Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-02-07


low out its noble dictates. move that
committee bo appointed by the chair to re.
quest Of DR.. Case copy Of his address for
publication. The Governors motion was
unanimously approved, and the committee
consisting of the Governor and two other
gentlemen, citizens of Bethel, whose names
we did not catch, duly appointed
A paper was then read by VIM. G. Dan.
forth, Esq, of Barnard, on "Trotting Hors.
es." Doing justice to the Hambletonians,
Olays, Black Hawks, and other families of
trotters, Mr., d. advocated the Morrill, fami-
y as the most desirable for Vermont. Prof
Collier and Col. Mead testified to their inter.
est in the question Of the value of the trot.
ting horse to the agricultural interests of
Vermont, and the necessity Of rescuing the
business of rearing and training driving
horses from the hands Of gamblers and rogues;
making the business legitimate and one of
the most dignifed branches of farming, as it
naturally is. We shall print Mr.. Danforths
paper in an early issue of the FARMER.
Governor Converse spoke of the impor-
lance of considering other qualities besides
speed, in rearing horses upon our Vermont
farms, and against the cruelties and dishoD-
estics Of the race-course. He also adverted
to the danger of raising fast horses simply
for racing purposes, and its perncious infu-
ence upon farmers sons
Mr. Danforth remarked that no cruelty
was ever needed or exercised towards the
genuine trotter to make him put forth his
powers of speed.
Mr.. Douglass thought that dairyinQ and
horse-breeding were to be the future great
branches of agricultural industry in Vermont.
But he did not approve of breeding for speed,
to the exclusion Of the other valuable quail.
ties of that noble and useful animal. Form
a true ideal OF the perfect animal, and breed
to it. But it is Of the highest Importance to
form that just IDEAL
Wednesday Morning.
An address by DR.. T. II. Hoskins of St.
Johnsbury, on the Science and Practice of
Manuring, called forth remarks of much
practical use from many present.
MIR. A. Il. Perkins, of Pomfret, then read
a very valuable aud practical paper on Sheep,
which will soon appear in the FARMER.
Col. j. b. Mead, Of Randolph, followed
with an essay entitled " Farming Sufficient
Field for Laudable Ambition" The Col.
made this a general subject, noticing differ
ent evils that have sprung up on our farms
aud naming remedies. His style is easy,
graceful and flowing, and well calculated to
hold the attention of an audience and make
them store it away in the treasures of their
minds The essay was replete with good
ideas well brought out, and should be read
or heard by all. We trust our friend will
not hesitate to furnish it for publication.
Mr. Homer w. Vail. of Pomfret, then
read paper on Dairying and Dairy Cows,
which will soon appear in our Dairy Depart
ment.
Secretary Collier was called out by the
chair TO speak upon the subject of Manur-
ing" He referred first to the fundamental
Importance of this subject, and asked what
would be the use and how long the existence
OF our improved varieties of animals without
luxuriant and abundant feed such as we can
only have by the use of efficient fertilizers
and manures. There is much truth in the
expression Mother Earth" The earth is
indeed our mother, providing for us all nee
essary articles for sustenance. Yet il does
not in all places yield q like amount. We
hear of yield Of 40 bushels of wheat to the
acre, but it is rarely seen, and cannot be OBJ
tanned year after year from the same ground.
DR.. Hoskins has told us how he restored the
fertility to exhausted soil. Now let us be.
gin at the beginning. II we burn wood,
wheat or corn there will remain an ash, this
ash represents the mineral elements that
the plant takes from the soil. This ash must
be, aud is, the same, whether the wheat be
raised in America or Europe. When our
yield of wheat diminshes to IL or 10 BUSH
els per acre, we eau usually increase it by
adding to the soil the minerals distracted by
the crop. Phosphoric acid is necessary to
the proper growth of wheat, and we cannot
substitute another ingredient to take its
place. was reading discussion of Far
mers Club in which one man told how he
made very good phosphate" and yet he
did not add to his compost single article
that contained phosphate. In Montpelier,
recently, was asked in regard to deposit
of lime, and the gentleman who sought the
information seemed surprised, when told
him that there was no phosphate in lime
though there is phosphate of lime
there are 63 simple substances or elements
in nature, and they cannot be changed OF
} substituted the one for the other. The al.
chemists desired to change baser metals "a
gold, but it cannot be done and neither can
lime be changed to potash or phosphoriC
acid.
The subject Of "green manuring" is
one that is worthy Of your consideration. II
consists in blowing in the crop grown upon
the land, returning Immediately all the min
eral and atmospheric fertilizers the crop has
) gathered in its growth. This method of en-.
| riching the land has been and is extensively
practiced. Among those plants that are
valuable for this purpose clover is much the
best. Its abundant LEAKAGE enables it tC
gather abundanty from the air, and its long
7 and large roots reach down deeper than the
2 roots Of other plants and accumulate more
+ mineral matter. 1t has been found that il
the first crop of clover is mown for hay anC
the second crop matured for seed and takeI
: away, the stubble and roots still make thu
Q soil richer than it was before the clover wa
v grown. This is accounted for from the fac
that the clover continues to grow through
the season, and its roots increase in size anC
= the surface receives the many leaves tina
& drop from the plant This green manurinl
o has been the salvation of some sections of tn,
). country. A question has been asked in re
gard to the value of muck. Muck differs 3,
much that trial is the proper test,
= Mr.. Douglass asked if all the organic mat
IS ter of plant is absorbed by the leaves.
- Prof. Collier answered that nearly all or
| pnnic matter is added to the nlant In thu