Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-01-16

Agriculture, &C., January and o.
THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
The meeting was called to order by Secre-
tary Collier, and Hon. Clark King, of East
Montpelier, chosen chairman. An opening
address was then delivered by
Hon. Addison Peck.
in which hearty welcome was extended to
the Board and the audience, in behalf of the
people of the town.
Secretary Collier then called the attention
Of the audience to the objects of the Board,
and suggested that discussions formed quite
as important and useful feature of these
meetings as the addresses and papers, and
invited all present to take part therein.
a. NJ. Foster, Esq,
Of Cabot, then read paper upon the subject
of "Growiug and Selecting Seeds" This
paper is an eminently practical and useful
one, as our readers will soon have an oppor.
tunity Of knowing. After the reading of the
paper, which was received with great ap-
plause, Hon. Clark King inquired of Mr..
Foster what varieties Of wheat he thought
best, how he prepared the land, etc.
Mr.. Foster said he plowed in the fall, not
plowing in the spring, and used two bushels
of the Dodge wheat to the acre. He thought
the land for wheat was usually not in as
good tilth as it should be, and recommended
rotary harrow in preparing for wheat.
He advised washing seed wheat in strong
brine, and sows just as early as the ground
will do to work. Uses, in covering, drag
after the harrow, made by tapping lengths Oi
plank one upon another, and pinning them
together with two pieces of joist. Then
rolls.
A. d. Arms, Esq, of Montpelier, was
called upon to give an account of expert
ments with winter wheat from the Depart
mcnt of Agriculture He said he had raised
Tappahannock and Canada White. The for
mer made excellent -four. The latter he
had not ground, but it looked better than
the Tappahannock.
In reply to questions, Mr.. Foster thought
wheat paid him better than oats had aver
aged for four or five years little over 80
bushels. Recommended dressing of ashes,
with bushel of salt to the acre. Did not
use plaster except to roll the wheat in after
brining it. Had read that plaster on wheat
caused smut, but did not find it so. The
washing in brine is done to float out imper-
feet kernels. Used no washes to prevent
smut, perfect seed is sufficient.
In reply to further questions Mr.. Foster
gave an account of his practice in potato
culture. Preferred Brezee's Prolific if he
could have but one kind. Would not use
seed ends, and always cut the remainder of
the tuber leDgthwise. Gets weak vines from
seed ends Would cut seed the size OF an
egg only once, and larger in proportion.
Only one piece in hill. Selects seed pota.
toes as particularly as corn. VIII not take
bad shaped ones, and prefers medium size.
Plants in hills, except those with small tops,
these in drills. Hills two feet apart.
Mr.. Ormsby, Of East Montpelier, advised
planting three eyes, on separate pieces, in a
hill. Would not plant seed ends.
The question of premature ripening in po.
tatOes was moOted, and it was thought it in
dicated deficient vitality in the seed.
Mr.. Arms thought four eyes ION separate
pieces) to hill, rejecting the seed ends, the
best way, using perfect shaped, medium size
seed.
Il. Il. Andrews, Esq, of Berlin, would
not plant more than four eyes to a hill, all
on one piece. Thinks the Jackson white
the best variety.
j. w. Wheelock, Esq, of Montpelier, said
that he had bought potatoes, Jackson whites,
a number of years of one grower, and found
them getting smaller the first few years, but
they afterwards became larger again, owing
to the grower ceasing to plant the seed ends,
Mr.. Foster exhibited some thoroughbred
corn, raised 81 years on one farm.
Mr.. j. Il. Hollister said that If we had
not taken more care in the selection of seed
corn than we do with other grains we should
not raise any corn at all now. Corn is the
only seed that most farmers use any care in
selecting. Mr.. II. then gave statement Of
the cost of growing II acres of corn the past
year as follows
500 lbs Wilson's Phosphate $500
Flowing and narrowing $50
Seed so
Planting 400
HOeing and horse for cultivator 4.5O
Interest on land 900
Harvesting 4.5O
Husking and carting ll.OO
S44.0O
Crop, 100 bushels ears and 8 tons of fodder.
d. b. WheelOCk, Esq, of Barre, regarded