The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-08-12
Agricultural department.
CONDUCTED BY ALBERT CHAPMAN.

EDS. COUNTRY GENTLEMAN :: - The
very emphatic utlerance of b. +. j..
dlsturbs us somewhat. He says Up 1917
the most exhausting of all farming Is
that system which raises wheat and
sells milk" That Is our condition ex-
actly. The demand for milk in the
city Of New York and vicinity puts
under tribute all the grazing land in
circuit of more than hundred miles.
If there is such danger of exhaustion of
the soil, 1t Ia time to know II, and to
learn II there ls any way to escape that
fatal error. have great respect for
the teachings Of agricultural science,
and also for the critical observations
ofyour Illinois correspondent. Science
is able to give the reason of things. and
also often goes before experiment, and
suggests something which experiment
proves. Its teachings are so refined,
however, that Ne do not venture on
them very far without the test Of trial.
The question now before us must be
answered from an experience Of n good
many years.
Mr. l.. A. Hansen, In this paper Of
June Goth, gives very valuable testl-
ihony, drawn from experience "in
those strictly dairying countries, known
IT, be among the best In Europe-the
dukedom of HosteIn, and Denmark
where rational farming has been COM
bined with dalrying, the result has
always been In the improvement of the
soil and general prosperity of the farm.
In those countries where the dairy has
been for long time the chief thing, 1t
seems to be to the improvement of the
soil, if combined with rational farm
ing. II leaves rs to Infer that dairying
alone might produce that condition of
the farms which II. +. J. sees in Illi-
nois 1t is very desirable that some
correspondent should give in the Coun-
try Gentleman the result of his obser-
vatlons in any of the best dalrylng dis
tricts of New York state, where the
business has long prevailed, and where
The soil will bear good crops OF grass a
long time without re.seeding. Herkl-
mer and Orange counties are among
the Oldest dairylng counties in the
state. What Is the experience there,
and In others not so old? 1t Is compar-
atlvely a new thing In Duchess county,
where, forty years ago. there were $780,
600 sheep. We wish to be forewarned,
and to combine that"rationsl farming"
with the dairy. In some grazing dis
tricts In this country, II has been at.
tempted to keep the land In permanent
grass, as they do In the molster climate
Of Great Britain This il one of the
causes of the growing infertlllty of the
soil In those districts In our dry ell
mate the land must be cultivated, with
few exceptions suppose also that
in many of the dairy districts, there Is
not much high feeding. which makes
rich manure. 1t Is plainly seen how
dsirying, In those places, should bring
poverty to the land, in the manner de.
fined by B. F. J. do not know that
his scientific reasons can be questioned;
certainly HE clear facts will not be
contradicted.
Now. 1t Is of vital Importance to our
future good farming to learn, from sci
ence and from practical trial, what
manures we shall use, and what other
measures we shall take, to avoid the
destruction of our now fertile land. It
Ia common In this county, on farms
that carry forty cows. to feed to them
and the teams all the corn and oats
raised on the farm-say fifteen tons,
and about ten tons Of wheat bran, pur-
chased; and the farmers are ready to
try oil meal and barley, and they use
some Of them some commercial ma.
nures on their corn and wheat. We
wish to escape the evils that are obvl-
Gus enough In dairy farming.
NEWTON REED.
Duchess County. N. Y.