Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-01-28
Vermont Dairyman's Association.

bihnuon on " eunesuhy, january 2lst Alter q
speech OF welcome to Brandon by Colonel Merritt,
and the usual annual address by the president,
which was exceptionally good the election Of
officers for the ensuing year was held, resulting
in the choice Of the old board President, Hon. T.
d. Mason; vice-presidents, Hon. N. T. sprague,
+. 5. Wood, C. S McAllister secretary, o. s..
Bliss; treasurer, II. W. Vail. Hon. J. Gregory
Smith, H. W. Vail, Esq, and Hon N. T. Sprague
were appointed a committee to report resolutions
on the death OF Ex-Governor Asahel Peck
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
Mr.. George S. Whitney Of williston read a
paper on "Tbe Improvement Of the Soil" While
many maintain that all the value OF the products
Of the soil should be returned to II In fertilizers,
we had learned that poor farm can be improved
by judcious management. Frequent blowing
and seeding, liberal manuring, n manure cellar,
the saving Of fertilizers often wasted, were advo-
Gated. lie believed corn could be raised ut a
profit, and would harvest the crop before fully
ripe for the better fodder in the stalks raising
pumpkins with the corn was objected TO- as 1t inter-
feres with perfect cultivation which should be per-
formed with the horse and improved implements
His soil Is gravelly loan, and he finds that plow-
ing five inches deep is better than seven or eight
Spreads the manure on the surface and harrows
II in, aiming to secure n thorough pulverizing Of
the soil
Mr.. Whitaker Of Massachusetts, spoke of the
adaptation Of organic substances to clayey soils,
and of decomposed and inorganic matters to
sandy soils. good sod to turn under is necessary
for the renovation Of worn soils. Plaster will help
the growth of clover, which II turned under will
supply mass Of organic matter, and the i'm
provement IL well under way. We must have
potash, phosphorc acid and nitrogen, to make
soils fertile, and II one is wanting and the others
abundant still there will be a failure in crops In
barn-yard manure we have all these elements A
farmer must know something of the nature Of the
soil before he can the most understandngy man
ag' It, Study and experiment will help in the
matter. Is in favor OF barn cellars for manure
and thinks II well ventilated, little or no injury
will result to the stock or hay alone Is not In
favor of putting sand in the manure cellar; would
sooner cart 1t direct on to heavy soils where It's
mechanical effects would he good-its fertilizng
properties are small
Various gentlemen participated in a discussion
OF the subjects furnished Among others Colonel
Sprague advocateda deep stirring Of the soil, pro-
ceedng gradually in the operation, and would be
very thorough, not going over too much ground
in one year; generally keeps his land some six or
seven years in grass with profit Soil n dark loan
with clay subsoil. Has drained the wet portions
with tile. Plows about eight inches deep. Would
put from forty-fiye to fity-two horse loads of
sheltered manure on an acre. Would prefer to
put this on in two years instead OF one.
considerable discussion was had upon the
market quotations OF butter the different grades
as creamery, dairy, etc. Creamery butter is rsu-
ally quoted highest in market, although, as was
confidently asserted, that sold for the highest
price is made upon the farm. Boston quotations
are almost invariably some two cents per pound
lower than the prices in St Abans, and have
been for many years. The best Vermont butter
is never quoted. Our butter should be graded
sold aud quoted upon its merits We should be
more interested for our own interests. Learning
to make good butter is the first requisite, and
then obtaining what 1t is worth in the market is
equally important. The question being asked
how many pounds of cream were required for one
of butter, brought ont replies varying from two
pounds, with shallow setting to about six pounds
with what is known as cold setting. President
Mason considers an average yield Of one pound
Of butter to twenty-five of milk, and one Of
cheese to ten of milk--a good proportion Mr.
Bliss il OF the opinion that more butter can be
made from the same milk at the farm than after
it has been moved to creamery, and just as
good. One thing in favor of creamery butter is
in being able to supply large quantity at one
time, OF uniform quality, which is an argument
in favor OF cooperation. In this view he was
supported by Mr.. Whitaker, who thinks II the
butter product Of town could be graded and
sold by a competent person, the advance realized
over individual sales would be from four to FIVE
cents per pound Mr. Mead of Rutland uses the
cold system Of cream raising packs in ten-pound
boxes and sells for forty cents per pound. Uses
one ounce of salt to one pound of butter. Milks
seventeen cows, common or native, and takes
pains in feeding and management. T.. B. Doug
lass, Shoreham, who received prize at the New
York fair, keeps Jersey cows and grades, uses
deep settings, churns at sixty-two to sixty
four degrees, feeds about as usual with farmers
with the addition of corn meal Salts to suit Gus.
toners. Cuts his grass for hay when green finish
ing before the seed is matured Timothy and
clover mixed mostly Uses Higgins salt Mr.
Talcott OF Williston milks two hundred cows
makes seventy-ive pounds of butter day this
winter from one hundred cows sets milk in shall
low pans, churns and packs the same day Sells
'oi '"'9 "'o W '"'''S seven oe"'S per pounu III
i''A''' - Soi' vi 'oih'"'ss'on'
THURSDAYS SESSION.
Thursday opened bright and beautiful with
largely increased attendance. l.. g. Hardin Of
New York. secretary of the National Cattle Club
spoke in the morning upon dairy accounts, show
ing the great advantages to farmers OF knowing
just what investments paid them and in what
they were losing, and that for want of accounts
poor cows were often allowed to eat up the profits
of good ones. lie expounded the purpose of the
new National Dairy Cattle Club, whose object IL
to reduce to an exact science the rules OF breed
ing cows that will produce heavy, uniform and
continuous mixers Pedigree and record are the
things In breeding horses, and we must do the
same with cows A COW over four years old
should make seven pounds of butter per week.
or average two hundred pounds per year one
under four years should yield at least five pounds
of butter per week, or one hundred and fifty
pounds year. Keeping record OF the quantity
of butter given by each cows milk, u ppr'nkage
of pound or two will show that something 10
wrong with the COW or the feed, and the matter
should receive the dairyman's attention. 1t is
a mistake to breed grade for milk Il grade for
butter and cheese, but the breeding should be for
heavy mixers