Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-08-22
Science iu Farming.

SHOULD nave mover lOr an amendmen
by substituting The importance of Scienc
IN Farming. The importance of science il
his pursuit think appreciate and upol
which | can talk. as believe, with som
| degree of understanding. But the subject
IS announced, is my fault, for it has beel
published as given by me to a member O
the board. must concede ct the outset tina
| | am not scientist, as the name of m,
subject would seem TO assume, and ma,
| as well say so now as to have it brough
out by interrogatories that may be subject
ed 10. have a few thoughts hastily writer
which | shall offer for the consideration o
this meeting and which bear upon th'
Importance of science in that connection
if they have any bearing.
knowledge was always important il
farming, though l can well remember
when bone and muscle were regarded a
the main requisites in that pursuit. Fifty
years ago there might not have been tina
absolute necessity for science which there
Is now. The vegetable mold. which hat
for ages been accumulating from The for
ests, kept the lands productive for hal
| century after the first settlement, withou
OF at least with Indifferent fertilization
but for fifty years we have been wearing
out our lands by constant cropping with
out returning tie necessary ingredients in
the form of fertilizers, and, as an inevita.
lie result, our lands have deteriorated
Now and then we find farm in Vermont
that is growing better. In my town ol
Poulney can name half dozen or more
which for few years have been gaining
in their productive capacity; l can name
one which now keeps twice the stock that
it was capable of doing ten or twelve
years ago, but those ofmy age and younger
will agree with me when l say that the
Vermont lands taken together are not now
capable of producing nearly as much, |
think it a safe estimate 10 say not more
than half what they were fifty years ago.
The material interests as we'll as the pride
of every son of Vermont ought to set us
all at work to restore our lands to their
wonted fertility and productiveness. With
the aid of science it can be done though it
will require time. The process of deteri-
oration has been a half century or more;
they might be restored in less time than
that if all farmers would go about it once
with will, hut it will require great
deal of time TO get the farmers out of the
old ruts; the best that can be expected is
that they will come one at a time.
This restoring or remedial process as a
general proposition is very simple-it is
nothing more nor less, as have already
limited, than returning to the lands such
ingredients or fertilizing agents as have
been taken from them or lost year after
year in the wearing out process, if / may
so call it. What the ingredients are which
have been lost and how or with what
material they shall be supplied is not so
simple and here comes in the importance
of what we may call agricultural chemis
try or the science of chemistry as applied
to agriculture. Chemistry. as science, has
been defined as that (which investigates
the composition of material substances
and the permanent changes of constitution
which their mutual actions produce. "
When applied to agriculture sit would
remedy defects in the soil," that is, it
would ascertain by analysis of the soil
"what particular agent or agents were
needful for the growth of some particular
crop and what particular fertilizers con-
tain the agents needed"
| am not Il chemist, but l have not,
from my own observation in experiments
and otherwise, of the absolute certainty of
this science in the hands of one skilled
therein to give the information alluded to,
VIZ, what ingredients are required to
restore the fertility of our soilsp If am
right in this chemistry is very important
science in connection with agriculture and
may be made very useful in that pursuit,
1t is not expected that all farmers will
become chemists but we have an agricul-
tnral college and a board of agriculture,
both able and willing to furnish all the
needful information TO the farmers of the
state in that science. | read the reports
of the board of agriculture with much
interest and especially all which pertains
to chemistry and think every intelligent
farmer would if he put his mind to it and
create an interest in that branch OF the
science of farming.
! nave often met with rdicule by
farmers by what they call "book farming" j"
| tell them not to do thus and so because
some book or newspaper directs, but do
ls your own Judgment directs; read,
study and get all the kn owledge pertain
ing to your business you can, but make
his knowledge your own. | once knew
a farmer who read in the Country Gentte-
man of the remarkable success OF south
ern farmer in tho production Of II certain
crop; our Vermont farmer at once dream.
I'd of riches, but found after a foolish
experiment that the crop could not be
grown with profit ON Vermont soil; our
climate was not adapted to it. Read but
effect, study, use reason and commonsense.
A young man was once admitted to the
oar in Rutland county who, it was said,
passed the best examination of any one
'epeat Blackstone almost verbatim from
to end; yet he never had any
success rs a lawyer; he could not make
he application of the elementary princi-
)les. 1t matters not how we get our
whether from the books or
lot, il we have the mental power, the
Judgment to use and apply when we get
t. A very good degree of knowledge in
arming may be acquired by experience
Ind observation provided they are accom-
panied with thought and study.
In some respects there has been much |
Improvement in this region in the last ten
years in some of the branches of farming.
The dairy interest looks much better than
t once did in this section. The quality of
,utter and cheese is much improved and
here is more in quantity. Our dairymen
lave in general made good progress In
he science of making butter and cheese.
\ gentleman In our village said to me not
ong ago: II have bought my butter for
many years; fifteen years ago good
Irticle was an exception, now poor
rticle is the exception. Farmers with us
re advancing in the excellence of their
took; their cattle, sheep, horses, or what
ver they keep are better and give a
arger profit" This is encouraging, but |
wish we could find more Of them ambi-
ious to make two blades of grass grow
where one grew before.
But tho topic which lies heavily on my
mind and has for some years is how to
es;ore our exhausted soils. l know it
an be done and must be done by the aid
# science. 70 be effective public opinion
must be enlightened and aroused on that
,,l,iont