Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-01-31

900; 100000 cows at $50 pounds, IA
increase, 30,OO0,000 pounds; at - cents,
SI.500,OO0; an increase of S@,'Vo,oVo III
the product of the dairy; and so in proportion
to all other farm products. How many larm-
ers in Strengthened circumstances in vermont
would this increase reproductions bless! There
is no fancy in all this. The fact Is IN our
grasp, and this very incoming crop year can
easily be made to demonstrate it. How, you
ask, BY securing moderate supply. II mol
liberal one, of manures. Here, let me say 10
YOU, gentlemen, is the foundation fact IN our
efforts at improved husbandry in Vermont.
The memorable aud conclusive fact in all sue
cessful agriculture, is n rich soil. How TO
keep our lands up to remuneratiye point oi
fertility, Is the great problem that IS ever re-
curing, and is ever perpleXing TO the iariner-
There is no such thing in our practical ex-
perience, when dealing with the SOIL Us
stability and uniformity. We must either De
ascending or descending in the scale OF success.
We must be ever moving.
During the wears preceding 1873, when I'M
mense government outlays and VAST paper
issues caused legitimate trade to succumD 10
speculation; when financial contest attracted
giddy fnanciers; when fortunes were made
in day, then farming WAS regarded as 100
slow, too unremunerative for smart men; then
came the exodus from country 10 city; theh
flocked the great army oil non-producers 10 lne
cities TO live by their wits. Soon comes the
crash Behold, the scene suddenly changes
the smart men have run the great ship oil
State ashore amid the shoals OF extravaganza,
inflated credits, and false values; the great
levisthan of trade lies PROSTATE, bound with
shackles of debt and taxation and shrinksge
The merchants, the bankers, the manufactur-
ers wiring their hands in despair, and cry
aloud for help; government is powerless, for
no statute or resolve can produce an ounce OF
value, no shifting of debt from one to another
lquidates Il cent OF it, no legislative enactihen,
can supply the starving laborer with bread
until the wheat is first forthcoming. When
utter bankruptcy and stagnati0n, when
pressing debt and grinding taxes stare the
proud citizens of our land in the face, whence
shall come relief and succor.
Friends and farmers, from you has this help
proceeded, from you who stood by the mag
nfcsnt prairie farms of the West, and the rich
vallay farms of the Pacific slope, and ploughed
and planted and harvested grand fields of corn
and wheat aud grain from YOU farmers OF
the South who have cultivated beautiful plan
I tations Of cotton aud rice and sugar; from you
stock-rasers of the vast plains, who have
watched and tended your hOcks and herds;
from farmers of the Atlantic slope, who from
lands less favored by nature, yet have produc-
ed II worlds supply of butter and cheese and
hay and fruits. Whence comes this vast ex-
port of cotton, wheat, corn, flour, provisions,
butter, cheese and apples. The answer Is nj
hand the farms Of America have produced
surplus which the world wants in exchange
for gold.
MANY plans, new and old, have been brought
out TO lift US above our troubles, 10 give life to
business and work 10 labor. While fierce
war has ragged about these schemes, those who
till the soil have been TO work. They have led
our people and have sent great surplus
abroad. Our exports for two years ending IN
July last, were more than Sl,20O,OOO,0OO.
Nearly all of this came from the earth, raised
by those who till the soil or work It's mines.
Their toll has brought our government and
our banks up TO the point of paying debts anu
rodeemng currency in the money OF the world.
four government j. wise and economical, II
our bankers are honest and conservative, the
labor of the country will hold them up 10 the
point reached The statesmanShip and tnan-
ciering which has achieved this grand result, Is
the craftsmanship and fnanciering Of the farm
and workshop.
Dairymen and farmers-extravagance, fast
living. speculation have held their sway; our
country awaits change; she needs your
economy, your common sense, your simple
habits engrafted in her legislation; she needs
less expensive experiments, less impractlcabe
men; She needs an Agricultural Department
that shall rise higher than the distributing
million packages of unfruitful seeds or the
publishing hundred thousand volumes OF
pamphlets bound in cloth; she needs TO know
WHY beetles, grasshoppers and bugs are per-
| mitted to destroy millions of dollars worth oil
| OF national wealth; why for lack of veterinary
| science thousands of cattle, horses, sheep and
swine are lost to the country. She needs 10
| have the practice of agriculture ennobled,
| cherished improved. fostered and encouraged
by the active interest OF her leading citizens.
| Farmers, are YOU not ready and willing 10 en-
graft YOUR local thrift, economy, and slow but
steady success on the legislation of the nationt
| Are YOU not prepared TO let speculatOrS, poll
| ticians theorists and spendthrifts stand aside,
| and put better men in their places. We have
| struggled long with evil times. In VAN have
we tried all the schemes and devices engen-
| dered by discomfort snd distress; and now that
| we have TO return TO the soil, we begin 10 feel
| new life coursing along the veins of commerce.
| and the strength il the muscles of labor which
| mother earth ever gives 10 her children " hen
they seek from her abundance and prosperity.
| The farmer occupies the most useful, the most
| important station in society, II Is 10 his eS-
| ertions that the support, the food. the employ
ment of every other rank is owing. To the
| surplus produce of the farmer we owe the in
| stitutiOn and preservation OF distinct employ
| ment, the origin of commerce and manutac-
turer>, and the existence OF government. IL Is
| the surplus produce of the farmer that sets the
| wheel Of manufacture in motion; that BIDS
| the sails of commerce whiten every sea; that
gives 10 religion her ministers, 10 education her
students; that supports the busy population oi
| the crowded city, and that lends 10 govern
| ment its resources, lis energy and It's very
| being. Let the farmer but raise only enough
| for his own support, and the mighty heart,
| which, by its beatings, communicates Lille 10
every extremity, would be chilled, and every
| member Of the great body polite be palsled IN
L
| II moment.
Mr.. Bliss said be had the figures Of the
department Of agriculture which gave the
number Of cows in Vermont as 2l7 800 and
valued at Sc $40, $50. Mr.. Bliss stated that
it was of the utmost importance that Yer
mont should be represented at the next
international dairy exhibition. At the late
exhibition in New York, Vermont had but
a single exhibit of cheese. and he moved the
appointment OF q committee OF three by the
chair. which was voted. who should have the
matter in charge.
The secretary announced that during the
afternoon session paper would be read
on the Improvement of dairy farms and tn,
production Of butter, bv Tnos. Whitaker,
E-q of Needham, Mass after which the
Association took recess till O'Clock p. IN
THE AFTERNOON SESSION
was opened by Secretary Bliss reading 8
paper on Making and Packing Butter.
which was prepared and contributed by Mr.
j NJ. Hale, of Georgia, VI. lie advocated
cleanliness in the dairy, care in packing ant
shipping.
Mr.. Thos. Whitaker. OF Needhsm. NJ iss
next read paper on the Exhaustion AMI
Renovation of Soils" lie first sketohed th,
downward course Of ancient nation, ,brough
on by the waste of the material whicl
should have fertili1sd their fields, instead
| Of being conveyed to the streams to polsol
their waters l. there not sufficient talen
in our country to deOjoriEs and rende
available this great wasteP Ensland now
beside carefully saving the wastes of he
own population, is largely importing bone
oil cake, both lInseed and cotton seed, which
enriching her soil, Is rapidly impover
ishipg ours. How great the waste is in Ou
a | hep H..
see the house slors wasted, the barns witt
: out cellars, losing the auid portions OF th
, manure, almost equal in value to the solids
| manure heaps unsheltered and washed b.
rains. and in the West, where manure ha
I | been gotten rid OF in the most cOnvenion
I manner; but now they were saving 1t, an
! in some portions were even buying con
mercial manures.
; There were now two ways OF ren0vatin
n worn cut soils one by buying msnures ; tn
other BY keeping more stock and buyin
e meal and shorts to feed, and with the pres
t ent prices, he thOug ht this the cheapes
k method. lie had heard in Vermont an
New Hampshire. the cry-'Our farms al
;, running d1wn, how can We bring ,hei
up ?'' Will sheep bring up q worn OF
II pasture? How can tho animal of tn
n golden hoof' make something from moth
/. ing1 II the pastures are grown up wit
i bushes and brsrs, the sheep may brow,
i them down and 10 return something to th
/ soil Ii costs a. much to produce pOun
: OF the oil in a sheep. heeco as it does |
!. produce a pound OF butter. The OIL in bot
n comes from the atmosphere, but IN ii
e yolk of the fleece ars mineral constituent
Il taken from tho soil. The animil OF th
r golden hOOf IL an lmpOverisher Oi the sol
. but it may also be q renOvatOr OF tho SOL {
u u feeding 1t grain in the pasture whlc
!. will enrich the droppings which are di
At tributed over the surface OF the land. Mile
J. COWS arc the most thorough e1hausters
Ie the soil. They are brought from the pa
y. ture at night, full Of the rich products
:; the soil, to leave their droppipgs IN Il
d yarI, where they are mostly wasted. an
are sent out in the mOrning empty to aga
NJ :, do the same thing, The wastes should
r. saved and returned to the soil. and me-
N and shorts should be fed to supply the lac
y lie ADVOCATED n system OF partial sOilIn
~ for cattle some winter rye Tor feeding
lt earlu anrinQ hptnre UDni bIts of Vra