The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1878-02-15
Agricultural Department.
CONDUCTED BY ALBERT CHAPMAN
Meetings ofthe State Board of Agrlcui-
ture.
MEETING AT ALBANr.

anu wednesday, January 20 and 23
The meeting was called to order by Mr.
ORR Paul, OF the Board. Judge Lyman
Tenny, of Albany, was chosen to pre-
side during the meeting, and Ii. w.
Chafey elected as vice president. Amer
music by the choir, Rev. Mr.. Morse of
fered prayer, and the choir again fur
nished very fine piece Of music. DIR.
Charles Rich made The opening address
of welcome to the Board, thanking
them for coming to Albany to hold q
meeting and teaching the farmers some
thing of scientific agriculture, of which
there is great need among the farmers
of the present day. Farmers every
where need to understand their calling
better In all its qualifications. 1t is
hoped that The farmers present will
learn during this meeting many things
tdstheir advantage. Farmers need n
more special. scientific education, much
of the education Of the present day be-
Ing of little worth to fit men and wo-
men mentally or physically to pursue
any calling, especially that Of II farmer.
After. music by the choir, Mr.. a.
Chapman, of the Board, read paper
upon EARN Profits" which contained
much sound advice to farmers as to
Keeping accounts of the profit and loss
In all branches Of their business. This
was followed by u discussion about
keeping accounts with crops, instances
being named by Mr.. John Chamberlain,
who advocated keeping such accounts,
and raising crops Instead ct buying
tiNni ,tfic West. lie believed We could
ntsi only raise corn but wheat also. Mr..
Jameson, by request, explained the fer
tilizlng element in the atmosphere,
which he did in a very clear manner.
DR.. Rich also explained the same phc-
Itomena. The leaves of plants through
their pores breathe the same rs animals
by use of their lungs.
The next paper, on 1.-The Advantages
of Farming as Calling" presented
by IL. W. Chaicy, of Albany, was Il
thoughtful and well-writtcn essay,
showing that the farmers occupation is
the most honorable among men; that
he lie the most independent; that his
credit is the best at the bank or village
store; and that his sons make the best
men, and his daughters the best wives.
Mr.. Fassett, of the Board, in few
remarks expressed sentiments in accord
with those of the writer. He deprecat-
ed.Getting discouraged because farming
does not pay, but on the contrary we
should retrench, instead OF following
expensive fashions.
Mr.. Chamberlain, in few able re-
marks, encouraged sticking TO the
farms. lie believed farming paid now
as well as ever. lie believed we should
have more confidence in our farms, and
when one made dollar should rein
vest it in the farm, thus making it more
valuable and more profitable.
During this discussion on various
fsrm subjects. which took up the re-
msinder OF the afternoon, an unknown
gentleman spoke, he making decidedly
the llyeliest speech of the day, on the
philosophy of plant growth. Some
Inerriment was caused at the close of
his remarks, when his name was called
for, by his holding up diminutive
plow, and eXclaiming, 81 am b. B.
Halves, the pillow man."
\ little patent right man. now and then,
Is relished by the wisest men,
Tuesday evening the meeting was
called to order by ii. W. Chafcy, and,
after music by the band, Mr.. H. Il.
jameson, of Irasburgh, made an ad-
dress upon Educated Hands," lie
said skilled hands are necessary to de-
velop the highest intellectual attain
mcnts in people or nation. When
people have become wealthy they are
in perilons condition, for then they
are generally liable to allow their hands
10 become less skilled. They then de-
pend upon the skilled hands of others,
and if they meet with vicissitudcs of
fortune their unskillcd hands are use
less TO earn living. There are GER
lain inalienablc rights TO which all
children are entitled-life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness-and following
close upon these is the right to demand
from the state all education that shall
qualify him to become an intelligent,
skilled citizen, that shall fit him TO be-
come practically ready for productive
labor and employment. The school of
to-day educatcs the head and the intel
iect, not tho hands. This failure to
provide education for the hands is fill
ling our land with men who join togcth-
er, us did the rioters last summer, to
destroy, instead of create and add to
the comforts, the necessities, the luxu-
ries and wealth of the commonwealth.
DO farmers properly educate the hands
Of their sons TO follow their callings?
The state should provide for the proper
education of the hands of its people to
enable them to keep pace in skilled
work with other nations, or even to
surpass them. At last, after all our
,trivings, the old hands full of wisdom,
tho kind hand. full of good works, the
strong hands that win lite's battles, and
small soft hands that pat our checks
and fcebly cling to us, yet arouse our
hearts 10 tcndcrest love they all at last
become folded hands, their earthly skill
all past. viii they at last, by inspira-
zion for above genius, hold the golden
harps and wake sweet music before the
throne of God?
After the address by Mr.. Jameson,
Mr.. j. III. Mead, OF the Board, read q
paper upon "Gmss.' 10 increase the
grass crop we should save and increase
The supplies of fertilizers to top-dress
the grass lands. The average produc-
ton Of all moving lands in the state is
less than ton per acre. We should SO
improve our grass lands that they will
produce twice as much as this. Fall
seeding without grain is much better
than the common way OF seeding with
grain. Grass should be cut early for
hay and not cured too much. We
.houll be careful not to cut hay too
close, especially IN dry seasons. Not
less than two inches OF the stubble
should be len. We should be careful
not TO feed onr meadows too close aflcr
the moving. This paper was evident
/, composed By man having n tho
cough understanding of the subject, hut
fbe reading was hardly mp to tho stand
sid expected from member of the
Board.
After the reading Of this paper, Mr..
Dow asked for Information in regard
70 improvement nf pasture lands. lie
thought pasture lands should be re-
seeded AZ least rs oiicn as once IN seven
years.
Mr.. Fsssett explained the way pas
lures should be managed 10 keep them
improving, instead of having them de-