The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1878-03-08
Agricultural Department.
CONDUCTED BY ALBERT CHAPMAN
state Board of Agriculture Mt johnson.

State Board OF Agriculture mt johnson.
The capacious hall of the normal
school at johnson was well filed at the
opening meeting of the Board of Agri-
culture, last week Tuesday afternoon,
much the larger portion of the audience
being composed of the substantial far
mers of that and neighboring towns.
who availed themselves of the some
what thin but good sleighing to be pres
ent. G.. s. Fassett, of the Board, open-
cd the meeting, and remarked that il
was open for social intercourse and gem
eral discussion of the topics presented.
The members of the Board desired TO
impart knowledge and Interchange
thoughts with the farmers present, but
do not come to teach them. He hoped
they would feel that the meeting was
their own.
Robert T. Christie was appointed
president, and 'Heman A. Waterman,
secretary. An appropriate prayer was
offered by Rev. Mr.. Rattray, pastor of
the Baptist society; after which choir
consisting of five ladies and two gentle
men, led by 1. N. Pearl, with organ ac-
compartment, sang "America, our Clio
rious Land"
Vice-President Waterman spoke the
"first words" remarking briefly on ed
ucation as the greatest boon that nature
has conferred, and that he who helps to
attain 1t is public benefactor. He
hoped the board would show how to
improve our farms, both in the quantity
they may be made to produce, as well
as in the quality, to the end that YER
mont may be the best state to emigrate
to, and not from, as Stephen A. Doug
last once said. lie closed by bidding
the board welcome.
A very valuable, smoothly-written
and racy paper was then read by DR.. Ii.
P. Wakefield, of Morristown, on Ger
tilizers; Their Connection with the
Grass Crop and Dairy Products He
considered the saving and preparation
OF manurcs, remarking that he would
add certain statistics after the discussion
Ii time permitted, he could tell
some large stories, and pretty efiec-
tive ones. lie spoke of the value of
manure; of the modification of soils by
light and heat, and how plants came to
grow from the seed. Also of the chem
ical properties of soils. Increase the
crops, and improvement Of the soil will
ensue. Soils should be literally treat
ed, for "The Lord lovcth cheerful
giver." He considered the best man.
ner of utilizing the liquid and solid
malfures which all farmers have Mt
hand; none should go to waste. Ii
guilds, properly located, are rs valuable
as solids. He favored barn-cellars, to
protect from wind and rain and pre-
serve the liquids. The better the feed
of cattle the better is the residu after
the milk, butter and cheese has been
eliminated from the animal. The loca-
ton of barns is highly important, that
the drainage should not flow into the
road or a stream, so as to run away and |
benefit the land of neighbors. Barn
yards and pig-yards should be properly !
cared for. They may be made source
of great profit, or become nuisances. |
The farmhouse and its surroundings
should be made pleasant, thus prevent
ing the boys from running away, and
make the girls willing to follow their
mothers. Train up roses, evergreens
and shrubbery about the privies |
and pig-pens. Use dry earth daily as
disinfectant, to abatc nuisance, and |
from this you will also have fertilizer.
Transfer it occasionally to the barn-yard, |
and change it to manure. While attend
ing to the horse and cattle manure, do |
not forget the sheep droppings and hem
pens. Every farmer can have deposit |
OF guano on his premises, with scarcely |
any cost. No one can afford to pur-
chase commercial fertilizers, and neg
lect what he has around him. Bv IT,
phoid fevers and diphtheria generated
from decayed vegetables and decompos-
ed substances in cellars and ccss-pools, |
hundreds of lives are sacrificed. Let
these be removed from the house to the |
barn-cellar. Farmers should not neg
lect their gardens. To dispose of dry
earth, sawdust and leaves, they NAV be
used for bedding. Place weeds by
themselves, or mix them with lime, as
no farmer can afford to grow weeds.
They are an eXhaustless crop, and will
grow without manure. After all these
resources are exhausted, then perhaps
farmers can afford to buy commercial
fertilizers. The reason that the latter
fail, is that barn-yard manure contains
all the necessary ingredients, and the
commercial fertilizers only part. Mois-
ture was also considered as an element
in plant growth as essential as manure.
Failure of crops is not always attribute
BILE to the manure. Farm investments
are rs good as those in banks and rail
roads. The farmer has q better calling
than others-an honorable calling, the
earliest followed by man, and the found
ations of all others. These were some
of the leading points of DR.. Wakefeli's
instructive paper.
A discussion on GLOW can Vermont
farmers realize better results from man
ures" followed. j. ii. Mead of West
Rutland, spoke extemporaneously OH
the subject, and Ora Paul of Pomfret,
read paper, Mr.. Mead spoke of DIR.
j. s. Spaulding, of Barre, cutting five
crops of clover on his ground in a single
season, the aggregate growth being one
hundred and eight inches. Also of per-
sons seeding bushel or more of herds
grass to the acre.
In the discussion that followed, this
was considered by several, who said
they had suffered by seeding too much.
Mr.. Delano, of Gilmore, thought half
bnshe! was ample, and others gave their
experience to the same effect.
Mr.. PauPs paper embraced many
similar ideas to those suggested in DR..
Wakefeld's, which have been already
'"oS.ai'i"ii! given III the reports OF
previous meetings.
After song by Mr.. Tinkham, of
Topsham, commencing "Noble Repub-
lie, happiest of Lands" Professor G. c.
Smythe, of the Vermont University,
spoke for the commercial fertilizers, as
viewed from chemical standpoint.
tie said that there was misapprehen-
sion as to them. Many think they are
substitute for barn-yard manure.
They are only so in part, as they con-
tain but portion of the inorganic ma
terial that plants need TO make them
thrive. After considering at length
their nature, he recommended their use |
in some cases in addition to barn-yard |
manure, in order to supply certain con-
diiions wanting in soils which the latter
would not. His plan was one now be-
ing experimental on in Connecticut and |