Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-01-23

of Hon. Il. A. Parks, of st. Johnsbury, as
chairman, and the opening address was de-
livered by
J.. II. Foster. Esq,
of Barnet a.
The first paper read was Que upon The
Relation of Theory to Facts in Agriculture" ("
by
Hon, T.. II. Carpenter, .
Of Lower Waterford This able and well
considered paper, will, we hope, soon be
given to our readers.
Secretary Collier endorsed the views of
the essayisi upon the true relations between
theory and fact He observed that it is
often said such thing is all right in theory,
but It don't work well in practice. Now
this cannot be so, for if it 'caS all right in
theory it 'could work well in practice. But
we cannot always wait to get all the facts
required to make a theory perfect, before
trying to reduce it to practice, aud indeed
in our efforts to put the theory in practice
we may catch hold OF the missing facts, and
thus perfect our theory. Many men pro-
fess to condemn all theory, while in fact
they are full Of theories, aud sometimes
very incorrect ones, themselves. Every man
who, looking at the heavens in the morning,
says it will rain before night, gives express
sion TO a theory that may or may not be con-
firmed. He is doing as all must do in the.
orizing he looks at the natural phenomena,
or. appearances, presented before him, recalls
what in his experience has usually followed
upon these appearances, and propounds his
theory of the weather And the same the
orizing is taking place every day on nnum-
cradle subjects, by men who speak con-
temptuously of others theoriziug, and of
theorizing in general The difference be-
tween the theorizing Of unintelligent men
and Of educated men is mainly that the for
mer, having formed theory on very few
facts unperiectly appreheuded, stick to
their theory doggedly, no matter what other
facts may be presented, while the other is
ready to consider all lew facts, and, if nee
essary, alter his theory to conform to the
newly received information.
u. Il. Jameson, Of lrasburgh, spoke of
the various theories in reference to plowing
and plows churning and churns, that have
prevailed, and the gradual progress of COR
rect information that has resulted in our i'm.
proved pows and our simpifed, but more
effective, churns. This could not have been
reached without much thoorizng, great
deal Of experimenting and frequent failures
A man shows his good Judgment in examin-
ing theories and adopting those that are
useful, not in rejecting all.
Some further discussion followed, of de-
sultory character, when
Ira @. smith. Esq,
of East st, Johnsbury, read a paper upon
Farmers Homes in Vermont" very
thoughtful and well-expressed production.
In response to call from the audience,
Hon. g. II, Heath, of Montpelier, (membcr
of the Board,) callcl upon the farmers of
Vermont to show their energy and patriot
ism, neither of which was ever doubted, in
developing the natural resources of their
state. In improved farming, in assisting to
introduce and establishing manufacturing in.
dustries, We may and should labor with all
our power, mental aud physical, to develop
our great resources and transmute them into
that wealth which is the basis Of culture,
comfort and prosperity which will make and
constitute us great state, prosperous, pro-
gressive people. Vermont people are as
cute as any; why then do we let Massachu-
sets men, or our own men in Massachusetts,,
manufacture cur wood, our hides, our WOOL
and our other raw material, into the
very clothes we wear and the chairs we sit
on We spend our money for these things
aud then farmers complain that the times
are hard, and, good God | should think
they would be! We must develop our
state by trains and enterprise as well as la
Dor, or Vermont will fall behind in the race
where heretofore she has held her position
in the front. We must 60 to work and or
ganzc new industries. Our waterfalls are
romantic, secluded, beautiful spots, very
beautiful, but too secluded. We cannot aE-
ford to keep them idle for their beauty, we
must beautify them with the higher beauty
of use, and thereby give to our young men
and maidens our old men and widows, op-
portuuties for employment that will sup
port them in comfort aud take away the
temptations that tear them away from home,
depopulato the state, and deprive it both of
the money and the men that alone can make
us prosperous aud develop our State in Il
way that will keep us even with the progress
of the nation elsewhere. Mr.. Heath con-
tuued for half an hour to address the
meeting in a strain Of mingled humor, ell
oquenco aud wisdom, cXhortng the people
to take hold and develop their manufacture
ing resources with their own means, put
their own shoulders to the wheel, and then,
if necessary, call on Heaven and other out
siders for help.
Mr., jameson spoke Of the depressing eff
feet upon the feelings of the inhabitants of
a town or village in consequence Of having
people moving away from lack of employ
ment, and the cheering effect of seeing
people moving into and building up Il place.
And oae or the other may be aud often is
determined by the energy or want of energy
and enterprise on the part Of the citizens