Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-02-28
TUESDAY MORNING.

Judge Hartshorne opened the session with
few appropriate remarks. He said We
are glad to welcome the Board of Agricul-
ture Though Essex is a small county we
are interested in Agriculture and we have
some good farmers among us. In manufac-
lures we have done ittle except Of lumber,
but our land is valuable for agricultural uses
and all of us should certainly desire and seek
after improvement in our business. One
great fault in our farming is that which pre-
walls too commonly, Of changing from one
speciality to another, from oats to potatoes,
from sheep to cows and back again, trying
to follow temporary changes in the markets.
Farmers should decide upon the crops and
products for which their lands are best adapt
ed, or can be best fitted, and stick to
them through thick and thin. In the long
run, all the staple articles of production will
pay, though there may be times when prices
will he depressed. But the way to have
your dish always bottom up when it rains is
to keep changing.
MIR, u. Il. Jameson,
the only member of the Board who had been
able to reach Lunenburgh in season for the
morning session, then addressed the meeting
upon the subject of Grasses.
He remarked that 10 most countries there
was grass Of some kind, even in deserts are
now and then punches of grass. In extreme
northern countries it Is small and short, but
some animals, there like the Reindeer which
lives mainly upon moses, did not require
much of it, The United States. in 1870, pro-
duced 100000 tons of hay. 100000
tons in Maine, but in Texas not any. 1t was
the Northern states that gathered most of
the hay.
There are not many varieties cultivated
as should be, yet there are many native
kinds. He had found on his meadows thirty
different kinds of grass. Yet few were cul-
tivated. When people seeded down their
lands they, much to their disadvantage, SOW
ed the inevitable clover and herds grass
They were not fitted for all lands, and the
native varieties soon gained foot hold. 1t
these native grasses are good. why not SOW
them?
Herds grass was good for some land. Was
first brought to notice by Timothy Herd and
SO was called by some Herds grass, and by
others Timothy grass. Red top is hardy
good grass, growing on high and low lands,
but giving larger crop on the latter. Fowl
meadow grass, though, perhaps, not so good
AS some others, yet has the advantage Of al.
ways being green. 1t can be cut any time
from June to October, and always be nutri-
tous and green. 1t is called fowl meadow,
as it was discovered il a meadow which was
much frequented by water fowls, not because
it was foul grass.
Blue joint is good, but not as good as the
fowl meadow. Blue grass or june grass,
which is the chief grass of the famous Ken
lucky pastures, is good pasture grass.
Should be used for that purpose on all rich,
moist soils. IL makes good nay.
Orchard grass is rapid grower, good for
pasture and for hay few SOW it, but it should
be raised extensively. 1t will in pasture
lands support one COW to the acre. No 9TH
er grass will do it, and common grasses fire.
quently require ten acres for COW in pas
ture. Quack grass it cannot be killed. Ii
you raise other crops you do not need SOW
seed after the first time, the roots cannot be
destroyed. 1t is also called witch grass. Is
plague to the farmer, yet makes good hay
as horses and cattle will do more work on il
without grain than on any other.
Sweet vernal grass, though priced by SOME
for the fragrance it imparts to hay, is of nj
special value. The most valuable grasses
have no perfume, neither has corn or othel
grain, but it is pleasant TO us, and it may BE-
10 our live stock, As ergot, which Is poison
Gus to cattle, is formed in the heads Of som'
grasses it is desirable to cut early before The
seed is formed, especially all meadow grasses
This poison causes diseases of the feet, anC
sometimes tumors aud other bad effects.
Clovers, though not scientifically classet
with grasses are usually so classed by farm
ers. There are three common varieties, al
valuable. Glover roots penetrate deep int
the soil and bring up valuable plant food
and if plowed in, clover much enrches tn
ground. IL il also valuable for hay, but doe
not long hold out; as a crop in this section
it hardly lives beyond two years. Whit
Glover is good crop, best for pastures, an'
good to SOW with herds grass for a hay crop
The weight of the crop, rer acre, will b
about the same as if sown with red clover
mixed IN the same manner. Alsike Glove
seems, in our county, to be short lived, bu
good while it lasts; the blossoms are doubl
the size OF white clover; have great doubt
about its being a valuable crop. Severa
other grasses were also mentioned, and h
then spoke of their cultivation. IrrgatiO
was strongly recommended, and shown to b
feasible on many farms to a greater or les
extent, Cropping after manuring is ba
practice for grass lands; only grass should b
raised, though the land should now and the
be plowed and enriched, but it should b
seeded without other crops, so far as poss
BILE, where grass is the main reliance, as it
on most of our farms Where grass is mos
profitable do not steal the nutriment whic
should 60 to produce grass by preceding tn
grass with grain and hoed crops, At a
events, have your land in high cultivatio