The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-02-24


Mr.. Fassctt thought that the Jerseys
made excellent beef and veal, and they
would prove excellent mixers.
Mr.. Adams thought the Jerseys were
not the best cattle for general use: they
could not make good working oxen.
Mr.. lTassctt said he would wish to be
If he wanted cattle for
any other purpose than making butter,
nc would not keep Jerseys.
Nil of Derby had found the AYR
shires excellent for the dairy, and very
hardy; they took on flesh very rapidly,
on coarscr feed than any other kind of
cattle he had ever tried. The chairman
spoke well of a cross of the Devons,
Ayrshires, Short-lIorns and Jerseys;
by mixing all these kinds, we can re-
tain the size and all the other valuable
qualities.
The chairman, in answer to qucs-
ton, said very few steers were now
raised for oxen in Orleans county.
Mr.. Chapman stated that for butter
alone the Jerseys were the best, but if
beef was in the question he would much
prefer the Devons or the Ayrshires.
The first paper Tuesday evening was
read by A. Chapman, upon 'IIorses for
Vermont"
After the paper, Mr.. Jameson spoke
of the Morgan horses favorably. and es-
pecially noticed with praise the horses
at the Cream Hill stock farm of Mcssrs.
Bates & Harris, of Shorcham.
The next paper read was upon "Grass
Culture" by j. ii. Mead. of the Board.
This was subject of great interest, for
the grass crop was the most important
of any in the state, girls and boys per-
haps excepted. II is probably true that
many of the farms in Vermont are dctc-
riorating in the quality Of the soil, and
running down. We waste too many
fertilizers by washing in the yard. mi
der the caves, etc. we increase the
grass crop. we increase the materials
for making more manure. What manure
is required to give good coat for an
acre of grain, will give very good top
dressing for three acres of grass. We
now SOW much larger quantity of seed
to the acre than we did formerly. Dv
top-dressing some Of our low, rather
flat meadows, we have more than doub-
led the grass crop, until it gives more
than three tons per acre. On dry grass
lands, ashes will prove a great benefit
Grass lands should be cut very early.
Cutting later and later every year, sure
ly decreases the ability of the meadows
TO bear paying crop of grass. Feeding
meadows too late and too close in All.
tumn is spelling a great many farms in
Vermont.
If we can increase our grass very ma
terially, we shall be able to increase the
attractions of home, and make our bows
and girls have more taste for rural pur
suits. Tins may we increase our pop
ulation. To do this, and materially de
crease the size of the farms in Vermont
are consummations much desired bv the
speaker.
Mr.. Mead, in answer to a question
said, their practice was to make theil
manure very fine by frequent shoveline
over, then apply in August or Scptcm
Der.
Mr.. Fassett said he could not see any
advantage in rotting manure. III,
thought ii was as valuable if drawn on
when fresh and green; although il wa
little more trouble to spread it, it wa
not near so much as to shovel or forl
over a few times before using. Ii,
thought understanding was very benc
fetal. and tile much the best materia
to use for making the drains.
Wednesday morning, the first pape
was read by j. A. Mead, of the Board
upon "Shccp Husbandry."
After reading the paper, gentleman
present asked Mr.. Mead if he though
fine-wooled sheep would pay as well a
coarse-wooled. Mr.. Mead replied tina
he thought that, in small flocks in thi
section of the state, the coarse-woolet
ones would pay best, but in large hocks
or in Rutland and Addison counties
the tine-wooled sheep were most prof
table. Many who practice feeding large
ly for mutton think that the fine-woole,
sheep pay best in large flocks.
The next paper, upon CLONE Prod
ucts," was read by Ora Paul, of TIN
Board.
Mr.. j. L. Jameson of Irasburgh mex
made an address upon "Manures an,
their Application"
We have impoverished our soils to,
much. One great reason for this is TIN
constant changing Of ownership. Ifw,
kept our homes and paternal acre
through number of generations TIN
land would be improved. So long n
this constant change is going on on
soils will continue to be impoverished
Are the analyses of the soils reliable
as guide for us in improving them? III,
college at Burlington incnlcates thi
idea, also many farmers. The speake
did not. Prof Warning in his work, "Ele
ments of Agriculture admits that tn
common farmer can gain but little ben
eft from the analyses of soils. Othe
authors now take the same view. One
celebrated French chemist, saws tn
practical results of analysis fail ntterl
to show the condition and wants of tn
soil. Analyses of soils at different sea
sons of the year show great variation
in the same soil. Analysis of plants ha
proved much more useful than that O
the soil.
The larger portion of the nutrimen
of the plants comes from the atmos
phere. How shall we gather up TN
food Of the plant, and how shall we ap
ply it? The same men that will not sci
their crops for fear they will impoverisl
their soils, will waste their fertilizers il
various ways. II would be better (,
sell some of the products and save TIN
| anu Wy bbSpibtiitS Olllt
means increase the amount of plan
food. Better to expend something TO
commercial fertilizers than to have tn
soil yield small and non-paying crop
without them. We should so constitute
our barns and yards as to save our liq
uid manure, either by absorbents or b,
pits to catch and store it, Absorbent
are cheaper and better than commercial
fertilizers. Saw-dust is one of the best
Sand is very good. Muck and leave
are excellent. Straw is not as good al
absorbent as is generally thought: i
would be better to sell some ofthe straw
and expend the proceeds in labor 70
collecting absorbents and using them.
"Wednesday afternoon, discussion
took place upon the subject of applica
ton of manures, wherein the best meth
DDS, whether to pillow in or apply on tn
surface, were fully canvassed, but II,
specially new facts or theories were ad
vanced
Mr.. G.. S. Eassett of the Board read