Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-02-11

.abuDdantly. Clover introduced into somecoun-
tries had failed toproduce seed. until humble
bees bad been introduced, when the clover
blossoms became fertile. The bees Of a
single hive will Ay over and collect the honey
from an area Of ave miles in diameter, the
numbers Of a hive may be stated at 10000
they usually exceed that the vast number
Of flowers visited and fructided over this
area by this great number Of bees would be
difficult to estimate, and evea this is only
the work Of one swarm. Does extracting the
sweets from the flowers injure the fruits that
grow from the flowers Although this is
generally thought to be the case, it was er.
roneous. The sweets from fruit trees is fine,
from rnspberries very superior, other plants,
good. bad and indifferent. The wild sage
plants Of California, and orange blossoms
produce honey Of great excellence, but he
was assured by dealers Of large experience
10 New York there was no honey equal TO
that gathered from the white clover OF YER
mont. This sweet is an exudstion, instead
Of q secretion, aud is wisely provided by
nature, and thrown of at the right season TO
cause bees to visit the flowers and carry fer
tility from one to another. This nectar is
given of in great quantities by some plants,
and those plants are usually those that fur
nish the honey Of the highest quality. Do
bees puncture ripe fruit to extract the sweet
juices Of the fruit2 Notwithstanding the
opinion that they do, he dissented from that
opinion, and he thought the testimony that
they do unsatisfactory and incomplete, and
such as would not be accepted by a court Of
Justice no one ever saw a honey bee punct-
ure a fruit. Experiments with grapes hung
on the hives proved that in nc instance did
the bees iujure the fruit until they were
punctured by the knife, by birds, or other
insects, the bald hornet being one that did
much Of this mischief.
Wednesday Afternoon
Hon A. T. Smith Of New Haven, a mem
Der Of the board, made an address upon
Some Points in Dairying." Commencing
with comparing the price Of dairy products
when he commenced dairying, and present
prices for butter aud cheese. Cheese then
was four cents a pound, butter ten cents.
He commenced with one COW and she be-
longed to another man first amount Of but.
ter carried to market was two and one.half
pounds. His FIRST purchase Of COWS was
seven at nine dollars each second lot, II
COWS cost SIG each. He had on one occasion
delivered q lot Of three-year-old steers at 81
each. Thought with the present prices for
dairy products the chances for making money
was better now than then. Thought while
Vermont was a good place for Vermont boys,
there were good places for them in other
states. He had steadily increased his number
of cows, until he MIXED $50 five years ago
the next year reduced his COWS to 100, put
10 the Jewett pan aud made butter found
the labor much reduced found he could
make butter Of q much more uniform quality
found on the whole a much greater return Of
profit. Thought the sum Of all this improve
ment must be a reliance on our own judg
ment, we cannot substitute any other man.
Judgment for our own. We must have good
COWS; he liked medium sized COWS best hac
not found large COWS as hardy or as prof.
table. The farmers were smarter than thu
middle men. Thought to make good chees,
1t was necessary to get all the cream pos
sible in it. 1t may be possible to max
more money by making both butter anC
cheese, but 1t would not be possible TO retair
q good reputation for cheese where it il
practiced. Thought it most profitable to AS
tho skinned milk by feeding it 10 calves
aud fatten them had by fatting calves o.
one COW through the season received 49,
profit. Durhams are first rate to raise lsrg,
calves, and to dry off easy when you bav'
MIXED them long enough. Of his " auC
buying in had fattsd 30 calves last season
most calves will iatten on skinned milk j
fed three times per day with regularity as u
hours and quantity. Was in favor of feed
ing meal to cows, but was in favor Of r%aisinI
it ourselves. Thought before six years agI
be could not raise his own wheat, Blu
have sowed it every year since and reapec
good crops. Thought every man should fol
low that branch of farming that he took tn
most interest in, and not leave what W,
could make profitable and run into som
other branch Of farming, because some on
else is making money by following tina
branch. But we should try to excel in tn,
branch we are following. Early cut hay j
very desirable; no other feed will answer il
place of it; vas willing to extend the tim
Of early cutting to the last of July. Though
: that stanchions were the best to hitch COWS
Notwithstanding the prejudice against them
Had seen COWS looking well that had beef
kept in stanchions without being let out dur
ing the winter.
Mr. Beers of Monkton made over 4O(
pounds Of butter in enc year from one COW
The breed is a good thing, bat the feed wa
better. Was glad that the old spinnin
= wheel was abolished and the piano was sub
stituted. Fed his meal mixed with othe
feed, but found he took out the butter whe
; he took out the meal. Thought he shoul
get his pay for the meal if he bought it 9
: Sl.60 to S1.75 per hundred thought
would pay if it was fed in the fall after th
!, grass failed or between hay aud grass. II
,. thought there were great stories told abor
! Jersey COWS, but thought that the best stori'
. we're to come yet; thought those that ha
told the last stories would be beaten by tho;
! that were to tell future ones.
' Wednesday EUening.
!, The meeting was called to order by tn
president, s. H. Bascom, Esq. A discui
o sion followed upon the subject of horses
y which Mr. Cults of Orwell spoke in favor
y the position of Col StowOll in favor Of raj
5 ing larger horses.
d Mr. A. Chapman spoke in favor Of Il
? Morgans, and of increasing the weight
our horses instead of the hight.
d W.. Il. Stanford spoke Of the Percherc
e horses that he had met 10 France he though
they were capable Of greater performance
on the road with large loads than any hors
d that he had ever rode after.
It Mr. Chapman testified to the great valr
Of the compact Percheron horses, and thong
the smaller and more compact representativ
of those horses would improve the horses
Vermont more than the taller horses tn
If we're so often recommended to AccOmpli
Is the same results.
Hon A. T. Smith Of New Haven th,
made a speech upon the question Of butt