Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-01-28
Vermont Dairymens' Association.

ton House, at Essex Junction, NJ ~ CLOCK,
Wednesday morning, with larger attendance
than on any previous occasion, quito number
Of ladies being present also. The meeting was
called to order by the President, Hon. Il. D..
Mason, of Richmond, and prayer was offered
by Rev. Edwin wheelock, Of winooski.
In the opening address, President Mason
took occasion to congratulate those present
upon the increased interest taken in the objects
and aims of the Association. lie said farmers
clubs, also, should be organized and maintained
Farmers should learn to think and speak on
their feet. These clubs are good debating
clubs, and where they exist for any time, an
ignorant farmer cannot be found Mr.. Mason
drew pleasing picture Of the happiness of the
Vermont farmer when he shall become thor
oughly alive to his calling. Happiness is never
a lazy mans dowry--it belongs to the workers
alone. In conclusion, he ielicitated the mem
pers upon their leadership in the great strides
Of progress lately being made in dairy improve
ments and in emancipating woman from the
drudgery that prematurey wore so many out.
DR.. l.. c. Butler, of Essex, then welcomed
the Association in a lelicitous speech, and he
was followed by Hon. Henry Clark, of Rutland,
Secretary Of the Vermont Agricultural Society
and Wool Growers Association.
The next paper was by Dr.. g. f. Cole, Of
Potsdam, n. Y, President Of the st. Lawrence
County Dairymens' Association. It was on
4" Complaints Of the Farmer" and was adj
mirablo, timely, and received with evident en-
thusasm.
In the afternoon able and exhaustive papers
were read by DR.. Sturtevant, Of Massachusetts,,
Mr.. Rutherford, Mr. Arnold and MIR. T. D.
Curtis, Of New York, followed by discussion.
Thursday morning the meeting was called to
order by President Mason Mt 10 o'clock, who
introduced Hon. Harris Lewis Of New York.
who spoke on "Milk and the use Of the Lac
tometer."
After some general remarks on milk, be said
that the COW was wonderful machine. The
heritage she eats, the water she drinks, and the
air she breathes, is important. The child who
drinks her milk is affected thereby Pure milk
is the acme of success in dairyiug 4 little
filth in a thousand gallon vat will leayen the
whole and purity is the height Of the topmost
round of the ladder Of the dairyman' success
Wooden milk pals were never fit to receive the
milk Of the cow. 1t was impossible 10 avoid
taints to milk secured in such utensil The
less acute angles in a pail the better. tin
pail was the only safe one to be used lie re-
marked at length upon the fthiness Of cheese
factories, and proved that all factory men are
not saints or men of perfect purity. The peo-
pie are paying about four millions Of dollars
for water. Three .fourths Of the iniantile dis
eases in the city Of New York are traceable to
adulteutions in milk. Pure milk we must
have. Mr.. Lewis paper was followed by a dis
eussion on the lactometer.
In the afternoon, Hon T. s. Gold, a member
of the Connecticut State Board Of Agriculture,
read paper on " Feeding" lie considered
grass in summer, and dried grass for winter,
the most natural and proper food for the COW.
In Vermont the dairymau is placed in the most
favored region, but in other localities, and
some even here, the pastures often fail in sum
mer, and have to be supplemented by artificial
food. 1t would be improbable to run a dairy
in a region not favorable to the growth OF
grass. In his opinion, sowed corn, properly
raised, is the best substitute for grass. lie
would not sow four bushels to the acre, but
sow it thin enough so that the stalks will have
some size and substance. lie was not 50 IA
vorable to sweet corn as many, and thought it
questionable il the western corn does not excel
it in nutriment
In regard to changing pastures, be was salts
fed that one field at time was best, as chang
ing makes cows uneasy; they are always look
ing Tor something better, auu s'v'.s a. ~
to waste.
! For bran lie preferred wheat. Unless Indian
meal is used with roots, he doubted if it would
appreciably add to the quantity of the milk
but there is difference in cows it will dry ~
some and help others. Farmers should us'
judgment. In the spring, if cows are thin
meal may be fed with great advantage, if moi
to increase the milk then, but when they CONT
to grass-as it is necessary that cows SHOULD
then be in good condition.
Mr.. NJ. r. Waite, Of New York, then read
paper. lie said fodder Of ali kinds should b.
cut when it is green and succulent. The sue
cessfnl breeders Of pure blooded stock are yer,
careful not TO let their stock feed on nnutritiou
food, and this accounts, in some measure, 70
their superiority. Grass loses its value almos
entirely when it ages beyond a certain point
You will find that they cannot keep COW
healthy, agile and productive, unless they ar
fed on young food. Not only should grass bu
soiling crops and grain be cut young. lie ad
vocated root culture also, and did not thin
cutting and steaming necessary unless the heI
bage is allowed to get old No skill of ma
can restore plant death TO plant life, or find
substitute for the chemical condition of yostt
Mr.. Arnold spoke on the subject of feedin
meal and straw, and stated an experiment mad
several years ago, and published at the time
Being short of hay, he bought barley stra'
and used corn and oat meal fed the straw SCI
arately and then the meal after awhil,
changed the mode, wetting the whole stra
5 and putting the meal on it. This succeeded
! making the cows eat it all up. Kept recor
of the milk, butter and cheese, and found thu
: this change improved the quantity and qualit.
Then went back to the first practice Of separa
feeding and found that the cows fell bacl
Again returned to the mixed feed and with Il
good result as before. 1t is important to iet
all that the cows can digest without hast
He found that his cows began to scOur wh'
more than a certain quantity Of meal was fl
alone, but when mixed 1t went into the fir
T. stomach and he could feed larger quantit
4. lie verified the theory in great variety
4 ways.
i. Fridays session was occupied with pape
from Hon. X A. Willard of New York, al
by Mr. Douglass, of Whiting, in the iorenoo
d and in the afternoon by discussion on 4
e subject of Jersey cows and the respective val
70 of deep and shallow setting mode of cEurnir
D and other general topics.
IS This meeting has been decidedly the large
d attended and most useful of any ever heretoio
IF held under the auspices of the association, al
- this fact plainly shows the increasing intere
taken in the intelligent manufacture of We
mont largestand most remuneratiye product
-
BARRE.-D. w. Sowles has trapped ~
foxes, two coons, and thirty three skunks
Is one month during the present winter. How
d that for high2
l. The ladies Of the Congregational church pr
a L r. = ~