Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-03-08

lecture on "Will it pay'" A hricf syn
Opsis of this has been heretofore given.
and need not no repeated lis aim Wa,
TO loSter love Tor our own STATE and The
advantages We pnSscss were exhibited in
contrast with those Of the great west. and
the result certainly appeared TO hu in favor
OF Vermont.
After the address f. II. Towle gave
some facts and figures relating to the.farm
products of Vermont that would compare
most fnvorably with any state in the
Union. and which should tend TO awaken
and foster an increased interest In the
agricultural resources nnd development
Of our own state.
This concluded the exercises of the
evening. when the meeting was adjourned
until Friday forenoon.
FRIDAY FORENOON.
The meeting was called to order at IL
O'Clock, when, the chairman not being
present, Judge Andrews was elected to
that position.
The subject of L" Renovating pastures y
was taken up by +. r. Towle.
This is subject of great interest to the
farmers of Vermont, for 1t is fact APP
parent to all that many of our pastures
do not produce as much feed as formerly,
and are gradually being overrun with
briers and weeds. Many pastures are so
hard and rocky and inaccessible that plow
ing them is out of the question. There
are many pastures of this class, no doubt,
that it would be better to fence out and
leave to grow up to timber. Land that
can DO plowed can be improved by plow
ing and re-seeding and fertilizing in the
way that is most feasible.
AS a synopsis of this lecture has been
published before it will not be repeated to
any great extent at this time.
The chairman stated the greatest evil in
pastures in this vicinity was tho increas-
ing amount of brakes. Many pastures
will not keep over two thirds the stock
they formerly did, chiefly on account of
the brakes, which now occupy large pal I
of land. Some parties have plowed and
re-seeded with good results.
Mr.. Higloy has had considerable expe-
rience with braky pastures that could not
be plowed, and has nearly eradicated
them by fencing off in small fields and
using one for a night pasture till the brakes
disappear, and then change to another. II
the ground was very wet, drained so as to
carry off all the surplus water. In this
way the pastures were very much inn
proved.
The question was asked, How could the
little shrub called "hardhack be EXTERN
mated?
In land that can be plowed it can be
killed in that way. In land that cannot
be plowed the only way Is to pull them,
and that is difficult. hard job.
Mr.. Pember made some remarks, recon
mending each farmer to study his own
case, see which fertilizer is best adapted to
his land, and avail himself of tho methods
which have proved of benefit to others
similarly situated. He also advised now
ing the brakes several times the same
season, thus weakening their vitality SO
that they will soon die out.
Prof Perkins also recommended the
repeated cutting, MS no Plant can have its
foliage removed several times the same
season and live.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
Prof. Perkins of the university was in.
troduced and gave an informal and very
interesting lecture on THE friends and
enemies of the farmers, as found among
insects and birds, and the Importance Of
knowing how to determine to which class
each belongs"
The farmer has superior facilities for
observation from the fact that his calling
keeps him out of doors large part of the
time. 1t is important that the farmer
should know something of botany. Of
plants, not that it is necessary to learn
hard names or technical phrases, but OBJ
serve their nature and habits of growth
their manner Of perfecting seed; note
their points of resemblance and difference
1t is important that every one who has
a plat of ground should know which Of
the insects are his enemies, and how he
can best contend with them. The May
or June bug which is SO common makes
the white grub, and every female of these
bugs deposits from three hundred to one
thousand eggs. each egg making grub
so kill these bugs.
Some birds are beneficial beyond ques
ton, while as to others opinion is divided
The chickadee is very beneficial, feeding
almost exclusively on the eggs and larva
of insects. Observe the habits of bird
and animals through the year, and make
debt and credit account and balance it q
the end of the year. As an illustration
cited the bobolink, known as the rice ant
reed bird of the south, where it does {
good deal of mischief
The robin does good deal of miSchie
to small fruits, and also destroys many
cut worms and injurious insects, so that i
is rather difficult to correctly balance hi
account.
Tho constitution of all birds is pecul
lar. They have q very high tempera
ture, breathe very fast, digest very rapid,
and eat vast quantities Of food, takin!
. more than their weight Of food ever,
twenty. -four hours.
The English sparrows are Il damage
would have been better if they had neve
been brought to this country. The blue
jay is also injurious
The number of varieties of insects il
almost incredible. Ninety thousand kind
5 Of beetles have boon catalogued, ant
, two hundred thousand varieties of insects
One comforting fact is, that when an,
insect becomes SO numerous as to do mucl
5 damage, some other kind Of insect arise
to prey upon IT..
3 He has learned of about twenty varietie
of insects that destroy the potato bug i
its various stages of growth. He ha
Experimental with Paris green and Lon
don purple in killing potato bugs, an
found the purple to do the work fully a
+ we'll, and costs much less.
He is great friend TO the common toad
r They destroy great many injurious in
sects. The capacity of n toad's stomac
q is remarkable-will eat as many as on
|. hundred insects at one meal. Englis
r gardeners so appreciate the value eff toad
l. that they buy them from the continent
n importing them in considerable guantitie!
There is nothing poisonous about toads
and they can be handled with perfect in
punity.
The great forces Of nature are expende
It in all kinds of plant growth rather tina
in violent demonstrations in storms.
In answer to questions about the crow
o said he was not quite sure where to plac
It him. He does some damage and is {
n some benefit, Sometimes the balance al
, pears to DO in his favor and sometime
Q against him.
9 Don't kill any insect that has littl
..ta