Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-03-07
Agrienltnral department.
MEETING OF STATE. BOARD
OF AGRICULTURE AT EAST
BURKE.

The State Board of Agriculture and Po- |
mona Grange, held large and successful |
meeting at East Burke, Wednesday, the |
10th of February. 1t was called to order |
by Master Bradley Ingalls, at ten O'Clock,
a. m. A song by the choir followed by |
prayer by Rev. Mr.. Folsom.
Harlow Coe opened the discussion upon
Commercial Fertilizers, under what con-
ditions may they be used with profit
Gave experiments with GuanO and manure
from the hog-pen with nearly the same
results.
E. P. Allen used phosphate as an exper-
iment and noted results after getting an
increase of crops the first year to pay
cost of fertilizer; his being limestone
soil got but little from the use of plaster.
Mr. Kenerson thought farmers used too
small doses of commercial fertilizers to
obtain best results.
Mr. Ward uses Bradley's Phosphate
with profit, but would advise the farmer
to save and make all the manure possible
on the farm. Would put cellars under
barns and save all the liquid manure and
keep under cover until carted to the field.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The attendance was large, the hall being
well filled. Opened with a song by the
choir. Mr. Goodwin of the Board read
paper on "The value of the hay crop"
A very interesting paper showing the diff
ferent kinds, amount produced, and value,
which we hope will be furnished to the
press. Would use ten pounds of Timothy,
ten of red-top and six of clover to the acre.
Mr.. Ward asked if clover going to seed
exhausted the soil more than removing
the aftermath. Mr.. Goodwin thought so.
Mr.. Ward spoke of red-top as adapted to
river sand, and asked for information in
regard to rotation.
Mr.. Goodwin said his land was clayey.
Flows in fall; spreads manure on top in
spring; harrows thoroughly and plants to
corn. Would apply all manure on or near
the surface.
Mr.. Drew inquired if he would do so on
steep side-hills? Yes.
Mr.. Davis Of the Board advocated
blowing in manure some five inches and
thorough cultivating, thereby mixing
with the surface soil.
Mr.. Eggleston asked when to cut clo--
yer. Mr.. Goodwin would cut clover
when about one-half turned brown, and
Timothy after first blossom.
Mr.. King asked how much plaster
should be used per acre. Answer, 200
to seed in the fall?
Mr.. Goodwin replied that circumstances
compelled him to seed in spring, but all
grasses except clover ought to do well if
soNn in the fall. Would sow clover in
spring on the snow.
Mr.. Davis would cut clover when lodg-
ed, and would rake in seed by hand where
| for any cause it was killed out that all
the ground might be occupied.
To the query how many stalks of corn
to allow to grow in each hill? Mr.. Davis
said he marked each way five to the rod
and left four stalks in the hill where the
rows crossed.
| ENSILAGE.
| Your committee have attended to the
duties assigned them, and would say that
they visited the farm of VIM. w. Grout,
Jan. 26, having given notice to Capt. Ford
the foreman, of our appointment and the
time we proposed to visit the farm. We
were cordially welcomed by the captain
and every facility furnished for our inves-
tigation. The Generals farm, which is
the old homestead of the family, contains
about $50 acres. Of these, lis acres are
moving and tillage, l40 pasture and the
balance wood land. In his commodious
barn we found 70 head of neat cattle, 81
being cows and heifers coming in in the
spring, 100 sheep and IA horse kind. The
silos are under the barn. One is AZ feet
long by IL feet inches wide and Is feet
deep inside. The smaller one is Is feet
long, same depth and width as the above
being about s feet below the stills of the
barn. The walls are s feet thick built Of
concrete, cemented inside. The two cost
about $500. Raised ten acres of fodder
corn on sod land plowed and 20 loads O.
stable manure to the acre applied will
the Patent Manure Spreader. Thorough
ly narrowed and planted in drills 20 inches
apart, but owing to late planting and thu
drouth, got hardly half crop. Began tx
fill the largest silo Oct. L, and finished
the 18th, at an expense of 81 cents pc
ton for cutting and putting into the silo
the fodder in the silo settled about one
fourth in bulk. The amount from the tel
acres was nearly $50 tons. A cubic foo
after being pressed averaged 60 pounds
three cuts to the inch. Trod hard whel
} filling. Covered with two inches GA
straw. Upon this boards were place,
and loaded with stone 20 inches in depth
/ Opened Dec. 20. They are feeding abou
! % pounds to each animal on an averag
l once a day, and cut straw wet with no
' water, and two quarts Of shorts added 70
each animal once a day constitutes tn
entire feed for the day. Fifty pounds Q
ensilage would be days feed if fed alone
The cattle are looking thrifty; is feedin
y a flock of 100 sheep with 400 pounds c
u ensilage and one feed of hay with abou
t 100 pounds of shorts; sheep and cattl
eat it readily and do well. Horses d
o o not like it. After looking over the barn
It and stock, we were invited to the house
e introduced to the ladies, where a we
prepared dinner awaited US. Butter fro1