Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-10-01


tied by Mrs. Newcomb, Pierce and D. O.
Joslyn; rugs of various qualities and de-
scriptions BY Mrs. Gleason, Savage, Bushnell,
Leanerd, Boyce and others.
In the line of fancy and ornamental work,
Mrs. N. R. Spaulding had q charming hair
wreath, as did Mrs. S. A. Thayer, and which
eneircled the family Photographic group.
Mrs. Thayer had also an embroidered and
tucked skirt, drawers, night dress. chemise
&c. which attested fully that she workesh dill
igently with her hands. Mrs. N. R. Spaul-
ding is another lady deftly skillful in en-
broidery and needle work, and her specimens
were numerous and Of superior merit, while
the worsted tidy of Miss Gertrude was neat
and pretty. Mrs. Lavinia Wyeth contributed
worsted crochet tidy, child's braided skirt,
air castle, braided night dress and a braided
and tatting yoke chemise, all showing she is
not the woman with "nothing to wear"
Miss Flora Baird has moss-work lamp mat.
and Miss Lucy Palmer another together with
a very neatly embroidered night dress. Miss
Addie Miner delight, US with toilet cush-
ion and feather flowers, and Mrs. S. Chip
man with worsted feathers, Mrs. Harry
Buckley shows a toilet mat and watch case,
while Miss Jennie comes to the front with a
watch case and toilet cover.
We have nowimade the run of Floral Hall
and are ready for the address. This is to be
spoken from the music stand, by Col. John
B. Mead, farmer by occupation and from
choice. 1t is partly written and partly ex-
| tempore. We shall have room but for a
mere and most imperfect synopsis. Col.
Mead spoke very rapidly, and at times with
true eloquence.
He began by asserting that Fairs were in
situations belonging by right to farmers,
and it was proper that practical farmers
Should give the usual address instead of call
ing in a man from the so-called learned
professions. He recited with cutting sar-
casm the usual peroration of these profess
sional orators, and said they then went on
to tell US learnedly and heavily what we lit
tie cared to listen to, and we're quite sure
they practically knew less about. lie OBJ
jected to the custom that ranked the farming
community among the ignoble and the ig-
norant. 1t was strange paradox that
placed farmers in so low scale. Agricul-
ture was an heavenly institution, and or
dained by the Almighty. The command to
dress and keep the garden was made on the
morning of the first day and was recogni-
ton of the nobility of the occupation.
We have not come up to our high privi-
leges. We have not by our practice honored
our calling If a farmer has an unusally
bright, smart boy, he is put to school, and
educated at dreary cost for professional life.
If another develops pleasing, good address,
he is bundled off the farm and made into a
clerk. If third evnces mechanical skill
or ingenuity, he is placed at trade with
the inventors or workers in wood and metals.
The dullard is kept at home, to solace the
parents declining years land take his fathers
alike the farmer and his occupation. The
standard had been lowered by the tiller OF
the soil himself. The speaker narrated bis
own experiences in this respect. He had
been taught that any body was good enough
for farmer, and he quoted with fine effect,
Pollock's description of the ignorant but
believing christian.
This man, said the speaker, was one of our
fraternity. We have now thousands like
him. But all farmers are not such ignore-
muses.. Men are arousing themselves, and
spirit of inquiry and progress was abroad
1t should become more general. Scientific
farming and intelligent breeding of animals,
should be the rule and not the exception.
He sketched the thriftless farmer, his land,
buildings and finances sinking together, till
be sells the homestead for a sheep pasture,
and in bis old age turns his face to the set
| ting sun, and with trembling footsteps, trav.
els westward where the virgin soil will bear
further drainage. He would have science
come to our rescue. He pleaded for more
brains, but not for less muscle. Muscle was
| needed, and it should be held in reserve as
latent force to be used in old age, aud in
great emergencies. Put brain power to its
help. Adopt the labor-saving machines, and
the improved implements OF husLandry
our profit. Our lands need special fertilizers
and more of them. The early settlers had
by their treatment of the soil drained it
largely of its elements Of fertility. They
were, perhaps, entitled rightly TO do this,
because they suodued the forests, and suffer-
ed the deprivations Of pioneer Lille. Now
the sons must keep up or bring back this
former fertility. To this end, the effects OF
manures must be closely studied, and chem
istry must teach US how to produce the most
excellent results on crops, by particular
methods of manuring and cultivation.
| Col. Mead then directed attention to the
great waste of manuring matter originating
in the privies and back yards of most farmers
He had been surprised to note the losses
farmers suffered by too little attention to
these surrouniings; not only losses in fer.
tiIizing material, but BY reason of sickness
and fevers ensendered by the foul odors
proceeding from those deposits, BY proper
care and the utilizing of those now offensive
plague spots, sufficient fertilizers could be
secured to raise more corn than is now grown
in the state. lie deprecated the waste of
barn yard manures by leaving it uncovered,
to be washed by the summers rain and
burned up by the summers sun. To avoid
loss he would apply all manures as freshly
and as quickly as possible.
He exhorted to knowledge of chemistry
Farmers should carefully read it, the ladt
/ sAa.,ld Ma hax nj e. 4