Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-02-14

But this was now changing, and its assist
ance was now being called in TO aid thu
farmer in his work.
Geology was one of the valuable sciences
to the farmer.
Chemistry, which discloses the bidder
properties of plants and soils was valu
able aid. In the analysis of soils and The
ashes of plants, chemistry had run riot
If the ash of plant was found deicien
in any constituent of plant growth, it was
only necessary to add to the soil that lack
ing ingredient to make the soil: fertile
but soil from worn farm in Connection
showed an analysis almost precisely sim
liar to that of one in the Miami valley
where for a generation it had borne rich
crops without manure.
| German chemist when asked what
would be done when the fertilizing mate.
rial and the coal was exhausted triumph
anily replied, We will enrich the earth
from the air, and make our fires from wa
ter" He preferred to regard this as a
prophecy rather than wild speculation.
tle then spoke of the office of botany in its
assistance of the farmers work, of the sci
ence of breeding shown by the Jerseys
and Ayshires and Short Horns, as CON
trased with the old breeds of cattle, and
the Essex and Berkshire pigs as compared
with the wild boar.
He described the mode and extent of
the depredations of the weeviI, and the
man who should discover IN unfaling
remedy would be public benefactor.
MeIeorology was another science bearing
on the farmers success.
An early or late frost might in single
night destroy the work of months, and
while we might not be able to make the
clouds send down their showers at will, or
to withhold their frost, still we could in II
great measure influence their coming
The observations Of scientists have proved
that the destruction of forests materially
lessons the water supply, and mountains
helped the rain fall. Some one had assert
ed that II mountain pushed up to the re-
gion of eternal frost in the desert of Saba
ia would make the desert fruitful gar
den.
Science has its mission, it is reliant on
its strength, confident of its success. To
agriculture it comes not in the pride of
power, but with the humility of child
After another piece of music by the
band, Prof. G. II. Perkins of the Vermont
University gave II talk on the insect foes
of the farmer, mentioning some of his
friends, as wcll-countng the birds as
among his most useful allies. The robin
especially was II great destroyer of cut
worms He advocated hand picking to
destroy insects he knew u field of twenty
acres of potatoes saved by hand picking
of the potato bug. Weeds were prolific
sources of insects, as well as piles of rot
ten wood, old stumps etc. Most of our
insects were not under but above
ground, and we should carefully foster
and protect their enemies, The potato
bug was not native to Vermont, but was
the Colorado bug, and he had no doubt it
could be prevented from doing serious
harm in Vermont by thorough hand pick
ing, which should be done at once rs soon
us discovered, and with not Il great
amount of labor.
This is much the best way; but if you
don't want to do this, Paris green will
certainly kill them, which should be put
on in solution rather than dry, us should
Ill powders; but lie strongly commended
hand picking as better by far, which was
rue, he thought, of all other insects, large
enough TO be seen. lie had found no sure
remedy for the cabbage worm except hand
picking.
The currant worm eats the leaves from
the bushes and for these he again recon-
nended hand picking, dry IIeebore would
not kill them, though II strong solution
would. He described at some length the
various insect enemies of the currant,
gooscberry and strawberry
md gave it as pretty safe rule to cut off
md burn any strange appearing branch
Of root. a valuable assistant to the far
mcr was the woodpecker, of which we had
not single specimen in Vermont, injuri-
)us TO trees. He did not believe in crows,
hey killed in spring and fall many grubs,
)ut he had known II crow to empty four
'obin's nest in one forenoon.