The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-01-27
Agricultural Department.
CONDUCTED BY ALBERT CHAPMAN
Meeting of the Board of Agriculture at
Milton.

points brought out by the papers and
discussions at the meetings of the Board
during the winter. We shall do this
without any special reference TO the
time or place they were brought out.
Chr readers will understand that they
will be the views of the speakers, and
not our own.
Mr.. Wood of Milton, in paper upon
'.Discouragements of Farming" said:
TO be successful in calling, it is
necessary to take an interest in and like
itr We should pay close attention to it,
and take part in its labor personally.
II II Is so managed, with good judg-
ment, farming is successful in Vermont.
He would recommend miscellaneous
rather than special farming.
II is a wonder that so many farmers
succeed, when so macy neglect their
business and waste so much time. La
Dor should be economical by using
GOOD tools and laying plans before
hand. If these plans are wisely made,
and the work is done at the proper sea-
ION, and not allowed to drag, the farm
AZ will have time for recreation, social
amusement, and the mental culture of
himself and family.
The demand for the farmers products
is Imperative: in this he has an advan-
fave over men engaged in other avo-
cations.
Hon q. IL Rice, of Milton, in paper
~ the same subject advanced the fol-
lowing ideas:
We cannot longer grow beef, wool or
Mutton at profit. We can, as an in
cidental product in connection with
dairying, raise some pork.
Where are our Hammonds and jew
cts now with their thousand dollar Gold
Drops We appear to have nothing
but our dairy interest left. We think
the facts disprove this idea.
While all improved churns, pans and
dairy implements are probably saving
Of labor, it is serious question whether
The products made with the old imple-
ments were not better than those we
get with the new. But we must be
more moderate in our expectations. If
al the products were gilt-edged the
prices for that even would go down.
We may expect an average price Of
~ cents for butter and 10 cents for
cheese, and they will pay profit at
that.
A great cause for Encouragement at
this time is, that our sons and daughters
90 OIL the farm to pursue other callings,
and leave us with unskilled labor
But perhaps the greatest cause for
encouragement is i'll unequal taxation.
No matter how heavily our land is
nortgaged, we have to pay the taxes
GU what we really do not own, as well
rs OH what we do. The farmers prop
erty is always more apparent to the
lister than that of the capitalist. Legis-
lation will always give the farmer every
facility for taxing his lands for public
benefits and improvements, either state
or town; but will seldom grant any to
directly benefit the farmer himself.
1.-THE fair thing is the pretty thing"
aud as this is not fair he cannot see it
as pretty.
During the discussion that followed,
an able paper was read by DR.. L. c.
Butler, of Essex, on "The Hygiene of
the Farm" one that we hope to see in
print before long, and of which we have
no notes. The following opinions were
advanced:
DR.. Butler thought the aroma of flow
ers did not generally have any deleter-
effects upon health.
The opinion seemed general among
those present that plants in houses did
not affect the health of the inmates I'M
fsvorably, though some instanced cases
where the perfume of flowers caused
nausea and fainting.
Or. Hathaway of Milton gave his
opinion that growing plants were always
absorbing the miasma in the atmosphere.
A large field of corn in malarious
valley was always great natural disin-
fectant.
AS to pure water for cattle, Mr.. Par
rlsh, of Fairfax, said his cattle would
often go through clear brook of pure
water to get at and drink stagnant wa
ter in swamp beyond. Some one
present attributed this to their desire
OF appetite for warm water; they do
not like to drink very cold water.
Mr.. Waite, of Georgia, gave an ac-
count of child that had the dysentery
aud came near dying from using milk
ffom a COW that gave occasional bloody
milk. On change Of milk the child
recovered.
There was quite a discussion upon
the use of salt. Some thought that its
Hse should be discontinued, as there
wss no nutriment in it and cattle would
DO well without, and the craving for it
was in consequence Of diseased appe-
lite. DR.. Butler thought that, although
there was no apparent nutriment in
salt, the craving for it indicated that the
animal economy demanded it, and did
not prove a diseased appetite. The
craving did not increase with its use,
but became satisfied. 1t is different in
the ease of the use of alcoholic drinks
The appetite increases with the use of
these, and after awhile becomes so pow
efful as to absorb that for health-giving
aud disappearing food, and the sys-
stem becomes surcharged with alcohol,
!sud..he blood and brain become filled
With 1t. But the quantity of salt in the
blood does not become materially in
creased by it's constant use.
In discussion on pruning fruit trees
4P. Waite thought the cause of black,
dlseolored wood was an unhealthy stock
IN his opinion it was not caused by any
particular time Of pruning. Others
thought the result would not follow il
The trees were pruned after the goth OF
June.
Mr.. TT. Parrish of Fairfax, in pa
per upon blowing and manuring, re-
marked that four and one-half to five