Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-26

paper on Home Life In all Nations, which was
much enjoyed by the audience and received
hearty applause.
General Thomas was called upon by President
Mason to speak, which he did upon the more
ECONOMICAL PRODUCTION OF MILK, MEAT
AND WOOL,
oy tne use OF ensage. lie completed his silo last
Vc'ooer forty feet by fifteen, and fifteen feet
ueep ouilt Of stone laid in cement and plastered
smoothly on sides and bottom with cement He
Gu. ms corn taken from FIVE acres with Baldwin
cutter propelled by horse power, making the cut
three-eighths Of an inch and cutting iwo.borse
load OF fodder in eight minutes. The wbole
labor was less than to cut and stool. In tho eold
when opened this winter 1t was perfectly good
and all his forty head OF cattle eat Il with aylditv
Shoats also eat 1t, but not 70 freely, until II was
mixed up with meal and milk. The general
thinks he can grow forty tons OF corn fodder on an
acre, and that when 1t is ensilaged 1t will be equal
to twenty tons Of hay. lie thinks ii will keep
not only through the winter but through the sum-
mer until the next crop is ready for the sio. The
hve acres Of corn did not more than one-thrd fill
the silo. With this feed and Gotten seed meal as
good butter can be made in winter as in summer.
As fertilizer cotton seed meal is better than
commercial manures. silo may be made with
brick or with concrete, equally as good as stone.
Inc ensilage when he opened 1t was neither fer
mented nor sour, but when left awhile loose after
taking it out 1t ferments and has An alcoholic
smell. Fifty pounds il fed daily to each COW.
Mr. Alexis T. Smith Of Vergennes was then in
troduced to the audience and made one Of his
amusing but entirely unreportsble speeches
FRIDAY MORNING.
Mr.. Cheever Of Massachusetts editor OF the
Ne'o England Farmer opened the meeting with
an address upon
ABORTION IN cows
The main point is prevention Little is known
OF the cause OF the trouble and no effective cure
has been found. COW that has aborted should
be separated from the herd and soon disposed Of
Tor beef. 1t is contended by some that thew
should not be allowed to breed again. It is some
times brought about by accident but this is not
the chief cause. Ergotised grass most common
In wet seasons, has been suggested as a probable
cause. The presence Of low forms OF vegetable
and animal life, known as bacteria, are thought
to be associated with the disease, and may be its
cause. The germs OF these are diffused in the
and the developed forms are con-
vaginas OF pregnant cows Of animal fluids con-
tanning bacteria has been found to cause abortion
1t is supposed that they act by destroying the
enveloping the unborn calf Good
tood, and tonic medicines are recommended as a
method of treatment for herds supposed to be
more or less affected. But perfect isolation Of
every injected herd is imperative and stables in
which infected cows have stood should be
thoroughly cleansed and disinfected, even to the
extent of renewing the floors and all woodwork
Ergotised grass should not be fed to cows or made
into hay for their use
Ex-Governor Smith then made brief address.
lie regretted that the demands otherwise upon
his time had prevented him from attending the
meetings of the association and avaing himself
of the valuable information here diffused The
question OF the future of New England interests
US all. The competition, political and industrial
with other sections Of the nation we must meet,
Tor 1t is inevitable. How are we to meet it and
preserve our postion9 Vermont alone pays 81
)OO, 900 to the west for bread, thus building up
rival section to compete in all markets with our
products. Vermont was once more than self
sustaining in breadstuffs. She sold wheat But
now only sixty-one pounds Of -four per head Of
is SNOWu Htro. htltrTluR 10 u pI6Nl-
ous address before the association in which Gov
ernor Smith gave an account Of his European
travels and predicted the evils likely to arise
from the unjust structure OF society in the old
world, he said; To-day the people of Ireland are
but one step from a bloody revolution, and the
people of England are but one other step behind
the Irish. England may suppress with relent-
less military hand the manifestation Of the dis
content, but that will not remove the disconten emit
i.-ois r'--~-'ve, mas It's bearing upon our own
interests. II held down by force, the working
classes of Europe will abandon their homes almost
N Hdsse and precipitate themselves upon Amer
Ca we shall receive many good farmers, and
We should Keep SUCH as far as possible, here in
new England We must improve our agriculture
It every point. We must rise to high concep-
ion OF our duties as agricultursts and as citizens
There is no incurable fault in New England soil.
Ike the patient miner in the Rocky Mountains
Who, by faithfully working vein regarded az
90 poor by other prospectors, made himself rich,
o may the farmers Of Vermont, by labor and
kill develop fortunes from their farms At
uch meetings as this, where the experience OF
4 all is-exchanged, we may get the knowledge
eeded for the task
Governor Smith, in closing his address, Of
which the above is very imperfect sketch, intro
uced to the meeting our present governor, His
sxcellency Roswell Farnham.
Governor Farnham, while not claiming ability
instruct farmers in practical agriculture, de-
ired to offer few suggestions, to the effect that
70 should embody as much brains and labor in
ur products as possible. He feared that these
Meetings and their influence did not sufficiently
each the smaller farmers OF the state. Thew are
very important class, the most important class,
eally, In the state, because the most numerous
is that class that gives its distinctive character
the state of Vermont-its distinctive high char
cter for manhood and independent thought.
ct they are not, said the governor, II he under
ood Alright, the best farmers, the best butter
lakers, in the state The association should
zach them in some way. The governor said that
public speaker from abroad once said that he
ever before addressed audiences so generally ma
yes OF the old stock as here in Vermont, and he
expressed the hope that it would always remain 30.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON
Ir. A. Taylor, superintendent Of the Cannon
irm, near Burlington, gave his experience upon
bortion in cows. When the herd in his charge
ere first affected he suspected the grass as be-
lg ergotised but could not ON inspection of the
leadows and pastures, satisfy himself OF the
nth of the suspicion. Then his attention was
irned to the hay, which Was not exactly right In
s appearance. Cows fed on 1t were loosened in
ieir bowels and feverish. They were treated
rst with laudanum, and then more successfully
it'll clear dry oat straw. They recovered their
'ndition and went on safely to calving. Mr.
aylor does not agree with the belief that the dis
lse is infectious contagious. He attributes it
food that causes purging This, he thinks,
raws the blood away from the calf to the bow
s and thus causes abortion. On this account
Q feared that ensilage might prove hurtful to
,ws in calf
Mr. Cheeyer said one OF the most aggravating
lings in connection with this subject was the
Use with which every theory OF its cause could
. knocked over.
Mr.. Whitney said that in cases OF threatened
portion with his herd an increased and better
Ition removed the threatening symptoms and
ere was no return.
On motion of Mr.. o. NJ. Tnkham, Dr. Hoskins
as made an honorary life member Of the associ-
ion, and briefly returned thanks for the great
I'd unexpected honor
Mr.. Whitaker OF Massachusetts, was called upon
Y the president to fill the time with some re-
arks. In response Mr.. Whitaker observed
ere was a great difference between getting
ops out of land full OF fertility and getting them
ON land where the fertility has to be put into
e land. That is the difference between farming
the new west and farming in the older states
pecally In New England. He went on to illus
ate and enlarge upon this proposition. He said