Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-02-21
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF
AGRICULTURE AT BAR
TON LANDING,


meetings will give an idea of the SUBJ
jects discussed:
AS the board could not get to Barton
in season for the appointed meeting, the
farmers held meeting and discussion :
Horace Hovey of Albany was chosen
chairman.
An address was given by 2. E. jane
son of Irasburgh, as follows:
In answering the question, What
shall farmers learn ?-First, learn the
peril of debt. The peril is not alone in
the interest that comes annually and is
not always paid but the principal,
which may be due in future years and
therefore looks less frightful, is con-
stant burden.
If the farm purchased by the begin
ner is one surrendered by a former oc-
cupant on mortgage, it should be a
warning. The fact that the majority of
the farms are mortgaged and the inter-
est money causes the present occupants
to endure great privations should be
warning. You may think that with
your present health and skill you can
surely make your payments. This is
delusion. Sickness and misfortune, re-
pairs and improvements and the cost of
living will reduce your income.
If an income three or four times as
large as you need is not probable. you
will often fail to make payments. You
can learn the peril of debt by observa-
tion, and more surely by experience.
The remedy is to buy what land you
can pay for or take farm.
The second requirement may be by
knowledge of the greatest productive
ness of soil. This includes knowledge
of how to make it produce. This is not
learned on all farms. 1t would be a
benefit for the young farmer to work in
the market gardens near the city, where
many years study has revealed the fer
tility of soil and its productive power.
1t is not all comprchended in the word
manure: but includes its condition, its
judicious application and its mixture
with the soil. When farmer knows
what his soil ought to produce it is a
strong incentive to him to make it yield.
Third, he ought to learn what are
sure crops, doubtful crops and impossi-
BILE crops. The sure crops here are
grass, oats, potatoes, barley and certain
garden vegetables. These arc sure il
they are skillfully grown.
The doubtful crops are wheat, corn,
rye, buckwheat, beans, peas, several
garden vegetables, hops and apples In
raising these there are frequent failures
and frequent successes.
The impossible crops are gilt edged
butter, full blood or thorough bred cat
tie. pears, grapes. early amber sugar
cane, broom corn and great variety o.
vegetables. If these are not impossible
why are they not produced
Is it wise for the farmer to attemp
to do what no one is successfully doing
There is usually the greatest profit il
producing rarity that is in demand
1t may be SO in this case.
Fourth, he ought to learn the tota
depravity of weeds. They are an evi
by the roadside, in the pasture, among
the hay and especially among the hoe,
crops. He can learn what great rob
bers they are by keeping a portion of
garden perfectly clear of weeds, and al
lowing them to have their way in por
tion. The difference in the crops will
teach him.
These are some of the things that tn
farmer ought to learn; but the lis
might be extended until it included
every duty to land, crop, stock ant
family.
There ought to be school and al
experimental farm where many thing
about farming will be taught. Knowl
edge comes by experience. observation
and instruction and however highly W
may regard experience, We must equal,
value the instruction of a competen
teacher. There is best way and
best time to do all work. There ar
reasons for the best methods. Some
times the teacher must be brought fron
far. He runs the cheese factory; b
dried your hops; he tells you how h
wants your butter made, apples packed
lumber cut, etc.
In the house a hundred methods ar
learned from distant teacher throug
the paper or magazine. Experienc
does not perfect US in our art; we ais
need teachers.
At the close of Mr.. Jameson's addres
Mr.. Story of Irasburgh spoke of tn
necessity of large farms for the method
We practice. Vegetables cannot
grown here. as the villages are sma
and the market limited. 1t is reason;
BILE to raise sure crops, but [ have LA
two crops of oats SO badly injured
rust that they were worthless. [ hay
also lost potatoes by rust. | do NJ
fear the bugs, for | can poison then
| but the rust | cannot nreyent If not.