Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-02-01
Farmers, Neetlng at North MONTPELIER.

I il'' meeting OK the board OF agriculture
fur ibis place was held at Union les!ry
hall, on Tuesday. January 3lst, and
! "Wednesday. February 1st.
1t Il O'Clock, A. NJ, first day. the meet
ing SIS called to order by E NJ. Goodwin,
when +. y. Morse was appointed chair
man and Byron Goodwin assistant.
/ The first subject for consideration was
General Farming" and was discussed
BIZ Rev. Z. y. Morse Of East Montpelier. |
H. first spoke of the selection of a farm
vijl q view to the particular branch OF
/ industry to be pursued; advised the adup-
/ ton rt some specially, and added that the |
/ farmer must be ut home and attend to his /
business. The pastures should receive |
| a'gaa,ion so IS TO make them productive |
/ The meadows must be clean and we'll |
adapted 10 cultivation All should have
good fences and convenient buildings. He /
referred TO ensilage, but said that farmers |
cannot afford TO spend very much money |
/ in the experiment. The importance of
attending to the manufacture and saving
Of manure was dwelt upon; is confident |
thar il farmers knew what particular ele-
men.s Of fertilization were needed upon |
their soils, By supplying these much better
| results could he obtained than now. The
/ plat experiments would help in this direc.
tion.
L. r. Towle next read paper on
Mixed Farming" which was followed
in 4 discussion by E. NJ Goodwin, who
! spoke of the value Of experiments to the
f.rmer, and OF the Importance of adapting
the products of the farm 10 the demands
Of the market.
+. Ainsworih of Calais Inquired if it
will pay to feed bran and grain to nilch
cows?
C. P. Hollister has fed two quarts Of
corn and cob meal per COW with fair re-
suits. Last season fed two pounds of
western corn meal through the season at
\ profit. Although the grain was high
IN price, is satisfied that in his case it will
pay TO feed through the summer. He
practices soiing to some extent; keeps
he cows in the stable during the night.
Jedding with saw dust, and in this way
makes and saves large amount Of
manure.
Mr.. Currier Of Berlin stated that last
summer he fed his cows two quarts of
bran each day, and is satisfied that it is a
good practice. The COWS look better and
Tue pastures are improving. He has fed
some cotton seed meal mixed with corn
meal, barley and bran in spring, giving
me pint OF the cotton seed at feed and
likes the mixture well for the purpose
Vaters his cows once day and before
reding the meal. The COWS made
Jound Of butter week extra from the
edition of the cotton seed meal. He
warns the water for his cows by a steamer.
A. j. Hollister prefers Vermont corn
ground in the ear to western corn, pound
or pound. Shelled Vermont corn is
worth ten per cent the most.
E. NJ. Goodwin corrobora,ed the state
uent Of Mr.. HOLSTER from chemical anal. 1
sis and experience. Is of the opinion l
bat bran may produce an increase in
quantity of milk. but that it will be at the !
Expense of the quality.
Mr.. Davis said that the character Of the
inhabitants can, in a measure, be deter
uned from the condition of the fences. I
ne buildings and their surroundings. H {
,dvised q cultivation of the mind along
it'll that of the soil, as they are both so
loosely connected. When farmers are in
prosperous condition all other occupa
lons thrive in proportion. Farmers must
Experiment more if they would determine {
What their soils most need in the form OF |
-rtilzsrs, or what crops are the most !
valuable for them to raise.
A. J. Holiister stated that in North
Montpelier on one side of stream ashes
own on grass land produce remarkable {
esults, while on the opposite side they do {
rot appear to be of any value. This is
-ather singular fact, and enforces the
necessity for experiments on the farm.
After some further discussion adjourned :
until afternoon. ;
TUESDAY AFTERNOON
The meeting came to order at o'clock,
when Hon. Albert Dwinell Of Calais was
appointed chairman.
Miss Hattie Goodwin OF North Mont.
pelier gave voluntary on the piano. after :
which \. J. HOLSTER. Esq , took up the
Is Silo' question, Previous to this ques- ,
ton being taken up, Mr.. Goodwin at the !
request of farmers gave description of
what is known as the Plat system of :
fertilization" and advised experiments OF :
mis- kind as Of great value in determining :
what particular manurial elements are ,
needed on soils Of different kinds.
Mr.. HolliSter next procee led with the :
subject assigned him, as follows: :
SiIos in this country IRE bu, fen, and :
until within the last season it was supposed ,,
hat they could not be used only by the
rich and the retired moneyed men for this
reason, that when they began to build the
expense was SO great that the common !
farmer could not see his way Gear TO put
30 much money into one, with children to !,
support and school, and taxes to pay, and
interest to meet; but experiments have ,
shown that they could be buit very much :,
cheaper (and the farming community owe
their thanks to the OLD sailor. Mr.. Morton 9
Of ESSEX. He told Us at the dairymen's !.
association at s.. Adams last winter of !,
1is experience in silos built in much "
cheaper manner, and that the ensilage =
came out equally as good rs from those :
high pricel ones built ny the moneyed =
men. This lei me 10 believe that we )
could keep more sto K on the same land :
by building siios and filling them with !,
and to make myself sure visit a
ed, in company with others, the silo of :,
General Thomas; and from what we saw :
there were fully convinced that they were g
a safe investment, Tor seeing is knowing. ~
read every hing that was printed that | -
could find in agricultural and local papers, Il
and it all leaned one way. You have vet !,
10 learn of single failure where the gen :;
eIal directions were followed. Il
Those that were ut Montpelier last :,
winter will remember the guaranty that y
General Thomas offered to give, and the u
advice of the honorable gentleman of the :,
board to go slow. But we unhitched from ~
The old coach and hitched to one more in y
sdvance-made new ruts that led to build
ing silo and planting thecorn to fill it. .
The great secret Of filing silo is to !,
know how to raise fodder corn to get the Il
largest quantity for the least money. We :,
planted ours as we had been used to plant
ing for what is called cow corn, to piece
1ut the old pastures-that was, to plant il
in drills three feet apart, kernel once in
l foot; but bad boy that worked for >;
NE who wanted to know how thick he II
should drop it. l told him TO scatter =
along the row once in two or three inches .,
came around in an hour or two and :"
'ound him putting at the rate Of ten ker.
lels TO the foot My experience is the
more corn the more fodder. For further