The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-02-29
Farmers Institutes.

George Hammond of Middlebury was
chosen moderator to serve during the
meetings.
Edison A. Doud of New Haven deliver
ed the address of welcome. He opened
by congratulating the town of Middle
bury on the possession of so fine town
hall and thanking the townspeople for
the use of the hall for these meetings.
, The farmers of this county welcome new
ideas and are glad to have meetings of
this character among them. lie reviewed
the legislation of four years ago, estab
fishing the board. The personnel of the
board is now the same as it was when or
gained. The farmers of the county are
here to learn. Many subjects can profit
ably be discussed. Nowadays farmers
wish to know the reasons of things. They
are no longer content to follow the
methods of their fathers, if better can be
shown. Agriculture has made giant
strides and will make still further adj
vance. And it is through the eXertons
of men like those composing the board
that progress Is to be attained.
Hon. Henry Lane responded. lie trust
ed the people would not expect too much
from the members of the board. They
were. with the exception of the secretary.
only farmers and the most that they could
do awould be to relate their experiences.
These meetings are the last that the pres
ent board will hold. During the past
four years the board has held meetings
in all parts of the State and had oppor-
tunty to see the condition of the farmers
in the various sections. We have met
prosperous farmers and also those who
are discouraged. In some localities we
| fluid whole school districts almost desert
4 aI and I ha huil n IL
! is the case especially in the eastern part
of the State. But we find also farmers who
are improving their farms and increas-
| ing their products. As you come into
this valley-Grand Isle. Chittenden, Adj
Olson and Rutland counties-you find
| perhaps the greatest advancement. The
soil here cannot be exhausted. The in
fuence of the elevation of agriculture is
| felt in the elevation of every other branch
of industry. Agriculture is pre-emnent-
ly an experimental pursuit. The object
and effect of these meetings is to encour-
age experiments and promote progress,
In conclusion, the speaker thanked the
citizens of Middebury, on behalf of the
board, for the use of the town hall for
these meetings. Personally, as a citizen
of Il neighbOring town, he was proud of
Middlebury's prosperity, which made the
erection of such building possible.
Lyman W. Poet of Cornwall read
paper on Eastern and Western Farm
ing" The extension of railroads opened
up Il vast region of country to immigra
ton; and many Eastern people went
West in the hope of betterng their for
tunes. The fertile soil of the Western
States offers great attractions and num-
bers were attracted from New England.
Some succeeded, and others did not. The
West has its disadvantages as well as the
East. The fact was the poverty and not
the richness of the East had been too
much talked of. The census reports
showed that the yield of corn per acre
in the best of the Western States was but
81 ) bushels. while in New England
the product was 30 - bushels. And the
same ratio. nearly, holds with regard to
the other grains. In the production of
corn. Vermont and New Hampshire are
unsurpassed. The possibilities of our
soil are underestimate. and the chances
are about as good for the young farmer
in the East as in the West. 1t is not the
richest man always who handles the most
money. and the largest farmer is not nee
essarily the most prosperous. In the West
everything is on large scale. Large
| fields are cultivated and heavy crops
raised, but the margin of profit is COM
paratively small. When all these things
are taken into account the query is sug
gested whether it is not better for
young man to remain the East and care
| fully till small farm. But there are
features of Western life that we might
do well to initiate. There everything is
pushed. The people are enthusiastic
concerning their country and their pur-
suits. ii the West is too wild, the
| East is too tame and conservative. 1t is
! often said in favor of the West that the
climate is more healthful than that of the
East. As IA general proposition the speak
er thought this scarcely tenable. In in
stances 1t might be true. The climate of
the West has been aptly described as the
finest and the meanest' in the world.
He referred to the heavy winds frequent
| ly prevailing for days at a time, that
sometimes developed into cyclones. The
country seems to delight in extremes.
In one year the crops may be heavy and
the returns such as yield profit, while
the next may come locusts, drouths and
floods to destroy all that has been gain
ed. Here in the East we have none of
these things to any great extent. Still we
must work diligently, and, above all, In
diligently, in order TO compete with the
| DIOuuClS Vi lllc w est. W Z luusl DlouuCC
gilt-edged butter OF none. Fertilization
is necessary, and it must be economically
procured. This point often urged by
the secretary of this board Vermonters
must confine themselves to what they can
best do and then they will succeed. For
instance. Nermont's pre-eminence in
raising fine sheep is unquestioned, and
the profits are satisfactory. But fine
stock of other sorts is needed. The
Western dairynan should come to Yer
mont Tor his Jerseys, instead of going
abroad. 1t is by the observance of the
law of adaptation that the East and West
as we'll as the North and South will make
the surest advances in prosperity.
DR.. Cutting of Lunenburgh, the secre-
tary of the board, spoke of the disadvan-
tages of the West, alluded to by Mr.Peet,
and described storm he had witnessed
near the city of Detroit. Ought not such
things, he asked, to deter eastern people
from moving to that region? Here we
have seed-time and a harvest. There
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