Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-03-02
[Reported by the Secretary of the Board j
MiddIeburY Meeting.

tReported by the Secretary Of the Boardl
Middlebury Meeting.
The meeting was opened by the choice
of f. S. Dana of New Haven as chairman
Mr.. Pringle was invited to tell of his
botanical experiments.
Prof. Collier Of Washington, d. c.,
urged him to do so. As his. experiments
had resulted in valuable acquisitions to the
agriculturists, and so what he did was
Of interest to all farmers, whether in Yer
mont or elsewhere.
Mr.. Pringle objected to giving US his
experiments, because they frequently fail
ed.
Prof Collier remarked that it was often
quite as instructive and valuable to those
engaged in agriculture to know of failures
as OF success, for they were thus qua ded
against loss from similar experiments.
Mr.. Goodwin of the board was called
upon to tell of the silos he had visited, and
responded by giving information before
published.
Prot Collier remarked that he had talk
ed with Prof. Brewer and Prof. johnson,
uOthihS 10 JOl h1bi LtoullcI
from the success expressed. There had
been sutmises that diseased cattle might
result from the feeding of ensilage. but AS
yet nothing of the kind had been devel-
oped. He hoped and could see no reason
why we should not expect much from this
method. as much was lost in the drying of
corn fodder.
Mr.. Chapman asked if the souring was
any actual disadvantage to the fodder AS
foodp
Prof Collier in answer, replied that the
first step toward assimilation was that Of
fermentation, and with properly con.
structed silo that fermentation would not
go far enough to iniurP the nutrition con-
tanned in the food. IL, remarked further
that dried cornstaks which when green
contained IA per cont Of sugar, contained
but l l-2 per cent OF sugar when dry. If
those stalks can be preserved in sios in
tact, the advantages will be very great
but the largest amount of sugar is found
in fully ripe corn. He believes that while
it might in reality contain more nutrition
at this time, that much would be lost in
drying, and it became questionable about
the time to cut it for feed, and an earlier
cutting might be desirable. 1t is, perhaps,
possible that in some way cornstalks can
be dried without material loss but his ex
perience would show loss. There is in
reality little if any difference in the amount
of sugar contained in the different varie-
ties of corn; the sweetness that is the
characteristic of sweet corn is not sugar,
neither exactly starch, but chemical
compound, for some time overlooked.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The chairman introduced Prof Collier
Of Washington, whose remarks we're pre-
faced by some remarks of DR.. Cutting
showing the value of his previous teach
ings to Vermont farmers.
Prof. Collier then remarked that we
should produce our own sugar. In fact,
the amount of sugar used by us is more
than equal to the entire production of all
the mines of our Padific coast. He has
been at work on the experiments with
sorghum for three years. He commenced
his experiments on four varieties, and the
examinations continued at short intervals
through the season. The result of the
first examination showed in the case of
each variety that the amount of sugar in
the uioe was chiefly uncrystallizsble su-
gar or glucose. Subsequent examination
showed constant increase of sugar and Il
decrease of glucose until maximum was
reached, which was found to be at the time
the seed was fully mature. At this time
.he percentage OF Sugtr was iu''y equal TO
'iie SueAt cane o, hoHisI'n'' Al this pc
t,ou !le re'nlliluer Oh the crop was cut
.no Ju'ce eAl'resSeo' aui ehe sugar oo-
'",hcu III 'nc rate Oh ION Oh sugar OF ex-
ce',eh' qu''leS PFr acre loF U,lFee varieties
an'' .n ~ Tue rSSe Oh two IONS lor the fonrth'
lhe increased Ylein rom the latter variety
"''S oue W W tne larger SIZE OF the sorgh'
'''n 70 eDe SUe acre
:. l" ,ooo , .uo "'o,e rosu'.s "'re iu.ly CON
nl q, uou ~ ioPonI1' eAalnlhs'loh oi lhese
iout varieties "i'' vi C'i'rCy-lour olner VA
rietie. grown upon tie grounds OF the
r,'. sI,ou'l"'" u1P'''iiiehI aV washington
iuore wore also tn'oe 'asC year slmllar
eAalh'r,r.lohs ~, vi hlne varieties OF lnoi"n
corn Inc result oi 'wehtv-six eN'mlna'
!lons showed an amount OF sugar present
III ''le JUICES vi THESE o'n9reht varieties
greater 'han was present IN tue oest halt
VI S'Auy , saap,1s W .p u. shsnr oee's, grown IN
rho dan Jen,rtnont @ for % von,;na,;o voa n'' ''n' ~
In ma exneriment thoro wa. ol,,;ood
from the staIks from whinb ,ha thoronrhiu -
n;nansa .or. IS nonn hnh hoan ,' ,'i,,n,. S my
the rata Of ono tbnrSand ronnds pom, oe a',.", %.
nar acre 'This sxnsr;n,snt fniI1 oont;r,,,s
tha rssnit of ,ha nron;n,s uaar ary yb;oh % ,,ra ~
raoo;uod n;,h ;nara1,,l;tn ln '",i ,n ".'on o, wa,
Of J,TI siYtv'n;ns H hnshe,s Of Go, shoilat oeoL
nina bnndred and s;,tu w soumds s 'u Of arnar ~"
,,or .nra ,vora nh,s;nsd f"nm ,bo a,a1hs
T In % ran,v 49, 70 nusaro,s a non.; U .no a9 s."a th
,d;od ,ho soua,,;, 80 iaes IN f;n;,i Sne
That ,he ~ cultiva,ion I of fonr o,,roI acras a.
.>rnh,r, ;s o,,andad ru;,h ~ ~ 80 nou. "o,oo a., "
,hao ,ha ,,ro,,ar o,I,;un,;nn Se ,,, onp"ot y,
sn"ar I hsa,s wh;Ie ,hs nr'dnc, % nf s"nar "rar " ="
,hs .cro !. 6f,v na, ,on, I.n',ar = Nv W
snrcbnm Than with heats shi,a th'
mrnssod .,aiLS of ,ha sornhI, n',,d =,
far n'nro usin.bIo nov aorie srr SD |;
nrosnruod m % in anO;,a~. % % th.n ,' ,ha 80, nras,o' =
ri" ~ ,ho go 'ot' ~ wv; so
p;ph iro;ph, ,ha rassad Ill. NV 0
80 e., 'To todtar ,w;,h ,Sn ,,n mra.,od '4o'
The f,,tS @;von hu prof CoII;ar wor,
vall 1p rooa;voS ." hv an at,on,iUo @ ~ nma;onoa a'
ana u ,ho so,,ou,;ng ,a.o,",ions 20" ,'"nS nse.oS
anu Iuo io'o"iuS hoooiut'ous "oie ohoteu