Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-05-22


ry cannot without your aid and cooperation
make II successful. He may safely direct,
but Won must be the motive. We wish, then,
to bring dairymen together for discussion,
for n comparison Of individual experiences
fact by fact, ono added to another, and thus
ut last a science is established. Lot us also
form habits Of close observation, for in this
WAY alone may we accumulate facts and nd
vance our knowledge
When the dairymen ARE awakened to the
Importance and usefulness of meetings for
mutual Improvement, the association has
done material part of the work for which
II wassorgynzed, Dahymen's associations
are In existence IN other states, and unless |
dairymen Of Vermont mean to fall behind, |
they must take hold Of the work. Previous
meetings of this association have been sue
cessfu in exciting interest whore they were |
held. The people arc beginning to see that
we are falling behind in some branches of
the dairy, and are willing to take hold and
endeavor to remedy the evil and put Yer
mont whore she should he ms New En-
gland state, IN the front rank of progress.
Once started among our dairymen this spir
II of progress will not be arrested. When
we realize our deficiencies, and with concert
Of action begin the attempt to remedy them,
1t will be done. Organization is necessary,
in order TO proceed m the work effectively.
The ultimate end of all the business of tins
association is to make men and women.
The practical results of our efforts Will be
to educate aud refine our people, to intro
duce them to broader aud finer culture,
and lilt them directly into higher plane
OF existence; to enlarge and elevate their
souls. The influence of the association will
lead not only 10 the making of better butter
and cheese; but the making of better men
and women. The association is worthy
the cordial support of the dairymen and
farmers of tho state.
There is one thing would like to impress
forciby upon your minds. Every dairyman
and farmer in Vermont, in the United
States, aye in the world, ought to take at
least one agricultural paper, and read it too,
and make every capable member of his fam
Ily read it. Every man who cultivates rod
of ground ought to take one. 1t is great
help to any han to have the benefit of other
mems experience to add to his own, and that
is precisely what he gets by these excellent
lpapers. And not only this, but he rs likely
to get the experience of the brightest and
ablest farmers in the country, for these are
the men that usually contribute to them;
they have done more to the Improvement OF
dairying and farming than even agricultural
fairs will venture to say, that il there
were no such publications, you would have
no agricultural societies, and no meetings
like this. The man is sure to get behind
who does not read them Go every one of
you, and subscribe for an agricultural pa
pvr, and take il rs long Ms you live, and in
your last will and testament, direct your eN-
eeutors.to continue the subscription for the
benefit of your widow and children. And it
you get no other idea from me to-day. it will
pay you well for being bored by my speech.
There is another thing you ought to do
establish in every neighhorhood u farmers
club. where you can meet together for one
evening in week or fortnight for discus
: sions of all questions pertaining TO your bus
mess. This will have two good effects; each
man will acquire the combined wisdom OF
all. and each man will learn to use his
brains and tongue. And then on our practi-
cal dairymen and farmers will dcvolve the
; task of addressing such meetings rs this
instead Of calling on profes ional men, who
frequently. like myself, have, no other GGall-
! hc,ltion than the ''cheek" and not very
! much of that. Now this cheek, brass, assur
ance. self-reliance, or whatever you may
choose to call it, can only be acquired b,
, | 4 hn. Of ;.hn
= culture, who would be as helpless rs In,
1 most iliterate pumpkin. If called upon Il
make speech, merely because they haC
! never acquired the habit of facing crowd,
l or thinking on their feet recolect II most
notable instance. And old political friend
of nine. of this state-a man of great learn
ing and rare ability. polished gentleman
wit and n scholar. Some years ago u few
5 of us proposed to run him for congress, but
: he declined peremptorily on the groand that
d he could not make speech. He remarked
Il Sitting at this table can talk AS well u,
any of you, and MS long rs please, and OF
i political subjects too; hut organize meet
$ ing--nIaks one fool president and anothe
n secretary aud am like II boy ut II huskinl
= nothing to say on any subject" Mark you
: gentlemen, Inc was speaking of pelitica
u meetings. They never make fools presl
dents and secretaries OF dairymen's assOcia
tions. | am president of one myself. Nov
ii my learned friend had ever belonged Il
: II farmers debating club he would not hav
been quite so helpless on his feet. | hav
no doubt there are some very able men il
i this meeting who can painfully appreciate
: all this. BY all means let every town hav
its debating club, for the discussion of agrl
s. cultural and pastoral matters, and let tn
y subjects be- given ont in advance, aud tax
n my word for it thore will sOon be II marked
Improvement in the brains of that neghbor
= hood, and AN ignorant farmer will hardly b
Il found in that locality.
Ths time will come and think is near a
, hand when these Vermont hills and valley
= will be known and appreciated rs the favor
ed spots of earth, when th1y are divided in
to smaller farms and you get plows that g
deeper; when our immense water power
all occupied our railroads all finished an
70 the canal from the st. Lawrence to our beau
tiful lake made and our state Is made tn
: highway for the commerce of the world
% Then will manufacturing be largely estal
" lished among us, and large population al
=. trtcled thereby and home market mad
:. for all our products. The man who owns
hundred acres Of our best land will h
"wol of, " and the owner of two hundre
y will be rich. We want to make our stat
"a succeed, not only practically, but in thu
w higher sense, in virtue, in Intelligence, i
~, culture. We may reap the richest and mos
" satisfactory results from the association
!. the dairYmen and farmers will give il the
" hearty, earnest support.