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

Gus that a close observance Of conditions
were necessary to success. Great skill and
judgment were necessary if success would
attend the application Of scientific kuowl.
edge.
Meeting adjourned to the evening.
Monday EUening.
The meeting was called to order by the
president of the Brandon farmers club, Hon
N. 7. Sprague, Jr. DR. G. l.. Case. men,
Der of the club read paper upon Especial.
ties in Agriculture"
Man was designed for speciaIties. The
more cultivation, the more speciaIties. In
savage state men make all their own contri-
vaDces, implements etc. The higher the
civilization the more all these are divided,
and the more all the different professions,
trades aud labors are divided into speciaties.
As in all these, those that succeed best are
those who con6ue themselves to only one
branch, or speciality of profession or trade,
so he who in farming confines himself to one
branch or speciality will succeed best. Our
grandlathers were not specialists, nor our
grandmothers, either. Sheep farming was
iustanced as one speciality that had added a
great deal to the wealth and fame Of our state.
The tendency Of the times is to specalties.
The man who raises everything has little
time to perfect his knowledge OF farming or
make his farming profitable. He would not
advise any sudden jump to special farming.
lie had heard it stated IN the club room that
it was advisable to raise all kinls of crops
and stock but he doubts whather it would
succeed any better than it would in the arts,
professions or trades. He thought there
were more reasons why mechanics should
have number of trades, than that the farmer
should follow the different branches Of
farming. Each farmer should deter
mine what branch Of farming he should fol-
low. lie should FIRST of all select according to
his taste. He will be more likely to succeed in
that which most attracts and interests him
aud awakes his enthusiasm. He should also
consider TO what special branch of farming,
his farm and soil are best adapted. In con.
clusion he would say that special farming
gave much more time for recreation and cul.
ture of the graces of mind and heart.
Prof Seely thought that farming was run.
ming more to specialtes, those that we're
doing most for the advancement of agricul.
ture were those that were confning their
thoughts and labors to specialties. He had
been the last week in Franklin county, where
their speciality was dairyiDg and even that
was now confined to one branch, the manu-
facture ofbutier. The result was, they manu-.
facture butter that brings a price much
above the common average
G. II. Hubbard, Esq, a member of the
board from Springfield, said that it could no,
be denied that some OF the greatest sue
cesses that have been achieved in agriculture
have been in specialties, but there were two
sides to this question, for many of the great
est failures had been by those who had de
voted themselves to some special branch o.
farming. If the farmer was situated neal
u large city, he could raise vegetables fo
market, and make that speciality very
profitable. Diversity OF crops and of diffcren
kinds Of stock were safer aud he thought til,
average farmer safer if he followed mixet
farming.
Mr. q. s. Fassett a member Of the boarC
from EnOsburgh, said, that in many place.
the board were called upon to imPart knowl
| OhkVt abu III oONho tuCl
that was profitable to carry to the next place
lie was specialist; his speciality was butter
making. He thought it safer for him than Il
undertake to do many kinds Of farming,
Prof j NJ Cillcy member of the Bran
don farmers club then read a paper upoI
"Education for Farmer and Mechanic"
Many thought that the command that de
creed that man should earn his bread by III
sweat of his brow was a hard one, but h
dIssented from such opinion. Labor wa
epuobiug, never degrading. Physical labo
strengthened the mind if the labor was mol
excessive. Farmers and mechanics ha,
greater and better opportunities for vario,
culture than those who are engaged in tn
several professions. The calls OF those pro
fessions confined those who labored in them
more closely, and made them less independ
ent than did the calings of the farmer an
mechanic. Many noble examples We hav
Of those who have struggled up from tn
mechanics and farmers callings to fame en-
position, and finally to places of trust au
honor among the greatest in the land. Roge
Sherman, BENJAMIN franklin and the lsarne
blacksmith Elihu Burrit were noble exam
Piles of men who had struggled up an,
achieved such honorable success. Farmer
had such possibilities Of improvement, employ
ment o! the mind, aud activity Of the brain
They had such capabiity and opportunit.
for making up refined, noble and tast
homes, homes where culture and know ledg
should be developed. Where christian cha
acter and reverence for sacred things, shoul
be developed, and where hospitality shouI
abound, and be dispensed with liberal hant
The farmer who despises his calling will, an
ought to fail. The time will come whC
loafrrs, popinjays aud drones, will be drive
from the land, aud may heaven speed Il
! day. "Ile will not labor, neither shall
cat"
Mr. Pringle said for twenty years he hs
been trying to educate one farmer and
hoped that he would yet be able to NAL
! something out OF him, If he did he shou
be obliged to make good use Of those sma
scraps Of time which were usually wasted
=; most farmers lie would incucate the le
! son that time should be treasured and ust
= to good purpose by the young men Of We
mont. In going about doing the work
. the board, it was so common to find d
i young men excusing themselves from spoa
+ ing, or writing on the plea Of not beil
q qualified, that it was subject of great r
J gret that SO few made good use of their o
tunlties for obtaining an education, |
9 would say to all old farmers, as we'll as
u young men that it was a good thing
y study.
s Hon A. T. Smith of New Haven, mcmt
u Of the board, said that the hope Of our cou
IS try was in the dwellers in the rural distric
q But he thought there were many discOu
J. agements, it was not all SO fac.
u Tuesday Morning.
le The meeting was called to order by II
u N. 7. Sprague, Jr, president of the Brand
le farmers club who introduced Col j.
it Mead Of Randolph, member of the boal
ID who made an address on Farm Building