Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-01-19
VERMONT DAIRYMEN's AssO
CATION.
Eighth Winter Meeting.

The meeting of the Dairymen' s Association
opened, at the City Hall, in Burlington, on
Wednesday, January Eth, at 1920 a. IN.
The attendance was Of course affected by
the blocking of the country roads with
snow, and general Interruptions of travel /;
but in spite Of these draw backs, a goodly
number Of dairymen were present, and in
intelligence and character, the meeting
ranked high. Among the gentlemen pres
ent were Mr.. Albert Chapman. Mr. Ora
Paul, Mr.. j. III. Mead and Prof. Peter Col
llcr. of the State Board of Agriculture ;
Col. j. b. Mead and C.. Horace Hubbard OF
the former Board of Agriculture DR.. II.
p. Wakefield of Monson, Mass, of the Massa-
chusstts Board of Agriculture Dr.. N.
Cresscy; Mr.. j. B. Williams of Glastonbury
Conn. F. G. Butler. President of the Yer
mont Farm Machine Company. of Bellows
Falls; Mr.. a. III. Cheever, OF the New Eng
land Farmer: Mr.. o. Al. Tlnkham, of the
Green Mountain Freeman DR.. Z. A. Green
OF Richmond six Of the leading dairymen
OF Pomfret, VT. four of them accompanied
by their wives; and number of members
of the Association from this and adjoining
counties, and citizens of Burlington
The meeting was called to order by Hon.
E. d. Mason. President. I'd prayer was
offered by the Right Rev. shop Bissell.
The address of welcome then given
by President Buckham, of . University
and State Agricultural Co, &c.
PRESIDENT BUCKHAM's Address.
President Buckham said that he, not be-
ing farmer, must confess to an embarrass-
ment, in addressing an audience like this
Perhaps there Is no subject on which peo-
pie who have no practical experience, are
more ready to give advice to others who
have, than on farming-unless indeed it be
on education, and the bringing up Of chill
dreu. People without children are always
ready to advise parents on that subject.
Educators get plenty of advice from people
who have had no practical experience in
teaching; and farmers from men who know
nothing OF practical farming. II | were n
farmer, said President Buckham, should
be inclined to resent such preachments from
inexperienced persons; and | do not wish
To put myself in the class OF such ignorant
advisers. There is another class l do not
wish ito be reckoned with. "Whoso fat
tereth his neighbor with his mouth" says
the Scripture, ''spreadeth snare" So many
men want something Of the farmers, their
favor or their votes, and think it j. to be
gained by fictitious sympathy and fattery
that an honest mi n may well hesitate to
Snpa a. Kindly N f.alt IN
ton C. farmers. | have for these reasons
declined some previous courteous invita-
tons from this association. But here in
Burlington, | must face these embarrass-
ments. and begging pardon for speaking at
all, Will venture to say word which
think needs Ia be spoken. The men who
most need 1t, am aware, are not here to
hear It-thty do not attend these meetings
but through you | may say it to them.
| would say, then, that the,farmo-s, as a
class, need to understand their business bet
ter. The difference between understanding
and not understanding ones business is the
difference between success and failure.
have known 4 Young man who prepared
himself for mercantile life by year in Ger
many studying the German language and
modes OF doing business year in France
and six months in Italy. in similar studies
and observations and who when | sawihim.
was on his way to the East to learn Arabic
and Oriental ways. We may expect one
who makes such preparation to be in time
at the head Of a great commercial establish
ment. and an honor to his business. 1t is
something different from the three months
at commercial college, which is the Amer
lean business education.
This country has been recently let into
Ia nl
emphasizing the lesson that man must
understand hisj business. Astor and Stew
art and vanderbilt were not learned men
but they knew all that was movable about
their own business, in all its details.
Doubtless it would have been better for
them, on the whole. and they would have
been greater men if they had understood
some other things better, even it they had
not understood their own business SO we'll.
But their success was due to their thorough
knowledge Of their business. 1t is so with
our own Fairb2nkses-who lead the world
in their business-it was so with the man
who built the Victoria bridge. and the man
who blew up Hell Gate, and so with the
men who fill to Overlooking the hippodrome
and the tabernacles OF New York and Chi
cage. lie is so with the New York farmer
who sends Newtown pippins to England,
which sell in the London market for
from five TO ten cents apiece. Ii isa great
thing and a difficult thing thoroughly to
understand ones business, reaching out
as it does in many ways. IL is vast un-
dertaking to understand agriculture in all
its branches. How much needs to be
known about soils, their composition and
adaptation to difreren; crops: about farm
animals and their breeding and food and
diseases; about the different agricultural
products, and tilling of crops and storing
and marketing them, Ii | were to go on,
before was half through, you would tell
me lyon have said enoug h,to show that no
man car be farmer" 1t Is because 1t is
30 difficult to gain full knowledge
Of the things necessary to be known in gen.
eral farming, that our farmers are so
largely selecting special fields of labor. Yet
in any one department of agriculture how
much needs to be known
Az u class the dalrymcn need to under |
stand their business better. For proof of |
this may appeal to every address Of your
president; TO every report Ct your secre-
tary and to the discussions of every dairy |
men meeting We are told that not 40 |
per cent of the butter in the New York |
market sell for irst-class butter. Ten
years ago, the reply to question
put by myself to your president, was
hat not over ten per cent Of the butter
made in Vermont, was frst-class. He
can show you better things to-day. Bu.he
will still have to tell you that not third OF
the butter made in Vermont is trst-class
Why il this? l. there any fault in Nature?
No. Thore is no good reason why almost
all the butter should not be frst-clasl,
why almost every cburning should
not be of the best The trouble is
that our dairymen do not understand
heir business. Many things must be
known and allowed Tor before good butter
AN be made at all seasons and at all times
1t is not matter of luck, but of inteli-
ycnce, experience, science. Ii takes brains
70 make good butter and cheese.
Now 10 every such business there are
wo part>-the theoretical and the practic-
il the scientific and the mechanical The
leedlul knowledge Of chemistry physiology,
botany, and other sciences is one part. The
milking, caring, storing, ETC., matters of
PRACTICAL dairying, are another part Both
reed 10 be mastered. Bus both need not be
mastered By the same men. Every butter
maker Cues not need to know all these
ciepues but the results Of such Knowledge
hOuld be available to all. There are ques-
ions to be asked by every practical dairy
nan, in regard TO matters OF physiology and
dentistry which only an experienced chem
It or pbysiolOgist can answer. The results
# the researches and experiments OF the ex
,erts should be accessible to the practical
workers. 1t WIS doubtless this, that the
Ounders of the Agricultural Colleges had
n mind. The object of these colleges is to
eyelop the great Industries to bring out
he resources OF our undeyeOped country.
he way to accomplish this. they said, is to
ccurc more Thorough study in the sciences.
he Act OF Congress therefore requires that
he colleges shall give instruction in
branches et hOmng. those are the
,ufd5 OF tho act connected with agricul-
ure and tho Iit chanlc arts. Ii is not to
C supposed that instruction in practical |
,rmln5 VI pTuJtiLal mechanics was all or |
Io most aimed ut. That these colleges were :
Intended mainly 10 teach the mechanical a
nd practical industries. am aware is the
opular idea; butIt was plainly not the main
itent OF the founders OF the colleges. OF 4
mn ha g.