Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-01-31
Dairymen,S Meeting

morning, in City Hall, Col. Mea
occupying the chair. Several matters {
business were brought before the associi
ton at the opening of the session, tn
chair was empowered by the associatio
to appoint committee of five to draw u
a list of officers for the ensuing year, an
also to appoint an auditor to audit IN
accounts of the association before tn
committees report. The chair announce
as committee on appointment Me srs
Henry Lane of Cornwall, Alney Stone q
Wesford f. S Wood of Pomfret, A, j
Evarts of Waltham and Curtis Wheeler O
Fairfax, and as aud tor Mr. G B. William
of Wapole. The secretary then read tn
itemzed expenses Of the association 70
express and postage during the year. In
claims of Mr.. Bliss, former secretary o
the association, were then brought forwart
by the secretary. The association ORDERED
that these accounts be allow ed and paid
The secretary announced that he ha'
received sample of sorgum sugar from
Prof. Collier of Washington, d, c., whicl
he should be pleased to show to member
of the organization or such of the audience
as desired to see it.
Nofurther business being brought befor'
the meeting, Mr.. E. r. Towle, OF the stat
board of agriculture, was called upon ant
read an excellent paper on "lmployemen
of pastures.
MIR. TowIE PAPER.
Almost invariably, said the speaker, il
my travels about the state, have found i
to be the verdict of farmers that thei
pastures were deteriorating. The proper
ton of farmers in Vermont who have
really good pastures is small. Goo'
pastures are the principal condition o
success in dairyng. We must keep oul
stock in good condition at all seasons o
the year. The question is, what can be
done to improve our pastures From tho
very earliest history of the country, ;
great deal of labor in clearing and
fertilizing the land has been expended
and yet in spite of all these Improvement,
large proportion of our pastures are
found to be growing more and more
unproductive. Under those conditions il
is easy to see why they have been neglect
ed. But finally the deterioration has come
to be so apparent as to be no longer ignored
Something, our farmers have concluded,
must be done, and that without delay.
Being farmer myself, | am deeply
interested in this matter of improvement
OF pastures. In the first place, let us see
if some changes cannot be made which
will result in the Improvement of our
pasture lands. l have known great benefit
to result from the changing of pasture
into meadow and vice versa. There was
a tract of pasture land near my home, low,
level, moist and very stony, in which the
foundation was laid for an excellent
meadow by removing the stones, blowing,
draining and seeding to grass. In my
treatment of the subject, can see 10
better way for retaining deeriorated
pasture lands than by p.owng, fertiizing
and stocking again with grass. If by
reasonable outlay our pastures can be
made three times as productive as they
are now, it will certainly pay in the end.
One great drawback in the work OF
renovation is the want of manure. | have
used phosphates to good effect, and would
recommend the use of them in COP JUNCTION
with manure. would emphasize taking
as little from the soil as possible. Perhaps
it might be best in some cases to employ
scarcely one case in twenty where the
are such as to make it advisable
After new fields have been once plowed
and put in good condition, effort should be
made to keep them from deterioratlng by
the application OF fertilizers and sowing
now and then to grass seed. The former
president of the association, Mr., Mason,
to k great interest 10 the mater of fertlli-
cation, and as consequence realized great
In his pastures the dropplngs on
the soil were pulverlz and seat cred hat
the soil might absorb them, and grass seed
wis sowed frequently also. Great attention
should be paid, think, to this matter of
seeding. 1t is not advisable to drain Il
pasture until the sod becomes
well established, say not for a year or two
We have other pasture lands in Vernon
which need restoring-the knobs covered
with tress, moss and brake, full OF stone,
hard 10 pIow and difficult to sublue. l.
W II often take three years TO pillow such :,
piece of ground thoroughly and get it
ready to grass One or Two crops Of
will be very helpful in prepar
ing such soil for grass. Where there are
only brakes, bushes, gol len rod or thistles
10 destroy, persistent moving will accom-
plish the object. Where a farm is largely
of arabic land, there isnD doubt
that much may be gained by II change
from meadow to pasture and pasture to
meadow. 1t is probable that many
pastures in the state might be improved
more by pasturing sheep in them than
cattle. 1t is fact that hard, dry
and makes the best pastures Poor
pastures may be SUI plementeG by the use
Of soiling and ensilage. Finally, those
portions of our fields which are found to
le of little or no value, should be turned
W. r to nature, and allowed TO grow up to
imber. In good pasture there should
lot be many bushes or trees, only enough
or shade. Evergreen trees are very
INJURIOUS to pastures, and should never be
Uttered to grow in them.
In the discussion which followed Mr.
1owle's address. Mr.. Douglass said he
bought sufficient prominence had not
zen given to the agency of clover in
eclaiming pasture land. He knew of no
gency which effected such beneficial
hemical action in the soil. 1t has another
dvantage also; its feeding ground extends i
Glow that of other grasses by its deep
eaching roots, and it also draws largely |
'om the atmosphere. 1t is especially |
aluable in clay soil.
Mr.. G. B. Williams said that his method,
l which he had had great success, was TO
o all over his land every two or three
ears with plaster; he also spread the
formulated droppings as much as pos
BILE.
A member said that he thought farmers
lould buy dissolved hone or potash for
cir fertilizers. Another thought that
lstures too poor 20 pay interest on their +
due per acre should be given over TO
lture or planted to trees. especially the =
gar maple. Mr.. Lane of Addison county :
i'd that the pastures in that county did .
t need blowing Or reseeding so much as \
in. He said that plaster and salt had a a
cd effect on the pastures there.
Mr.. Weaver recommended narrowing a
i sowing 10 clover seed mixed with n