The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-02-24
Meeting oithc Vermont State Board OF
Agriculture al North Troy, Tuesday
and Wedne ,dny, Feb. IS and IL,

Meeting called TO order by Mr.. Chase
of the Board.
Mr.. Kennedy. oi North Troy. was
elected to preside. Is. +. PAYNE of JAY
was elected vice-president.
The opening address was delivered
by |. S. Dorman. He regarded meet
ing of this kind as one of the highest
sources of information, and one that he
hoped the inhabitants would avail them
selves of by large attendance and good
interest III all the subjects presented for
consideration at the several sessions of
this meeting No pursuit was so natu-
rally and so well calculated to build up
homes Of culture and happiness, as that
of the farmer. The highest intellectual
culture is only attainablc with the per.
feet physical development. The intel
lectual growth and culture of the farm
er should be in all ways encouraged,
and this meeting, with all the various
subjects that will be presented and dis
cussed, will be great means to encour-
age such strengthening of the intellect OF
the farmers present.
A. Chapman made an address upon
Budding and Grating" explaining the
principles of, and by examples showing
the process of executing, the same.
After the above, a discussion arose
upon number of points, relating chief:
ly to the diseases of trees. The twia
blight was mentioned as being quite
prevalent in the section. No satisfac.
tory explanation or remedy was given
One gentleman present said he had ben
Gifted his trees in cases ofof black blight
by using a wash of soft soap-suds Oh
weak I've.
Tuesday afternoon, the exercises were
opened by an address upon "Potatc
Culture" by l.. T.. Jamison of Iras.
burgh.
iSoldaum Ia6crosum is native OF
South America. No single production
Of the soil was so universally used fol
food in ancient times, as is the potato
to-day.
The tuber formerly was very poor il
quality. Previous to the potato disease
there were no varieties equal in qualit,
to the best varieties at present. Tho
improvement was commenced by the
REV. Mr.. Goodrich, of Utica, New
York. For this Mr.. Goodrich during
his lifetime received much honor, and
at his death Il liberal donation was
made to his family, as an acknowledge.
mcnt of the great benefit he had con.
tcrred upon the world by his expert
ments in producing new varieties.
Mr.. Bresce Of Hubbardton was tho
next that made an advance In producing
new varieties. He raised The Early
Rose, the most profitable potato the
world ever saw. This is almost always
used as one of the parents when hybrid.
are raised for new varietics. Later Mr.
Brownell of Essex has produced a mum.
Der of new kinds which ale superior to
any of the old varieties. Later still,
Mr.. C.. G. Pringle of Charlotte has, by
crossing the Early Rose and Excelsior
produced the Snowflake, one of the
most popular varieties ever produced
possessing tirst-rate qualities in yield
and smoothness, and in flavor superior
to almost every other variety. Among
the excellent qualities of good potato
smoothness is very desirable. The ten.
dency to cluster instead of scattering in
the hill is good quality. White fleshed
potatoes are better and more desirable
than dark colOrcd oncS. The DISPOSE.
ton to increase in the number in the
hill, instead OF increasing in size, is de.
sirable. A large number of moderate
even-sized tubers is much better than d
few Of extra large size. The flavor
should be very delicate, not strong
Some varieties, like the Snowflake, have
a very sweet and nutty flavor. The
greatest enemy of the potato is the
Colorado potato beetle. The remedy i:
one part Paris green TO twenty part,
flour, sifted on the plants. Mr.. Brown Of
Lowell said Paris green with water
one teaspoonful ofthe former TO gallon
of the latter, put Oh with sprinkler
was entirely eflicacious in DESTROYING
the pest. lie would he willing to take
tho job of destroying them on all the
potatoes in the county for sl.5O POI
acre.
After this discussion was ended, Mr.
! G. 5. Fassett, of the Board, read a pa.
per upon "Selection of Cows for The
Dairy" which has been reported be-
fore.
In answer 10 IA question. Mr.. Fassetl
said he had not tested the grading pro
cess enough to state positively just whai
grade of Jerseys he WOusd prefer. but
thought the higher grades were NOR,
profitable than the low ones.
4 A gentleman had had good deal Of