The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-11-05
Secretary Cuttings Report.

If any public official ever gave to the
people the worth of his pay in faithful
and intelligent work, it has been done
by the secretary of our Vermont Board
of Agriculture since his first appoint
ment. Every one who knows the doc
tor knows that he is man of untiring
energy. He has always taken much in
terest in agricultural progress, and since
he has, at the earnest wish of large
number Of progressive farmers, con-
sented to give himself to the work of
the board, he has literally left no stone
unturned by which that work could be
made effective for good. Our readers
know that, notwithstanding our per-
sonal friendship for him, we have not
hesitated to criticise him publicly when
we thought it due to the public that
such criticism should be made. The
doctor has had no hope himself that he
could carry out his work in a manner
entirely to escape objection from some
side, and the kindly way in which he
receives it, even when it comes pretty
sharply and clashes with some of his
pet theories, shows that he is a man of
sense, and of that kind of self-respect
which includes respect for others who
may differ with him in matters of fact
or opinion.
The Agricultural Report of Vermont
for 1SS3-S4 is, we believe, a positive
advance, not only on DR.. Cuttings pre-
vious report, but upon all previous re-
ports of our agricultural board. 1t
takes up large number of subjects, all
OF practical nature, directly bearing
upon matters important to our agricul-
ture, and treats them in a clear and
practical manner, so as to be easily I'M
derstood. Any one who will look over
the excellent index Gtself a great i'm
provemenD which is attached to the
report, will be struck by the number of
subjects treated upon in its four hundred
thirty pages, and on reference to the
articles themselves he will be still more
impressed by the amount of good work
done by the secretary, and by the other
contributors to the contents of the vol
ume.
But in rendering this deserved trib-
ute to the secretary, we by no means
desire to derogate from the labors of
the individual members of the board
itself. All of them have been faithful
to their duties, and each has contributed
his share, not only to the report, but to
the interest and success of the forty
seven meetings that have been held
since their last report was made. That
these meetings have contributed much
to the public enlightenment, on all the
agricultural topics discussed, is proved
by the good and often large attendance
that has characterized such institutes
wherever they have been held through
out the state. To Messrs. Lane, Good
win, Davis, Pember and Towle much
is due for the success of these meet
ings, and we believe their services are
thoroughly appreciated by their fellow
farmers.
We do not intend, in this notice, to
speak in detail of the contents of the re-
port as published. The reader who
desires to study them for himself
can possess himself of the volume
through his representative, the senator
of his comfy, or the member of the
board living nearest him. He will find
there large fund OF practical informa-
ton given by experts in every branch
Of husbandry practiced in the state.
This and former volumes indeed form,
for the Vermont farmer, cyclopedia
of farm knowledge, specially written
and designed for his use by many of
their best and most successful brethren
in this and our neighboring states. To
the young farmer, especially, these are
books to which he may safely and con-
fidently go for often badly needed in
formation in emergencies that are con-
stantly arising in the daily work in
which he is engaged, and by which he
lives. The set of these State Reports,
with a new volume added every two
years, ought to be owned by every
farmer in the state, and it is a matter
of regret that the small edition which
is printed seems as yet to be sufficient
to answer the demand for them among
what are supposed to be the most
capable and successful body of agricul-
turists in America.