Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1877-01-26
Vermont Dairymen's Association.
Eighth winter Meeting.
FIRST DAY.

Ahe meetnS OF the dalrymens ASSOCIATION
opened at the city hall 10 Burlington, on
Wednesday, January II, at 1890 a. m
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 drawbacks a goodly number Of
dairymen were present, and in intelligence
aud character the meeting ranked high.
The meeting was called to order by Hon.
Il, d. Mason, president, and prayer was
offered by the Right Rev. Bishop Bissell
The address Of welcome was then given
by President Buckham, Of the university
and state agricultural college.
PRESIDENT DUcKMAM's ADDRESS.
President Buckham said that he, not be.
ing farmer, must confess to an embarrass-
ment, 10 addressing an audience like this.
Perhaps there is no subject on which pee.
pie who have no practical experience, are
more ready to give advice to others who
have, than on farming-unless indeed il be
on education, and the bringing up Of chill
dren. 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. If were n
farmer, said President Buckham, l 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 do not
wish to be reckoned with. "Whoso fat
tereth his neighbor with his mouth" says
the Scripture, "spreadeth q snare" So many
men want something Of the farmers, their
favor or their votes, and think it is to be
gained by fictitious sympathy and fattery,
that an honest man may well hesitate to
speak as kindly as he feels, to an associa-
tion Of farmers. have for these reasons
declined some previous courteous invita-
tions from this association. But here in
Burlington, must face these embarrass-
ments, aud begging pardon for speaking at
all, will venture TO say word which |
think needs to be spoken. The men who
most need il. am aware, are not here to
hear it-they do not attend these meetings
but through you l may say it to them.
l would say then that the farmers, as q
class, need to understand their business bet
ter. The difference between understanding
and not understanding ones business is the
difference between success and failure. l
have known q 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 l saw him,
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 great commercial establish
ment, and an honor to his business. 1t is
something different from the three months
at a commercial college, which is the Amer.
lean business education.
This country has been recently let into
the secret Of three colossal fortunes,-a
emphasizing the lesson that a man must un-
derstand his business. Astor and Stewart
and Vanderbilt we're 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 if they had not under.
stood their own business 50 we'll. But their
success was due to their thorough knowl-
edge of their business. 1t is 80 With our
own Fairbankses--who lead the world in
their business-it was so with the man who
built the Victoria bridge, and the man who
blew up He'll Gate, and so with the men who
fill to overAowiDg the hippodrome and
the tabernacles of New York and Chi.
cago. 1t is so with the New York farmer
who sends Newtown pippius to Eugland,
which sell in the London market for
from FIVE to ten cents apiece. 1t is a great
thing and difficult thing thoroughly to
understand ones business, reaching out as it
does in many ways. 1t is a vast under
taking to understand agriculture in all its
branches. How much needs to be known
about soils, their composition and adaptation
to different crops about farm animals and
their breeding and food and diseases about
the different agricultural products, tilling of
crops and storing and marketing them If
l were to 90 on, before was half through,
you would tell me "you have said enough
to show that no man can be farmer" II
is because it is so difficult to gain full
knowledge of the things necessary to be
known in general 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
As class the dairymen need to under
stand their business better. For proof OF
this may appeal to every address Of your
president to every report Of your secre
tary; and to the discussions of every dairy
mems meeting. We are told that not 4C
per cent. Of the butter in the New York
market sells for frst-olass butter. Ten
years ago, the reply 10 q question put by
myself to your president, was that not ovel
ten per cent Of the butter made in Vernon
was 6rst-class. lie can show you bette
things to-day. But he will still have Il
tell you that not third Of the butter madt
in Vermont is 6rst-class. Why is this
Is there any fault in nature2 No. Their
is no good reason why almost every churninI
should not be 6rst-class, why almost ever,
churning should not be Of the best. The trou
BILE is, our dairymen do not understad thei
business. Many things must be known an'
allowed for before good butter can be mad
at all seasons and at all times. II is not q mat
ter of luck, but of intelligence, experience
science. 1t takes brains to make good but
ter and cheese.
. Now in every such business there are tw
J parts--the theoretical and the practical
; the scientific and the mechanical The need
iul knowledge of chemistry, physiology, Dol
any and other sciences is one part. Th
: milking, curing, storing, etc., matters G
! practical dairying, are another part. Bot
D need to be mastered. But both need not b
o mastered by the same men. Every buttel
. maker does not need to know all these sc
encesi but the results of such knowledg
: should be available to all. There are que