Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-03-08
VERMONT STATE BOARD OF AGHI-
CULTURE.
The Montpelier Meeting.

The Montpelier Meeting.
Continued from the first page
Thursday.
The chair was taken by Hon. N. I
Sprsgue, of Brandon, and prayer was offer
ed by Rev. l.. Hubbard, of Cavendish. The
first paper was by Mr.. Albert Chapman, cI
Miidlsbury, on
THE EARLY VERMONT MERISoEs.
This was mair ly historical paper. Mr.
Chapman said there was no certain record
of the first introduction oil the Merino sheep
The first brought to Vermont, were brought
in 1907, having been imported by Gel. Hum
phries, eff Massachusetts,. Statistics were
given of the formation OF the famous Jarvis
Seymour, Rich, Atwood, Hammond and
other noted fiocks most of them being formed
of sheep introducedsfrom Connecticut and
Rhode Island. lie slluded to the ruin 0
the early flocks by crossing with the SaxOny
blood, and noted the great improvement
in the qualities cfth pure Merinoes, secur'
ed by the Vermont breeders. who have
treblsd the weight Of the unwashed fleece
and nave doubled the WELD of washed wool
There are now dlcks in Vermont which
Weld on an average II pounds of wool Per
animal There has been an average increase
of pound per aeece in the wool crop OF
Vermont in ten years-an increase which, II
realized throughout the whole country
would amount to a total increase of fifty
one million pounds, worth SEA, 100000. Mr.
Chapman's interesting and valuable History
is to be printed, ard will before long be
given to the public, when We shall notice it
further.
As a relief to the more weightv business
of the meeting, at this point Miss Anna
Stswtll, a bright and attractive young lady,
daughter Of Col. Z S. Stowell of Cornwall
was introduced, and recited. in a self-pcs-
sessed manner, a portion of Whittier :
Bridal of Pennicook, which was heartily
applauded.
The next paper was read by Mr.. E. X.
Skinner, of Tnnbridge, on
The BUTTER DAIRY.
Mr.. Skinner is a brother of Mr. Nathan
| Skinner, cf Plaiuield. whose paper on But
ter-Making was printed in our report of the
meeting of the Dairymen's Association, st
Milton.
Mr.. Z. n. sKISNER's PAPER,
In contemplating this great and increas-
ing interest Of Vermont | shall be obliged
to confne ny self to the narrow limits ofmy
own experience and practice. have kept
| danny on small scale almost the whole
time for twenty-seyen years, making butter
almost exclusively; have tried carefully to
study my business with a view to imfro
ment. bat find myself still a student, and
not scholar. My object has been, first, to
secure an honest living secondly, to enjoy
the satisfaction of producing a worthy ar
ticle, and of having it appreciated by those
who handle and consume 1t In both these
object. have been moderately successful.
There is one prerequisite Tor success-the
adaptablity of the pc. son for the business.
So much depends upon the judgment and
never -ceasiHg care to be exercised by the
dairyman or daiIywoman, that it becomes
necessity with them, in order to produce
the best results, that they adapt themselves
tic their labor. zealOusly and cheertuliy, at
all times performing it with their own
hands, or exercising a care.ul supervision
over it.
Selection Of Cous-No subject connected
with dairying is of more Importance than
the selection # cows. No man can afford to
keep poor cow. The difference between
cows when fairly tested for butter purposes
is simply surprising. There are some that
yieli large percentage OF profit over and
above their expense, Others that fall below
expenses with their yield. Others still that
are simply apologies for cows. yielding no
justitiable return whatever. | have owned
and tested COWS with all the varied results
here Represented | test my cows frequent
ly land always when | purchase new
cow by milking each COW in separate
pals ascertain and set down upon paper
the amount each gives, and the color of the
milk Of each compared with all the others,
strain separately, having the conditions
equal as possible, note the time taken for
the cream Cf each to rise. the color and
solIdity of cream, amount Of cream, time
taken TO stir it to butter amount, color and
texture of butter from each cow. In this
way determine which OF my cows are
most profitable for me to keep, and which,
if any, to put of.
Sta6ie-I tie in stanchions the cows
standing upon floor seven or eight inches
above the trench behind them. This floor
varies in width from iour feet to four feet
six inches, according to the length of each
COW. They stand here dry ard free from
manure. Manger on a level with the floor
on which they stand, aud parted eff for
each COW, and made water tight, and no
square corners for meal to work into.
Care and Feed.-Good cows are essential
IN n he prpauatiap ft unnd huftnr. Uond
feed and care are as essential. A first-class
article Of butter cannot be made from cows
that are thin in flesh or poorly fed. The
basis OF feed for cows Is early cut hay or
dried grass. | cut nv hay in 1876, from
the 18th to the Goth Of Juue inclusive; in
1877. from the 18TH to the 231 inclusive.
cutting the second crop about the middle OF
August. ln addition to this feed meal
and bran, H. think the circumstances and
condition of the COW require. | feed bran
the year round, varying from two to four
quarts per day according to conditions. \
short time before the COW drops her calf,
and short time after, | feed no corn meal
| then commence adding a little meal
with the bran. and increase as she will bear
it, 50 as to hold her fesl as much as pos
sible. | have no stated amount this must
be left to the judgment and s4gacity Of the
quart ci meal to four quarts per day. mixed
with from Two to Jour quarts of bran.
always adding a little fine salt twice per
day. In feeding IL cows We should be a.
Liberal We would be with friend at our |
table. and still be care tai not to Overdo. |
No feed makes better butter than corn meal. |
AT a regular hour IN the morning feed |
hay, and feed until the cows have eaten |
enough then clean their managers clean,
water them In the barn, so that each may |
quietly have what she wants at the proper |
time, then give them their meal and bran,
with little salt | then card and brush |
them thoroughly. This they enjoy and will |
ca for it with unmiataksble sigGs. They |
then enjry perfect quiet until halipast |
p. IN, wnen they are again wa.ered led |
meal and bran, then hay until they have
had enough their Managers are then clean
cd Tor the night feed them but twice
per day. II the weather Is laasant and )
warm turn the cows into the yard a short
time in tho middle Ci the day but II col |
or stormy, keep them in. Tho more YOU
add to the quiet and comfort Of the COW,
the better the results at the pail and churu
The nervous condition oil the cow affects the
quantity and quality of the butter
Mixing. We again come 10 tunda-
mental princII J., viz pure mix. This is
as essential as anything heretofore named.
Without this. goud and pure butter cannot
be obtained. make tia rule to milk rogu-
larly at five O'Clock during Summer, and
but little later than that during Winter. |
first clean the stable, then brush the cows
with short handled broom kept in the
stable Tor the purpose, 80 as II remove all
dust that might otherwise find its way into
the mllk-paIl The milk j. then carried to
the dGny-roOm and strained, first through
fine wiIe cloth, then through knit cloth
prepared Tor the purpose. knit cloth
will catch all dust moro readily and at tho
same time let through the mix quite as
freely as cloth that is woven. Those that
Wish, may discuss the necessity of escape of
animal Cdor from such milk, | am satisfied
with it Just as it -, as basis for butter
making. This milk is now placed exclu-
sively and entirely in the hands of the dairy