Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-02-27
Agricultural Meeting at New Haven.
New Haven. Feb. 20

Agricultural Meeting at New Haven.
NEW HAVEN, Feb 20.
An agricultural meeting was held here to-
day, under the auspices Of the State Superin-
teudent of Agriculture, Col. John b. Mead.
5. VI. b. Cowles of New Haven was elected
chairman, and +. \. DOwd, secretary. An
address Of welcome was delivered by the
chairman. Col. Mead replied ,sayins We do
not assume to teach anything new but to open
the old channels of experience There is
something to he studied, and through its
official head the State comes to sit down
with you TO talk the subject over and en-
deayor to obtain benefit therefrom. The
speaker suggested mutual interchange of
ideas in plain, conversational way. Prof.
Sanborn, Superintendent Of the Agricultu-
raj College farm of New Hampshire, said
he desired in a spirit of encouragement to
criticise some features of Vermont farming.
He referred to the broad area OF farming land
and its rich productive capacity, and the far
mers neglect to husband and utilize their ma
nurc. lie regretted to see such utter waste of
these materials, as he passed manyof our farm
houses with manure thrown out under the
drippings Of barn roofs and no systematic eff
fort to save the valuable liquid manure. lie
desired to induce them to husband their
manures.
At the close of Mr. Sanborn's remarks
questions were propounded from many in the
audience, indicating the interest which his
remarks had created He believed very
little loss of ammonia or other valuable por-
tions resulted from spreading manure in
winter. A ton of manure on moist soil will
yield more results than on dry soils. Ques-
ton: Would it he best for young men TO run
in debt to buy $4,000 farm, when engaged
in farming with limited capital: Col Mead
replied Yes, by all means, if he expects to
pay for farm in a life time. Build good
barn on which to care well for stock, house
your manure and save it, both liquid and
solid, and your farm will treble its pr0duc-
tions. Several speakers told their experience
in enriching land with old deposits from soil
where old barns have been removed. Ques-
ton: What shall we do with our sheep
manure; distribute it at once or shelter till
fall, then apply? Reply by Prof. Sanborn ::
Pile up in heap and stir it up and mix
with dry earth which will prevent too rapid
combustion, and rot it more eifectualy.
Mr.. Knowles of New Haven said he had
come to listen rather then speak he thought
the value of manure was greatly underfa,ed.
We aim to save all possible throw out our
manure in winter on the plough lands and
place it in piles: little will soak out in
winter; one advantage is, we can pat in crops
early much better to put manure on top
than to plough under; only plough in where
there is a superabundance of straw | no.
tice where we have ploughed a number of
years four inches deep, we can get an increase
by ploughlng an inch deeper. He favored
sheltering manure; it doubles its value.
Judge Smith of New Haven raised the
topic of clover coming in by soil from the
bottom of bitches being spread on land. He
had heard various theories, but was not
satisfied as to the cause of this. Judge
Hartman related his experience in enrich
ing land with fine soil taken from the bot
tom of new dug well The meeting then
adjourned to 1870 O'Clock.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The meeting opened at 100 p M with an
address from Prof. Sanborn. He said:
1t has been said God made the country
and man the city Gods work is the best
Ambition stimulates the young men to work
for that which yields the almighty dollar.
When this cannot I've obtained through agri-
culture they leave it for something else.
Now, | believe they have deserted it be-
cause they have obtained belief, correct or
otherwise, that it does not pay. Your farms
in Vermont are more fertile than in New
Hampshire Horace Greeley is said to have
raised and fed pig s. worth of corn, and
then sold the pig for S4;-and Greeley S
conclusion was that he had lost money on
the corn but made money on the pig. He
advised the saving and sheltering of all farm
manure, and especially the liquid portion,
which he would dilute with three parts Of
water lefore applying.
Col. Mead called upon Hon. y. L. Smith
for remarks on his experience in raising
steers and fattening them. Mr.. Smith spoke
of the deep interest he felt in these agricul-
tural meetings, and of the invaluable service
being rendered by the Superintendent of
Agriculture in so successfully conducting
them. He believes steers can be fed and
fattened in Vermont successfully, without q
particle Of meal or oil cake. Simply good
hay and grass was all that is necessary.
This had been his experience. Three years
ago he wintered one lot of eighty steers,
which cost him SCI per head fed them hay
and turned them off in July at $50 per head.
He believed that by feeding entirely on good
hay he could fit his steers for market before
going to grass" He would select steers
with good admixture of Durham in them.
He found such easier to keep and to lay on
flesh more readily.
A discussion followed upon the relative
profits of feeding straw and meal, also
clover, oil cake, etc, upon which diversity
of views We're developed.
MIR. LYMAN Peet of Cornwall then read q
paper upon the subject of sugar and its
manufacture from corn stalks or sorghum.
He reviewed the early history of Indian
corn, no mention of which is made in
ancient history. Corn has been raised in
the United States about twenty-five years,
being introduced about 1866 Experiments
by Prof Collier have been carried on during
the past year with gratifying results, and
Prof Collier SAYS the manufacture of sugar
from corn stalks or sorghum can be carried on
protitably and successfully. In answer 10 the
question, Can farmers in general adopt this
system with profit he said we have the state
ments Of reliable men who are engaged in
this business at the present time. the state
ments of man like Prof. Collier, whom we
all respect and have confidence in-all Civ
ing an affirmative answer. Professor Stokes,
whose well-earned reputation entities his
opinions to weight, had written to him in
reply to similar question: Il would adj
wise farmers at once TO engage in this. II
doesn't require as much skill as in many
olhCi ilItiusiliCS- W. 'lCNd AT iilNOiittti
a system of crystalization by which the
syrup is reduced to sugar, and he cited in
stances of several parties who were using
the system successfully. We import nearly
800, 1000, 900 worth of sugar annually, he
sides 30, 000, 900 gallons of molasses. Now
this fact is sufficient iniucement for us TO
engage in its manufacture. He was in
favor of manufactures keeping pace with
agriculture. He compared the system to
beat sugar making. The area is larger for
corn producing than beet raising 1t re-
quires large capital to commence business
in beet sugar manufacture whereas IN
corn culture the expense Is small. He read
from careful scientific estimates TO show that
corn or sorghum will yield more sugar than
any other product cultivated in temperate
climates and described a system for hand
ling corn-stalks after maturity when pre-
pairing them for this process Mr.. Stewart
has patent on this process and claims a
ROYALTY for lis use which will cost about
one half cent per pound, and the cost Of
manufacturing by this process would be
about cents per pound.
Col Mead and several others expressed
their opinion that this royalty was excessive
Mr. Peck expressed his concurrence in this
opinion.
NOl- Medu huNtTltl 10 liit IipuuCtIou VI
maple sugar in Vermont, and he recommend
ed its improvement and increase, saying we
make about - per cent of the total amount
of sugar used. while We were capable of
producing much more than thar.
The meeting than adjourned To $50 p. m.
EVENING SESSION.
Prof. Sanborn spoke upon the subject of
fertilizers, recommending to save and use
all fertilizers upon the farm and
then use chemical fertilizers in addition.
Va want to keep or Young
men at home and to present ard manage
farming so as to make it pay, which will Ia re
the effect desired. Chemical manures are
as much plant food as your other manures.
lie cited experiments tending TO show that
chemical manures will cause Il Larger pro-
duction than solid manures
A discussion followed, in which Mr. Ira
4 L