The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-08-10
A Worthy Example.

A Worthy Example.
What Massachusetts man thinks O
the work of the Vermont Board of Ag
riculturc:
Editor Of The american Cutirotor
The State Board of Agriculture o.
Vermont was chartered i'm November
1870, consisting of eight members and
secretary. Designed as q practical
working body rather than nn ornamen.
tai appendage, the Board at once com.
menced their labors in earnest. During
the year 1912 ten meetings were held
in different towns; during 1894
twenty-one meetings were held, and in
the year 1874 thirteen towns made APP
plications for meetings to be held, be.
yond the capacity of the Board TO grant.
These meetings consisted of from three
to five sessions, occupying in all two
days for each meeting, and the atten.
dance in 1874 was thrcefold that OF
1912. These meetings have attracted
the attention of practical farmers and
have stimulated vast agricultural i'm
provements, and in the quality of but
ter alone have improved the average at
least two cents per pound in market
value.
During 1866 similar meetings
were held in twenty-seven towns, be-
sides six other meetings of minor i'm
portance. The Board holds meeting
in each county once in two years. In
addition to the above important work
the Board has taken control of testing
the value of all chemical fertilizers
offered for sale in the state; improving
their quality fully thirty-three per cent.
In 1876 Vermont established the second
experiment station in the United States.
AT the meetings of 1866, addresses
were made by all the members of the
Board, and also by some of the ablest
men, both in and out of the state. on
practical agricultural topics. To illus
trate the nature in part of over three
hundred lectures or addresses given
under these auspices, l would merely
selection of cattle for the dairy, eight
on grasses, six on grass crops, six on
butter making, three on cheese, twenty
on dairy subjects, eight on potato cul-
ture and many others on such subjects
as cattle-raising, sheep-husbandry, ma
nures, breeding horses, barns and farm
buildings, fruits, sugar, pastures, drain
ing, and kindred subjects.
These meetings in the aggregate
were attended by audiences exceeding
in numbers the entire population of the
state, and who can doubt that the influ-
ence that went forth from the deliver
ing of practical lectures by many of the
ablest agriculturists in this country, to
such audiences Impractical farmers seek
ing knowledge, must have a beneficial
influence on the agricultural progress of
the Green Mountain State? Another
pleasing feature connected with this
worthy example and grand result is the
economy with which it is accomplished.
1t i'll becomes our representative men
to impress upon the masses the impor-
lance of strict economy while state and
nation are rs profuse as ever in their
outlay. Vermont is state of practical
and consistent economy; she is out of
debt herself, and she can well inculcate
such lessons to her hardy sons; she
makes her appropriations with view
of getting value received for the outlay.
The entire expenses of this Board of
Agriculture, including lectures, travel
ling expenses, secretariy's salary, and
cost of experiment station (ofwhich the
secretary has charge) is but twenty-five
hundred per annum. Besides other
duties the secretary delivers many lee
lures during the year in different sec
lions of the state.
How fully Vermont is repaid for this
trifing outlay, and what a stimulant il
has proved to increased activity and in
tclligent effort among her farmers, may
be witnessed by any one who will in
vestigatc her butter product, the in
creased fertility of her farms and the
high character other chemical manures;
and above all that beneficial spirit of
inquiry and social intercourse develop
ed among her sons, prompting them to
compare notes and discuss methods and
results among themselves. From these
state gatherings, averaging in 1876
one in every seventh town, has radiat.
ed a light that has iilumined every
humble home and made every thrifty far
mer feel new interest in his occupation
and new pride in the soil he cnltivates.
Compare even for moment the
practical results cmanating from the
state Board of Agriculture of Massa-
chusetts under the guidance ofits accom-
plished secretary, with an annual out
my VI ~oV,VVV ior PREMIUMS, eApcuscS,
printing an annual report, ETC., inclu-
ling the secretaries salary of S25O0,
with the work which Vermont is ac-
complaining at one-twelfth of the cost
The Massachusetts, Board of Agricul-
lure consists Of thirty-nine members,
and they hold one annual meeting, COW
ering three days, in some single town;
each member of the board is expected
TO address one of the county societies at
their annual fair.
Bnt, i'm conclusion, Vermont has
shown US an economical method of ac-
complishing a vast amount of good,
and has also shown the world her abili-
~ to produce nine-tenths of her food
supply, receiving many-fold returns
for state appropriation, judiciously
expended by men whose hearts and
souls are in their work and
whose single aim is the Gle
walton and Improvement of the condi-
ton of the hardy sons of toll in the
Green Mountain State.
A. L. MURDOCH.
Jamaica Plains R0ctan