Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-03-12

"'hiN""b NPV" hV UP vi tHo ground. III
we would Use what facilities are mt hand
and endeavor to understand better the laws
that govern our business, we might rcnsona-
bly, hope TO attain success.
Mr.. G. Horace Hubbard spoke of experi-
ments made in the utilizing and saving of
manure, which gave great returns for tho
labor invested. All teaching of manurcs in
wolves unaccountable loss. Any process of
or chemicalizlng of manures,
fitting them into sufficient food Tor the little
rootlctseof plants, is desirable thing. Tho
matter OF absorbents is too much neglected.
Top dressing with manure we'll prepared Is
a good practice.
very interesting discussion upon ma
nures and their application was entered up
on with zest by several gentlemen, apparent
ly resulting In good Mr.. G. Horace Hub
bard, of Springfield, read very interesting
and valuable paper upon the breeding OF
Farm Stock, which 20 be appreciated should
be heard.
Mr.. Vail supplemented the same with his
views upon the subject, which were well re-
ceived Each Of these gentlemen dwelt up
on the Importance Of making careful and ju-
dicious crosses in breeding any class of stock
The dairyman to reproduce calves from his
best mixers should select males for cross
ing that have sprung from good milking
stock; this is of more Importance than TO Sc
lect good females. The matter of control
ling the sex in breeding was discussed and
theories pro and con advanced, but nothing
sufficiently definite to warrant safe conclu-
sions as to practice.
Afternoon.
First was n paper by Mr. A. +. Perkins, of
Pomfret, upon "Merino Sheep" Their
value TO Vermont and Vermont farmers was
presented in forcible manner, Mr.. Perkins
being one Of our most successful sheep
breeders who has in the various ups aud
downs of the business pursued the even tenor
Of his way to nm eminent and profitable sue
cess.
Mr.. w. G. Danforth, of Barnard, next
gave to the meeting his paper upon " The
Trotting Horse-Shall he be introduced to
our Agricultural Fairsp" He dilated Mt
length upon the superlativcly intrinsic mer-
10 VI bhS tuatN Sbulu ny lOuk
and faithful training and at great expense to
beat his competitor in II race even half n
neck" that he might thus win the fabulous
purse offered by agricultural societies for
such kind of products, and so soon get n pub
lie record that would sell him In the sporting
market of the world at such price to the
owner rs in our judgment would demoralize
him if it did not ultimately destroy him and
his boys, If he had any. lie discussed the
subject of pool-selling often practiced ut
races, and while he would not attempt to
justify il, yet there were many things worse,
and itself no worse than the practice at
church fairs and festivals Of selling tickets
among which were n good many blanks, for
petty articles of no value. The general drin
of his paper was, in the minds of many of his
hearers, unfortunate in this that while he
would not justify the drinking, gambling and
profanity that confessedly almost nj ways &C.
company horse trotting at fairs and else
where, yet tho great attractive feature upon
such occasions, as shown in the crowds that
attend to witness the races with eager and
intense interest, proved conclusively that
they met u popular demand, which in con-
nectiou with the great pecuuiary profit to the
breeder of fast trotters, as business, made
it seem to him 10 demand the approval OF
respectable men. He spoke of tho practice
of some owners of horses of giving them iutox-
icating liquors rs stimulant to greater
speed, which had been so much spoken
against by some humanitarians. and thought
it should not be forbidden if the owner OF
the horse saw fit so to do.
These views were most earnestly assaulted
by Rev. Mr.. Hubbard and Col. Mead, the
former gentleman inquiring whether such
practices should he tolerated when there was
u law upon our statute hooks forbidng them
Aud TO the plea that they were financial
aid to agricultural societies, ho said better
far let the societies sink foreUer than to UNI
dertake to popularize and make right what
Gods law and an enlightened reason and
conscience pronounced wrong.
Col. Mead claimed that all such reasoning
as the gentleman had used to justify the
practices spoken of WAS specious and fIlla.
cious. lie would admit the trotting horse
to our fairs and gave him u proper place, bul
not such undue prominence and cXtravagant
purses, which so strongly appealed to the
avarice and cupdity Of men in the business
Rather than allow the practice of giving in
toxicating liquor to thU noble horse, he
would see the owner forced to take II himself
and the whole business of trotting at fairs
entirely discarded. Said that tho present
practice of gambling familiarity called pool.
selling, and swearing, together with the
frauds and tricks of the business, were dc.
moralizing in their teachings. and that con.
tinually, and might be likened to the custom:
which to-day obtain in other and less favored
lands than our own, where the people much
rather witness cock and bull fight thar
aught Of an ennobling and elevating nature
Our material interests and prosperity depend
ed more than we knew upon the morals o.
the community History attributes the fal
Of the Roman empire largely to the uttei
extravaganza and debauchery OF the people
The debate was sharp and short. though
conducted with good feeling and replete with
interest.
Evening.
A largo audience assembled, with sprink
ling Of ladies, who ventured to intrude them
selves upon the deliberations of few would
be practical farmers. 1.-THE Ravages of In,
sects was discussed in a paper by Mr.. Nc,
Kenzie, of Woodstock. We cannot under
take a resume of this somewhat novel paper
The origin, habits, and dopredations of thu
various bugs, beetles and worms that invade
our several cereals, plants, ana flowers, t.
their hurt and sorrow, was discussed with
interest TO all. One prophecy Of Mr.. Nc
Kenzie was treasured up: that the potato
bug of the West would doubtless reach us il
five or six years, when we should have bust
ness enough to save of that desirable esculen
sufficient for our needs. OF course wo al
lean to the doubling side of the house, rs
that is more consoling than to borrow
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