two years.
In conclusion Prof. Collier summed u
briefly the work of the Board for the pa,
two years. 1t had secured analysis {
twenty kinds of commercial fertilizer,
sold in Vermont. 1t had found a fertilize
worth but S6.3S ton and selling at $50
ton, and stopped the sale Off The savin
to farmers in that alone had probably G
qualled the entire yearly expense of tn
Board. 1t had held meetings in nine coun
ties, and its forthcoming report would b
the best aud of the most practical value I
farmers, of all the reports as yet publishe
in any State. They had received hydro
graphic returns from l2l towns and l4l n
turns of mining statistics, which woul
give material for most valuable repol
hereafter.
10 RENEW GpAss without PIOwINa-