The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-18
Vermont Board of Agriculture.

The Vermont board of agriculture, min
ing and manufactures met at East
Berkshire Wednesday morning at half
past ten o'clock. Mr.. G. s. Fas-
sett of Enosburgh, member of this
board called the meeting to order, and Mr.
Ira S. Anderson was elected chairman
Several members of the board were present,
among whom were G.. s. Fassett, c. G.
Pringle, A. T. Smith and T. S. Hopkins,
and about forty gentlemen from different
parts of the state.
After the organization, an address of
welcome was delivered by Slas Hopkins,
Esq, of Enosburgh He said the farmers
were DESTROYS of learning more about the
science of agriculture and he welcomed the
members of the board present as being the
proper persons to impart information TO
them upon this subject. He said that the
farmers were true Yankees, accepting new
theories slowly, and we're now in ques-
tioning state, DESTROYS of finding out the
best way of increasing their crops and
adding to the productive power OF their
farms. He knew that the members of the
board present were prepared to impart this
information and that the farmers were
ready to listen to and profit by it.
After the address of welcome Mr.. Cyrus
G.. Pringle was called up by the chairman
to discuss the Colorado potato beetle. He
gave very interesting description of the
history of this insect saying that it was dis
covered about fifty years ago by Thomas
Say in the far west. Since that time it
has been working its way eastward and
has now reached the Atlantic coast in
Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey.
Its greatest ravages have been north of
Masons and Dixons line, but it has not as
yet invaded Vermont. He said the damage
caused by them in the west was very great.
in some places entirely annihilating crops.
he first effect of their appearance was to de-
ter farmers from planting the potato, but the
lessened production caused a great advance
in prices which led to determined effort to
| fight and conquer them. In the opinion of
the speaker paris green was the only eff
fective remedy to be applied, and it should
he applied early and constantly. The OBJ
| lection had been raised that this mixture,
containing arsenic would be dangerous to
use but the best scientists pronounce other
wise. He thought, although Vermont
farmers had thus far escaped this pest that
there was great probability that it would
soon appear among them, and he explained
at length the process by which they were
best checked and exterminated. In con-
clusion he said that it was useless for one
man to undertake to check their increase
while his neighbor did nothing, for the ras-
Gals spread very rapidly and he called upon
all, when the pest appeared, to fight them
early and always, remembering that eternal
vigilance would then be the piice of pota-
| toes.
Mr.. Lee Stone, former resident OF
Berkshire but now residing in Illinois, then
gave his experience in warning with the po-
tato beetle, after which Mr.. o. S. Bliss OF
| Georgia, made some remarks upon the
| same subject, and as there had been other
bugs mentioned, which closely resemblcd
the Colorado potato bug, he asked for a
more particular description of the latter,
that farmers might know it when they saw
| it. Such description was given by Mr..
Pringle. Dr. Il. s. Haskins then discussed
| the currant worm and the manner of saw
ing the bushes from its ravages-recom-
mending helleJ0re as the best remedy, after
which there was a general discussion
of lady bugs and other parasites
who are not destructive to crops but de.
YOUR the destructive insects. Mr. Pringl6
and Mr.. Bliss thought they did much good
and that they, with birds, were the best
destroyers of dangerous insects. DIR. Hos
kns said he had but little faith IN them
and for the purposes indicated preferred
toads, for they were sure cure for any
insect they could get at.
DR.. Hoskins and MIR. Prinde then dis
cussed the best method of destroying
green lice on fruit trees, after which tn,
meeting adjourned to meet at half-past ont
| In the nftarnnOn