Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-01-25
Vermont Dalrymen's Association.

Vermont Dalrymen's Association.
This association held It's annual meeting at the
Bardwell House in Rutland, Wednesday and
Thursday Of last week. Less than fifty members
were present at the opening, and the attendance
at no time was large President Mason's open
ing address was upon 1.-THE Dignity Of Farming"
Mr.. Alvah II Sabin Of Burlington professor OF
chemistry In the University Of Vermont, read
very interesting and instructive paper on Plant
Growth" In which he explained the methods by
which plants extract nourishment from the soil
He said that he was aware that a professional
man addressing meeting Of practical farmers was
apt to be misunderstood, but that II was ueverthe-
less true that one who made the investigation Of
scientific facts a specially was able to understand
the principles Of an occupation better than those
who simply carried 1t on. Science was but COM
mon sense reduced to a system and made mat
ter Of record. Agriculture lay at the bottom Of
universal prosperity; commerce and manufac-
lures languished II agriculture was not success,
and the growth and glory Of a nation depended
upon the fertility and cultivation of the soil
worn-out soil caused dminution of population
and the decay Of nation. Therefore scientific
cultivation OF the soil was most important fac
tor and worthy Of a most thorough study. The
great problem in agriculture was to get the largest
crops with the least injury TO the soil. In order
to do this II was important to know the constitu-
ents OF the soil and which Of those constituents
were drawn from 1t by each different crop. Then
in very clear manner he described the functions
Of the roots, the stalks and leaves In gathering
and transmitting nourishment the influence OF
rain and sunshine and the uses Of fertilizers lie
described the analyses of fertilizers which had
lately been made. and the vast difference there
was in their relative virtues, some Of the highest
priced possessing the least power The subject
Of manures deserved more attention than II had
received, and 1t would be well II the state took
the matter in hand and, by means OF analyses,
informed the farmers as to the best fertilizers.
Discussion which followed developed much
unanimity OF opinion that the next legislature
should provide for an analysis Of fertilizers sold
In the state, and thus prevent fraud upon the
farmers. As q result committee. consisting Of
@. W. Whitney, o. NJ. Tinkham and +. D. Ma
son. was chosen to petition the legislature for the
passage Of such a law. Henry Clark, George
Whitney and Aaron Loveland were appointed, on
motion OF Mr.. Sprague, to investigate the charges
made by o. S. Bliss of Georgia against him.
Mr.. o. S. Bliss Of Georgia read paper prepared
by 7. d. Curtis Of Syracuse, formerly secretary
Of the American Dairyman's Association, on
Breeding Cows" The great necessity, in order
to improve the breed OF cattle, was the judicious
selection Of male. Hitherto breeders had made
the mistake Of breeding through the female. The
male was the source Of improvement Be sure
the sire is superior, or, no matter how fine a
u,ac ir,ap tha fan, nj mill ha
poor. Pure breeding was necessary. He believed
in in-breeding. The more incestuous the breeding
the more likely to fix the best types The env-
ronment must be good. The best animals breed
best under the most favorable conditions Dairy
men should keep their herds in much better quar-
tiers than they do now. We we're only beginning
to understand this. But in the future brains and
science would have great deal to do with breed
ing, and the result would be animals OF far su-
peror qualities to any now In existence He re-
ferred to the Hoderness herd OF Mr. Cowles OF
New York state as example of the good results
Of a long continued in.breeding. The average
product of his cows was three hundred pounds
year OF fancy butter.
Mr. William H. Walker said this was an i'm
portant subject and he would like to get informa-
ton He wanted to know II the result of in
breeding wasn't barrenness. Colonel Baker Of
Rutland coincided with Mr. Walker in the desire
for information
Mr.. Bliss said 1t was not conclusively shown
that barrenness was the result of in-breeding 1t
was rather the result Of high feeding.
Mr.. Walker said that he understood that in
breeding Of poultry made them barren, and that
in the case OF one famous Durham bull 1t was
well-known to be So
MIR. Tnkham gave instances of barrenness and
deterioration from in-breeding in the Of pure
booded stock which he had owned. He believed
that in-breeding could be carried on too far.
Mr.. Cheever advocated in-b-eeding and said
that the notion Of the obligation to go outside
every year for a new stock from which to breed
was delusion encouraged by gentlemen who
raised to sell. His own experience in in-breeding
Brahma fowls was very favorable. He instanced
a gentleman who inbred improved Suffolk pigs
for ten years in every conceivable degree of close
ness with the happiest results; not deformed or
imperfect pig did he have, lie believed that bar
renness WAS common to all, mongrels and high
breds. He did not wish to be understood, how
ever, a. being committed in favor Of in-breeding
Mr.. Sprague said that his experience in in
breeding pure-blooded fowls had been disastrous
and had destroyed the symmetry OF the birds
He believed, too that 1t could be INDUCED In too
much. So Of pigs. After long in-breeding they
deterorated very much. The Merno sheep
breeders never bred in-and-in, but employed
judicious system Of crosses, which had produced
the finest sheep in the world. The excellence of
herds depended great deal upon the soil and
climate. Vermont would ever be the breeding
ground of stock Merino sheep, and the great rea-
son therefor was the peculiar adaptation of soil
and climate to their production.
WEDNESDAY EVENING
In consequence of the very small attendance
Mr.. A. W. Cheever, editor of the Ne,o England
Farmer deferred the reading Of his paper upon
the Utilization OF skinned milk as food, )" and
read a letter from Mr.. Thomas Whitaker OF
Needham, Massachusetts,, in praise Of skinned
milk as fattener of pigs, and also recommended
a mixture Of corn and cobs and skinned milk as
a valuable food for cattle.
A discussion ensued in which Mr.. E. B. Doug
lass Of Shoreham and others participated, and all
the speakers except Mr.. S. S. Pierce of Claren-
don thought highly of SKINNED milk and corn
cobs Mr.. Cheever cited Dr. Nichols q the Jour
nal Of Chemistry, who had said that good, sound
eastern corn and cob, ground fine, was worth as
much as the poorer class Of western corn that
came east.
THURSDAY MORNING.
The committee on ways and means to rejuven-
ate the association made various suggestions, all
OF which were adopted by the association. The
association however, took the bull blythe horns
and turned out Of office the old president and sec
rotary, which will do much to bring back an in
terest in it by the farmers of the state. This