Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-02-04


his owa thoughts ami he thanked him for it.
Many that heard the address would think
that they could not afford to build such
buildings as had been described. Their
means we're not sufficient, but he thought
farmers with small means should not be de-
TERED from doing what they could to make
Improvements in their buildings and their
FARMS if they do this they will soon be able
to build good buildings and own improved
farms.
In answer t1 a question Col Mead said
his barn cost about $4,000 at time when
materials aud labor were hig1 at this time
it might be built for $4,000 or $4,000.
Mr. @. G.. Fassett of Enosburgh gave an
account Of barn made from an old one that
was fifty feet square; would stable about
thirty head of cattle and cost only S400,
beside the material in the old one.
Hon A. Il. Smith said he would not sign
a mortgage to build barn although he would
like good one. He had bought farm for
his son on which there was barn l44 feet
by As the cost of the barn obliged the
owner to sell the farm. In his section cat.
tie raisers thought that steers kept out doors
in winter fatted better when they went out
to grass in the spring than when they had
been stabbed.
Mr. Hubbard was glad that the time had
come when farmers Of Vermont thought it
better to make cattle comfortable in stables
and keep them thrifty and growing IN win
ter as well as summer, instead Of losing all
the winter; he gave an illustration of trial
OH his own place that proved that much feed
| bo al h., II
vantage in saving manure by having properly
constructed barns was very evident He
, would ask Col Mead if he had estimated the
cast of a bridge such as he had described.
Col Mead replied that his cost $500, the
stone drawn two aud a half miles in the win
ter time counted in. The interest on this
with the wear and tear would be about S25.
but it had saved him the cost Of at least one
man and in consequence Of the lessening Of
the hard labor by this aud other features of
his barn he could hire the best of men for
two dollars per month cheaper than his
neighbors could hire the same men this diff
ference would nearly pay the s2j.
In answer to a question he stated that he
let his cattle out but very little; he only
practiced letting them out very short time
in the very finest days. He liked tight
boarded barns better than loose barns for
curing hay. He used swinging stanchions
for fastening his cattle, AMI liked them bet
ter than chains, which he had used formerly
for fastening his cattle to his cost as he had
lost at least one very valuable COW by having
an OK get loose that was chained.
DR. +. Bond of Cornwall then read paper
upon "Bee Keeping" He hardly knew why
he was invited or expected TO write paper
upon this subject for he was not an experl.
cn,ed bee keeper although he had taken an
interest IN the subject aud was inclined tu
+ increase his interest and investments in that
direction. Vermont boasted of producing
r nearly hundred pounds of maple sugar t.
the square mile, or about 100000 pounds
I in the aggregate, but some sections produc,
. a thousand pounds Of honey to the squar,
A mile aud the territory was not fully stocked
The province OF Attica in Greece embracing
forty-hve square miles produced l3,32(
pounds of honey per square mile for tht
whole province East Friesland. lying con.
, tguous to the North sea in Holland for
twenty years maintained 1000 colonies o
bees per square mile yielding al moderate
estimate, $4,000 pounds per square mile
II you ask what they do with 50 much honey
| asswor what they do not consume they
, export, aud a large part TO this country
This product you will see at ten cents pei
b. pound would give for territory as large a
a one of our townships SlS0,000. While w
q produce so much maple sugar we impor
q honey aud there are such vast quantities go
p ing to waste. We must have good bees l.
] be successful good .blaek bees are preierab
4 to poor Italians, bus good Italians are bette
A than either. We must not have too mucl
e surplus comb, but good queens. | us
foundation comb; proper attention L
secure straight combs will be found profta
| ble Ago and color should not cause AN
A comb to be rejected.
q In the discussion following the paper o
q DIR Bond, Mr. Leonard, member of III
A Brandon farmers cub, thought that Yer
A mont was great country for honey, h
r would ask DR. Bond to give his own expert
A ence and returns.
!. DIR Bond said that his experience wa
/ small as he kept but few stocks he woul,
= say that il was best not to multiply stock
; too rapidly; weak stocks were altogethe
out at order. A friend in n neighborn
!, town had realized at least $4,000 from hi
. bees this season. and be was man who's
"a health did not enable him to labor enoug
=. on the farm to make other kinds Of iarmin
"A profitable. There was great economy in eX
ia tracting honey from the comb AMI putting
A the comb back. The saving was in time as
a took long time to construct the comb tn
IN time was exceedingly valuable in the bus
an honey season, which lasted but a short time
"a The extractor was essential proftablehone
70 raising. lie used sectional boxes with on
comb in a line when no did not abstract tn
ID the honey. The profit on given number {
"a swarms would depend upon who handle
,e> them. Three swarms OF bees in his ow
IA case gave extracted honey enough to sell tC
n S20,-in five days.
40 Prof Seely read from letter from Mr.
g. c. Wait Of Georgia some statistics as iO
"a lows Last winter there was estimated to
=. in the United States about 2,569,000 col
of MES valued at 5,4l4 600. The estimat,
h. increase for this year is 642,222 worth
+. So each S3S53 ,332, amount of honey at
,g lbs per colony valued at 20 cts per ID, SIC
q. 276000. Wax estimated at s cts per &C
n. ony S205 $50, making the Income from o
Ie colonies for the year Sl4 1884, ,S52. Now
10 to get an approximate idea Of the amount
To honey gathered by bees alone let us aC
sixty pounds which is allowed for each col
,er ny's annual consumption, aud we add to 4
m. above 1865, ,666 tons of honey for this yea
t. gathering After this the meeting adjourn
n. to meet after noon.
Tuesday Afternoon.
The meeting was called to order by Il
on president of the Brandon farmers club, IL
on N. II. Sprague, jr.
b. Mr. IL. II. Griswold member of
I'd, Brandon farmers club, read paper up
s." "Fine Sheep Breeding in america"