Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-02-10
state Board Of Agriculture.
MEETING At rrArSrirLp.

The meeting Of the Board OF Agriculture with
The farmers Of Washington County, at rlainheld,
yesterday and to-day, seems 10 have been gen
orally understood and promises 10 be Of unusual
interest The session yesterday afternoon, con-
sidcring the extremely cold weather, was largely
attended
The meeting was called to order at two o'clock
= ~, by Secretary Collier who stated that he did
not deem II necessary W explain the work Of the
Board, but he was sure That all would under
stand and appreciate that work II they attended
the sessions u the Board during lis meeting
Hon. Willard 5 Martin was on nomination,
elected chairman, aud ON taking The chair thanked
the meeting for the honor Of the election aud pro-
cceded at once to the business Of the meeting
lie introduced Nathan skinner, Esd Of Piaindeld,
who delivered an Introductory and welcoming nd
dress, ns follows:
VIZ. sKNSrRs nfuAms.
9oHea'a n the State hoard " agriculture
ielhap. YOU win not ysi town NOR, exclusively asst
have hen esen from ,ha class Of FARMERS Who need your
ns,fai1g The m9 % present ~ y9a neg sresing and
form his duty ba In the absence u original Thought may
ony rehect 10 you The scnmeni Of hgh esteem hch the
citizens OF this place have for the menlcfs of M. botfd
We welcome YOU men whose labor ar not In vain
nnuen,r for sood viii be borne along he current Of time
far eyohd TIE prcen You have cone rus ior ne selfish
bfhrnp me- political Rob6es or crc,. dssirine 10 pr,ie
proper aspiration II the fofces " Nature upon Wind,
as farmers. are - entirely dependent
task 70 perform because We Who need ,our aid the most
ar hf eelt,. -, IN ,he T,. Of goee, and saIes,en
superstition hss the sonderui cfe5 upou The human
@ina 6c any most ne NINA hs s .f S'i es irs T.
-hke sleep When We In II IKE the operation ~ our
arr the least conscious o. fins statement l. true Il
Whe We 50 fiy abound Bat We lust a yoa Ravs
your levers sei ON the fuicru u sound logic. that viii
Another diniculty with which you have to contend h.
Judge to his own personality aud i moline hy ~ 80 u
~ thoasa a. Il we're nei VITA himself i "''
bnt W 90 not expect n9f drlie iai al Who sha iake
uqnions for II were all ~ one mind there would be
Shais,ef Ire lesaiifa 1shi Which, surround. hs World
not one color only. but the effect Produced by the har
tore welcome ali shade Of Opinion that viii hron,e with
useful progress and sincerely hope that every one WIN a.
tends these metlngs may be heicned thereby And Tor
The abundance Of good Instruction which We expect from yen
Gentlemen Of the Boar tender you best attention.
The chair then introduced Ira Stone, ESQ, Of
Plainfeld, who delivered an address on the
" Education Of the Farmer which was interest
ing, and received with the closest attention I'VE
shall publish the address hereafter
The usual discussion followed the reading Of
this paper
Prof Collier said that all believed in the prin-
cpes urged by the address lie himself felt the
deepest interest in them. We are the fourth
state in the Union In regard to the productive
yield Of our farms, and we are not doing into two
hundred per cent. Of what We ought to. Yet after
all the best crop is one Of intelligent men and wo-
men, and it is the work Of the Board Of Agrcul-
ture to educate the farmers We also inscribe on
cur hammers the material Improvement Of the
farmers, that they may improve their crops and
stock, and leave larger balance in their pocket
books and In tho banks The factis a. the speaker
has urged, that II any legislation was necessary
for the interests Of the farmers some clever pro-
fessional man must be consulted in order to take
the bill through. Farmers counted as men in
counting noses, but in independent, lntelligen,
action they have not and do not count In the same
proportion. And this b. the end to he reached in
educating the farmer, so that he may act for him
self and protect his own interests by intelligent
legislation and otherwise. lie believed in the sys-
TEN Of agricultural education in agricultural col
leges, and said that the outciy against the State
Agricultural College arose, in great degree,
from misconcepton Of It's purposes.
Mr. Nathan skinner Of planfeld, said there
was one very important element in this matter Of
education that we overlooked that is, the educa-
ton Of the daughters He, il there were but two
to he educated, and but enc could receive it,
would give a liberal education to the daughter
rather than the son.
Prof Collier endorsed the idea expressed by Mr
Skinner.
The next paper on the afternoons programme
was one on The Grasses Of Vermont which
was read 10y Cyrus G. Prngle, Esq, of Charlotte,
a member of the board.
Mr. Pringle proceeded 10 discuss the botanical
construction of grasses, and showed the anatomy
OF different grasses by plates and illustrations,
OF simple character aud plain detail lie then
urged the necessity Of studying the subject, and.
Of fully understanding the character Of various
grasses, in order that the best use might be made
Of our principal crop-grass. The paper was
mainly scientific but practical in its application
to the necessities Of the farmers OF Vermont Mr.
Prngc exhibited specimens Of various Vermont
grasses, and explained their adaptation to various
soils and uses
At the conclusion OF Mr.. Pnngles remarks, the
meeting adjourned to half past six p. NJ
EVENING SESSION.
Ia the evening the discussion was devoted to
the dairy and dairy cattle, 1t was an excellent
meeting, aud the discussion was quite animated
This forenoon papers are to be read by Rev. $
5, Davis, of North Montpelier, on Poultry, and
by Hon A. I. Kinney, of Plainfeld on Sheep
lIusbandry" In the afternoon, DR. George, Of
Calais, reads paper on "Manures, and Secre-
tary Collier one on General Principles of Fertili-
zation.' The evening papers are by J. l. Col
burn, Of East Montpelier, and ], Edwin Hollis
ter, OF North Montpelier the former on Cheese, -
and the latter on Food Its Economical Relations 3"
We are much pleased TO see that the people Of