The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-02-27
Agricultural Meeting Al New Haven.

The agricultural meeting advertised
TO be holden I'm New Haven the 20tl
inst. was organized by appointing s. b
M. Cowles chairman and Il. A. Doud
secretary. Eloquent and fitting re.
marks of welcome were made by the
chairman. Col. Mead replied; said his
work was not more TO tell new truths
than to stir up your minds by ways OF
remembrance eve get rusty. The
state undertakes by lis sup't of agricul.
tural affairs to brighten you up.j And
by rapid speech of twenty minutes
Col. Mead laid fairly open the broad
subject of agriculture for the consider.
alton of the meeting.
Prof Sanborn of the New Hamp.
shire Agricultural college, discussed
the appearance of farms in Western
Vermont. Saw great waste of animal
and plant food. We must make by
brain work, the most of our calling
There is a revenue in thoughtful farm
ing when there may be only living
in the ordinary method. The wasteful
farmer has 10 business to say that
farming does not pay. lie does not
deserve success.
AT this stage of the session questions
were fired rapidly at the professor,
whose answers came back with such
quickness and precision that all were
convinced that he knew what he was
talking about. Altogether the opening
session was interesting and profitable,
AMI was adjourned to 1 80 z. NJ.
The afternoon session was opcned
by Prot. Sanborn. lie said the same
cloud rested on New Haven as YER
mont. "The young men leave the
farms to 60 west. Men worship the
almighty dollar not flor itself, but for
what it will buy. If they think farm
ing will not pay they will leave it for
something else. Vermont is well stu
ated. Its soil is fertile, but what I
fear is, that you do not get the income
You ought from your lands. For ex-
ample; the avergo Vermont COW pro-
duces but $50 pounds of butter per year
at an aveage price of twenty cents a
pound, whereas quantity ought TO be
doubled. High fences may help, but
that is not sufficient. The real prob
lem is how to make animal and plant
food cheaply. We are too much
like Horace Greeley with his; pig he
bought for three dollars, fed it five dol
lars worth of meal, and sold it for four
dollars. Said he made fairly on the
pig but lost sadly on the NEAL To
produce cheap food VIC must have in
creased fertility and production. To
do this successfully, brains must be
put into the work, and this will give
among other things social status. IT'S
not the dollar that gives position, but
he brains that can force the soil to
give up the dollar. Farmers should
not give up the adornments and en-
Dellishments of their homes. These
help to make civilization. Farmers
should not work less, but more wisely"
The Professor calls for q radical change.
LIST, must feed much more stock, 2nd,
must feed good stock. Many animals
Ire grown at loss; Sd, must have an
mails young. A pound of meat can
DC made much cheaper on yonng an
NAL than upon an older one. Said
every pound of meat made upon
steer is made at loss.
Pigs can be fatted at profit, but shoats
at eighteen months cannot. The Pro-
lessor continued at some length; so
lifting science to practical farming, that
practical men were interested instead
pfrepelled.
AT $3.50 Z. NJ, Mr.. l.. NJ. Peet of
Cornwall, gave an interesting talk in
regard TO sorghum sugar making. The
discussion was participated in by sew
eral other gentlemen, and the impress
sion seemed to be that the matter was
well worth the candid consideration of
agricnlturists generally. Adjourned
until 80 p. NJ.
The chairman being temporarily alb
sent, +. A. Smith was called upon to
preside. Prof. Sanborn continued the
discussion, taking up another of his
''new plans of farming" viz: fertilizers.
Our farms contain riches, but the soil
must be prcssed-presscd by brains.
LIST, the question is settled beyond dis
pute, that chemical manure is plant
food. The Professor here gave very
interesting scientific discussion in re-
gard TO the relation of fertilizers to
plant growth; End, We must cultivate
more thoroughly. Thorough tillagc is
tertilizing, it loosens plant food; thinks
thorough tillage adds twenty per cent.
to the agricultural products of Yer
mont; Sd, rotation of crops; This in
England has carried the wheat crop
from seven to'thirty bushels TO the
ncrc. TIere where the virgin fertility
of the soil is becoming exhausted, we
must by suitable rotation bring the
plant food from the clover crop. Fin
ally, use improved farm machinery
Now we have horse power and steam
VS.. human muscle. Farming in New
England must and will assert that
mind is above matter. We cannot
match our mus Gle against the machin-
cry of the West. lie gave an instruct
i've illustration, closing by urging the
boys to "stick to the farms OF Yer
mont" After short general discus
sion of this topic, Col. Mead closed
this subject with an eloquent speech,
adding some thoughts upon the dairy
interest generally. His thoughts flow
ed so rapidly that we are absolutely
unable to report the same. and he
should have been heard to be appre-
ciatcd. The hour of adjournment hav-
ing nearly arrived, Hon. A. Il. Smith
moved that n vote of thanks be ten
hered to Col. Mead and Prof. San
born, for the interest, instruction and
profit they have been able to bring to
us on this OCCASION" Carried unani-
Col. Mead fcelingly respond
ed, not forgetting to urge our Young
people TO make the fullest usr of the
offered in our midst for
academic culture. After few closing
by the chairman. the andi-
rmcc joined in singing "IIold the Fort"
when the meeting was declared adj
ionrned.