Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-09-04

Mr.. Tinkham referred TO the eNpeIl- l
nents being tried in Vermont this season {
lnder the auspices of the college with
nitrogen, potash and phosphoric acid.
,ingly and in their different combinations,
and compared with hog manure on the
same soils. He agreed with Mr.. Human
hat experiments must teach something
for experience is but the result OF repeat
ed experiment
DR.. l. T. Tichenor of Auburn, Ala,
read a paper on - Soil Exhaustion. its Ex
tent, Effects and Remedy" He began by
the wealth aud fertility ot this
when discovered. The extent oil
soil depletion on this continent, said he, is
painful and humiiating to him who has
investigated it, We have 6.0000OO farm
ers, many of whom, in Ignorance and care
Iessness, are wearing out and exhausting
as completely as they can the land the
fountain Of our national life. The telis OF
middle Georgia were once the richest cot
ton lands in the south. Wearing them out,
The planters went to Ala1ama, and now
the line of greatest production has receded
from the seaboard to Texas. In the
Genesee valley in New York the yield OF
wheat has steadily fallen from thirty BUSH
els to twelve, and the scars OF the plum
derers of the soil remain. If a man had
followed the line of greatest production in
wheat, how weary he would be with mis-
wanderings, and how panied by the acts
of those who stripped the soil of its wealth
md have been traitors to those to come
after them. This careless plundering is
an evil which threatens our national sta
bility The speaker gave the results OF
| calculation of the annual drain from the
land, saying that $l,00O.0O0,000 worth of
commercial fertilizers would not replace
the fertiizing elements removed from the
soil in one year. Had these elements
when in the original soil cost the farmer
l-100 part OF what they do in market the
country would have been bankrupt long
ago. The illustration used in regard to the
wearing out of the English coal fields, of
IN elastic cord acro-s n path which at first
to the traveller offers but little obstacles
but soon draws together and stops passage,
is applicable to this subject, If the care
lessness of our farmers Is not checked the
same will be true here. The speaker re-
viewed the history of old European coun
tries ruined by soil depletion, and predict
ed similar history for us if the waste of
'ur solid foundation is not stopped. The
grand cause of the long continued prosper
lty of China and Japan is the care with
which each element of the soil is husband
ed. We must stop this work of the YAM
pires of our soil. We can endure The raw
ages of the cotton worm, the stealngs OF
whiskey ring and the railroads and of
the strikers who plumber the railroads,
md the great incubus of the national debt
but we cannot endure the work of these
plunderers of the soil who move from
place to place, sucking wealth from the
ground. When the intelligence of the
American people once understands the
magnitude Of this evil, remedy will ap.
pear in an enlightened public opinion, fos-
Tered by the pulpit the press and II sys-
TEN of education better adapted to our
wants than the present one-a system in
ympathy with the masses and one which
will make educated men who are interest
ed in developing our national resources.
We must have an education not in the
thoughts of the sages of antiquity, but in
he physical sciences in the work of God
Us embodied in nature and the universe.
This paper was very long and was of the
haracter of IL very effective Grafton, SYM
metrically built, expressed in rounded
periods, and full of ennobling thoughts
such an abstract as that to which we are
! united can do no justice TO its thought or
form. 1t was very heartily applauded.
MIR. Theodore Gennert of Portland, Me
. read a paper on The Beet Sugar Indus
Try in the United States" Beets were first
Used in feeding cattle, but soon it was
found that they would furnish sugar rs the
,ane does. Up to 1925 the production OF
beet sugar in Europe was not financially
successful, but the farms on which it was
'arried on were not benefited by it The
ne Xt ten years were the period of expert
ment, but after 1885 the production of beet
sugar became recognized industry. This
cultivation either brought with it IL more
r,tional method of general cultivation, OF
his more rational method gave impetus tC
beet culture it cannot be said which was the
cause and which the eff ct. No production
f the soil in Europe has had so great in.
: iuence, or no industry SO fostered by gov.
ernments. Henry Clay, when our minis
er abroad, tried to bring beet culture to
he attention of our people, but our gov
,rnmenl, instead of taking it up, made
great efforts TO encourage the culture Of
sugar cane in the country, appointing t
comm ssion in that interest. Beet culture
. is purely agricultural pursuit; it re
quires proper rotation of crops, an,
(, careful fertilization. Therefore its intro
Iucton in this country cannot fail to raist
, the grade of farm methods and care. Thu
Il first beet sugar mandatory in the Unite,
States was put up in Northampton, Mass.
d ,bout 1886. There is no scientific recort
@ # this factory. The second was put up ii
. Illinois in 1861 The company raiset
beets on $500 acres. But beets requir,
e cultivation, and the excitement and inila
t. ton of those days, with partial failure on
d or two Seasons caused the industry to b.
e abandoned. There are two in California
r Experiments have been made in othe
IS states, but there has been in forty years NJ
v progress in this industry; while in Europe
sc ostered Ivy government, it has made thou
sands of farmers rich. We neglect it ant
is pursue our system of spoilation, calle'
in agriculture. We pay tribute of 500,
j. 900, 900 year to other countries for sugar
ST In Europe thirty five bushels are raised II
an acre. The industry here would rathe
i. help than hinder other crops. in tending t.
4 a proper rotation. 1t would bring cash t
ID the farmers pockets, and employ grea
in numbers of laborers now out OF employ
ment. 1t is sure that in 1880 more thai
id half the sugar produced in the Who'll
n world will be beet sugar; last year it VIA
ut almost half The price of raw sugar Ia
IL constantly risen Before long We shal
have to 60 to Europe for some ofour sugar
lie it will be beet sugar, and why not raise
Id here on our own broad acres. The intro
h. ducton of the industry means radica
oy change in our system of agriculture an
p only united effort can affect it. The speak
10 er described the efforts in foreign countrie
~ to foster the industry by subsidies; also
recent effort to establish it in Maine. TIL
TX company made contracts with so
III farmers and 200 have planted them. U
Is. good land with good care they have don
ill well. Many are ready to panS much NOR
a. next year. The yield this year will b
about 5000 tons. The beets have bee
id analysed from four different fields. A be,
IS; which had been in the ground seventy 81
es days-half the time given in Europe-ha
lie 99-lO per cent of sugar and was ready ft
N. the factory. 1t may be said that the Main
or beets are on the whole of better qualil
e. than those in Europe. The downfall (
n