Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-02-17
AGRICULTURAL MEETING.

to be held at Barton Landing Feb. IL,
was held at the vestry of the Congrega-
tional church. At 2 o'clock the meeting
was called to order by Z. E. Jameson.
Hon. E. P. Cotton was chosen president,
and D. G. French, secretary.
A committee of three were appointed,
who with Col. Mead, were to decide
upon subject for consideration, it be-
ing his desire to take up such subjects
as the farmers present most wished to
hear discussed.
The committee consisted of z. E.
Jameson, John Smith and Joseph Bart
lett, who reported as subject for con-
sideration in the afternoon, 'Manures and
Their Application Col. Mead first gave
very exhaustive discussion of plant
growth, what they required, what ele-
ments our soils contained, and what
were the deficient ones, that we needed
to supply, making his subject very plain
and particularly free from terms or ex-
plantations beyond the average mind to
easily comprehend. By charts and il
Illustrations, he showed exactly what
growths certain plants had arrived at
with all the essential elements OF plant
food supplied and what the same plant
had done under exactly the same condi-
lions, with one each of the nine essential
elements left out and the other eight
supplied.
He told very plainly what necessary
elements most soils of Vermont contain
ed, and what ones were lacking so that,
in supplying this lack, farmer must
know in order to get the best returns
with the least outlay, what to supply to
the soil, and not throw away his means
by supplying what his soil already pos
sesses.
After Col. Mead's remarks, he invited
any one, in informal way to ask any
questions, and give any experience that
would throw light upon the subject be.
fore them.
Remarks were made by John Smith
in regard to applying manure: Each
farmer must experiment to know what
his soil requires. Believed in ploughing
in manure, in preference to top dressing
Mr.. Somers whose farming was most
ly for grass raising, and whose soil wa'
rather heavy, had best results from TOT
dressing. unless grass was 'bound out,
when it was necessary to plough, as oil
such pieces top dressing would not bring
( III Inuo SVvl o-~s~-
Judge Jones Of Coventry. spoke of tn
remarkable results obtained from tn
application of leeched ashes, as applies
to his land some years ago. and the re
markable lasting effects as seen after
number of years.
Remarks were made by Mr.. Collin
showing the same lasting effects of ash
es, seen after good many years.
Col. Mead SAID in his town the
bought wood ashes and drew goo
many miles from town east of them, t
apply to their land, paying from Is t
% cents per bushel for them. But i
the towns where they bought them. Or
ange, Washington and some others, tn
farmers consider that ashes do not ben
eft their land when applied. He though
judicious use of commercial fertilIli7
ers, after making and saving all tn
manures possible on the farm, to be
profitable investment. But one coul
not give general directions as to wha
fertilizers are best for all, but each mus
experiment. to satisfy himself what ore
: produce best results on his soil. In
word, he left all to do exactly as tn
judicious teacher does with his pupil
5 he can not in word tell him all |
: wishes to know, but starts him in tt
right track of thinking and experiment
ing, in learning what is best adapte
to his wants.
: The question was then asked, "Wh;
= is the best absorbent for saving our liz
i uid manures." One answered, saw-dust
another muck; another straw. All al
9 mitted muck to be good, if enough coul
/ be procured, but there was diversit
e of opinion in regard to the use of say
o dust.
e Mr.. Bridgman had, as he thought,
IS actual experiment proved it to be e.
II cellent. Had used manure from mi
l. where they bedded their teams vii
t. saw-dust and shavings, using gre
IL quantities. He gave neighbor a 10;
s. that was too poor to be of much accour
y as he thought, making no charge of
OF being great proportion of it saw-du
E. and shavings, and that neighbor b;
N told him of the excellent results obtai
D. ed from it, and afterwards, in usil
nt himself he had substantiated the sar
facts.
IS Col. Mead said he had obtained
IS good results, as he ever obtained on b
ID farm, by mixing stable manure a
er muck, half and half, and applying
n teen loads to the acre.
ne Was glad to know the farmers of {
O. leans county raised wheat to quite
ro ovtopt 30 ~ uao one of &bo looet q