The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-02-06
agricultural department.
CONDUCTED By ALBERT CHAPMAN.
Meeting ofthe state Board of Agricui-
ture nj Burlington.

Inc meeting was called to order by
the Secretary, Irof. Peter Collier,and on
motion Of N. b. Stafford, Esq. of Hart.
ford. Hon. Pitt Hyde of Castleton, was
chosen Chairman, who introduced Prcsi.
dent Buckham, Of the State Agricultural
College who made the opening address,
This part was assigned to his excellen-
cy, the Governor, but by unavoidable en-
gagements in the Supreme Court at Md
dlebnry, he was not able to be present..
President Buckham, in a short but
concise and forcible manner, stated the
object Of these meetings to be the enlight-
eminent of the minds of the agricultural
masses, and their improvement by infor-
nation, disseminated through few of the
leading minds of those engaged in it, and
the interchange of thoughts and the re-
suits OF the experience of those who at
tended these meetings, must tend to
such result. What he had said of Ag-
riculture might with some notifications
be said Of Manufacturing and Mineing.
The first regular paper of the meeting,
was then read by DR.. Hiram Cutting Of
Lunenburg, State Geologist, upon the
Economic values of the ores Of Vermont.
The conclusions of the Dr., as to the
value Of our ores was not very flattering,
but he thought another geological survey,
Was needed to prevent our people from
wasting time, and money, in mining, and
teach them that the true worth of YER
mont was in its fertile SOIL and beds of
muck, and cause them to direct their at
tention to the difference of those soils, and
TO gain information that would enable
them to select fertilizers which will to
tde greatest extent give the best results.
The next paper was by Mr.. j. T.. Man
ley Of West Rutland, upon the Marble
Deposits of Rutland County, wherein he
described in an interesting manner, the
marble quarries and their products of
Rutland County, and remarked that no
paying quarries have been found north of
Rutland; but it was possible that the
marble Of Addison and Chittenden coun.
ties, may be found to be good at a much
greater depth than has been hitherto ex-
plored. The next paper was upon the
Copper Mines Of Orange County; and
was by Hon. Roswell Farnham, of Brad
ford, Vermont, who gave a very interest
ing account of the history of tho mining
Of copper in that county, and of the
present operations of companies engaged
IN mining, and smelling of copper there
at this time. One company there is now
turning out from their furnaces 100000
pounds of pig copper per month
The afternoon meeting closed with this
piper.
AT the evening meeting, Prof. Samuel
W. johnson, Of New Haven, gave very
instructive lecture upon the exhaustion OF
soils. AT the commencement, the Prof.
stated that the popular belief that the
land throughout our country is becoming
Exhausted by being cropped year after
year is fallacy. The figures of statis-
ticians cannot make it true. 1t may be.
come unable to pronounce good crops by
the want Of the elements to produce them
being in an unavailable form; and it is
the business of the farmer to restore such
elements to the soil, as will bring into
active condition, the plant food Of the
soil, that it may avail itself of it.
The rapidity with which the changes
going on constantly in the soils, can be
fastened by the farmer, determine his sue.
cess In producing crops, and measure the
real fertility of the soil. Examples were
cited to prove that lands constantly crop.
ped for long series Of years by one, and
the same crops had kept up to the same
average fertility without any manure.
The chemical changes going on con.
stantly in the soils would Keep up an av-
erage yield, but it should be the business
OF the owner to improve the soil by hast
ing those changes, and produce better
crops and improve his land We may
exhaust soil but the natural fertility is
not changed The soil may be exhausted
for one crop and yet capable ofproducing
another Land under cultivation increas.
es in value. Italy has been cultivated
for thousand years, and tho fertility of
the land has been constantly increasing.
In our own country we have nothing to
fear from the exhaustion Of the soil.
Mr.. o. c. Wait of Georgia. Secretary
of the Vermont Boo-Keopcrs Association.
then read an interesting essay, entitled
advantages Of Bookkeeping
MIR. Waits paper was very well con.
eeived and well written argument in ia.
vor of Bookkeeping, and presented in
very favorable light, the profits to be
derived thereirom, and the vast amount of
valuable product constantly going to
waste, for want of gathercrs being Kept,
and cared for to preserve it. And he
ped that as Vermont excelled already
in the quantity and quality of her milk,
we might soon be able to say with the an.
clients, that We have land flowing with
milk and honey.
SECOND DAY, THURSDAY MORNING.
The meeting was called to order by
President Buckham, who introduced his
excellency Gov. Stewart, who made
short but interesting address.
The object of the Board is two fold to
elevate the dignity of agricultural, to in.
fuse into the minds of the people new
sense of its Importance, and to teach them
the principles that underlie all its laws
and the appropriation and employment of
these principles.
Gov. Stewart instanced China, where a
dense population has been sustained for
three thousand years, and the soil contin-
ually increased in fertility.
Rut the ultimate purpose of this
Boards to make men and women, to ell
evate the human soul. Not only to pro-
duce more butter and cheese, but to ex.
pand the mind. This is the work of the
farmers, and the board calls upon them
to sustain them in contributing to the
general stock of knowledge, that the mind,
muscle and brain, may be developed to-
gether, that our State may be successful