Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-09-07
BY THE HON. EDWARD sowLts, or ST. ALnAN

needing. An aDstrhtI OF IL l. a. lullOW-
The Address.
BY THE HON. EDWARD sowLEs, or ST. ALBANs.
Nv theme is Vermont farms and farming,
in their past, present and iuture aspects
Something more than a hundred years ago
the territory embraced in this beautiful
State was known only to the savages. Lat
tie, if anything, is known OF their cOnnec
tion with agriculture-save in the cultlya-
ton of Indian corn, and what NAV he III
ferred from an occasional implement found
as a relic. As to the past history of our ayr
culture We can date back, with any degree
of certainty. to the Aliens. the Chittendens.
the Sunderands, the Bakers. and Il few
Others. They were the pioneers in farm
ing, as they were the defenders and con
SENATORS of our liberties. They waged war
for wears with the rocks and stones. IN or
der to give place to the pillow ard harrow.
They shared in the popular sentiment that
these rocks and stones are the inveterate ine
of the Vermont farmers. They did not I'M
derstand that these were sure indices OF a
soil unsurpassed in fertility; that they
abounded in rich fountains and living
springs of water that their annual overflow
enriched our Interval farms; that many |
of the essentials of healthy vegetable life |
were derived in large proportions from the |
that our endless marble. slate and
granite quarries could be so utilized
as to make them among tie first
sources of wealth to the State. They and
their SUCCESSORS continued for the first fifty
wears to lay low the forests, and with re
markable success. The last fifty years have
been marked by wonderful progress in the
Improvement OF farms and farming utensils,
and the application of the great principles
of pOlitical economy TO the pursuit of agrl-
culture.
For the first twenty five years of the last
half century agriculture WAS IN state OF
extreme depression. Labor was neither
dignifed nor popular. As long a. new
land could be had almost for the asking it
could not be expected that the farms would
be titled very thoroughly. The speaker
then referred to the manner in which the
wheat growing centre had receded west
ward-frOm the Genesee valley to Ohio and
thence to Minnesota. This decline in pro-
duction is due solely to the want OF Il pro-
per. intelligent and economical busbandry.
Vermont farmers must learn that they can
not sell of their hay and other crops, Year
after year, without exhaustipg the soil and
paying the penalty They must not expect
that the resources Of Nature are inexhaus
tible. They must study the condition Of the
soil. and supply all exhaustions They must
invoke the aid of chemistry, and expt-
rience.
Mr.. Sowles then briefly sketched the pro
crcss Of Agriculture in the county during
the last quarter of a century-the establish
ment of agricultural colleges. boards Of az
riculture, farmers clubs, etc.-and con-
tinued During the last fifteen years farm
ing has given much stronger guarantees of
success than any other kind of business.
Only one farmer in twenty. according TO
statistics. makes an absolute failure, while
three merchants out Of five, nine specula-
tors out of ten, and innumeIabe ministers
lawyer. and doctors are hopeless financial
failures. During all the periods OF distress
since the war the Vermont farmers, as II
class, have been threatened by no financial
storms and sought no ark of financial sale
ty. With them there has been no conflict
between labor and property.
The speaker then briefly discussed the
question Of cheap transportation, and went
On to speak OF the branch Of Agriculture
best adapted to this State. This, he thought.
WAS dairying ard stOck-raising. The more
good cows a farmer can keep, and keep
v ell, the richer he will grow. The more
poor cows he keeps, and keeps well. III C
poorer he will become. As an instance OF
" hat might be done, Mr.. SOwles referred to
the system OF feeding. etc. at the farm OF
Col. LeGrande b. Cannon recently describ-
ed at length IN the FREE Pres and con
tinued Recent statistics show that the total
number of farms In this State is 70 So.
" it'll an average size OF Ia acres each. On
these are 200. coo milch cows and l35 600 OF
all Others, making total of 335 900. This
gives an average of six cows and four head
of all other / nds of cattle to each farm or one
COW to each 23l acres and one head Of cattle
to every l35 acres. Vermont annually
realizes from her cows II .sii $50 pounds of
butter. with returns of 81 l62 900. and
$50, 200 pounds OF cheese, with returns
of 81, 1863 900, making III all 81 900 600.
Now If the number Of cows Is increased one
half 80 as 10 raise the number 20 300 900. ,
the total income from butter and cheese
would be increased, at pre,ent reduced
prices, to -. 900 900 per ahnum.
After referring 10 the fact that the aver
age size of our larms IL small. Mr.. Sowlcs
concluded by saving | have thrown out
these few suggestions and thoughts, trust
ng they may do something To- awaken II 1
ieeper and hvelIer interest IN the great and
growing sub lect of Agriculturo-the mother
II all Industries. the lilo of the people, the !
Oundatlun OF cOmmerce-ayc, OF all society.
The farmers OF the world constitute about
,ne-haf OF the entire population and if /,
hroe- quarters Of the people were engaged
n its laudabe pursuits, yagrancy and pau J
Ierism would be less visible, wee and cor
upton less frequent. Incidence and crime
ess prevalent and better laws and society
would prevail, which, together with pros