Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-01-18
Agricultural,
INSTITUTE LECTURES


DIRECTION OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.
We gave last week general report Of the
farmers meeting held Jan. 10th and 18th at
Crosby hall, and we now continue the report,
with further details.
Mr.. j. c. Newton, having been chosen to
preside, welcomed the board Of agriculture to
Brattleboro, and, fotitiously denying his abil-
ity to make a speech, called on NJ. w. Davis,
member Of the board, Mr.. Davis responded
in a few happy remarks, taking occasion to
read the following letter from citizen OF
Brattleboro with whom he had corresponded
in reference to the town where the meeting
of the board should be held. Mr.. Davis
said 1.-THE first of December, ult., I wrote
letters to citizens of the different towns in my
county, to obtain their opinion and feeling as
to the feasibility and practicability of holding
two.days' meeting by the board of agricul-
ture. l received the following from this
place
"BRATTLEBoRo, Dec. II, 1888.
M. w. DAVIS, Dear Sir: OF course you
knew would say Brattleboro, else you would
probably have written to some one in st. Al
bans. Brattleboro, of course and these are
some of the reasons why you cannot consist
entity keep away from here: Don't we need
meetings? Don't missionaries always go
where the heather are And don't you think
we are worth saving? And isn't Bratteboro
the "hub" of Windham county? And is it
not the incest place in the universe? And is
not the Reformer printed here? And doesn't
the candidate of the great 'anti-secret society
party" make this place his home? Then, we
have a Protective grange and other Sunday
schools. Even the general government sends
its sergeant alarms up here to keep cool un-
ill after election. And don't shad come up
from Hartford, and the Connecticut come
down from Bellows Falls the narrow-gauge
from Londonderry 7 Milestone brook from
Marlboro and new rum from Guilford ?"
Mr.. Davis alluded to the desertion of back
farms, and prophesied that those living fifty
years hence would see more places deserted
than we but the farms occupied and cult
waited would be made to yield like gardens.
The past year had been a poor one for the
farmers of Vermont In the spring the ma
pie sugar crop-so important a source of in
come to many farmers-was cut short in the
summer we suffered from drought in the fall
from frosts and the apple crop was the light
est known for years. Still, we had been mod
erately prosperous through a season excep-
tionally bad. He spoke of the few farmers
in legislative bodies and in Congress- and
urged farmers to qualify themselves to inhu-
ence legislation more nearly in proportion to
their numbers and the importance of their
interests.
Questions were next in order. Some one
called for a cure for stretches in sheep. An
swered by Henry Lane of Cornwall E1er-
else; drive them about the yard sieze them
by the hind legs and jerk them backward
The disease is caused by the telescoping Of
the intestines, and this treatment sometimes
brings them into place, and the sheep recov-
ers. Mr.. Davis once lost COW from what
proved to be this disease, post-mortem ex-
animation showing all the organs healthy ex-
cept the intestines, which were found to be
teescoped
Question by j. c. Newton of Brattleboro ::
SIS butter injured by working in ice-water ?"
Mr.. Goodwin of Hartland, member of the
board, replied that this was a disputed ques-
ton. Mr.. White of Westminster thought if
ice touches the butter it injuries its color and
flavor; and on this point nearly all the speak
ers seemed to agree Too quick churning
was also thought to injure the quality of the
butter
Senator Goodwin inquired for the best feed
for butter. Mr.. Pratt of Brattleboro said he
had fed one quart of cotton seed meal, with
bran or middlings and corn meal; does not
feed cotton-seed meal at present, because some
of his customers to whom he sells milk think
it Injuries its flavor prefers middlings to
bran; when feeding bran would use a larger
proportion of corn meal. Mr.. 1. B. Taft,
having been called for, said he was one of the
first in this county to use cotton-seed meal.
He fed at first five or six quarts per day, and
spoilt some of his cows. For this reason he
stopped using it for few years. He is now
using it again, having learned how to feed il
finds bran the best to feed with it; feeds two
or three quarts of cotton. seed meal with FIVE
or six quarts of bran prefers bran. pound
for pound to middlings. Senator Goodwin
had also spoilt COWS by feeding too much
cotton-seed meal, but thinks it IS not injuri
GUS if fed in proper quantities, and it is cheap
err than corn meal. He has but little faith in
bran alone, but believes it good as a dilutent
of more concentrated food. His COWS have
not had foddering of hay this winter he il
feeding mixture of cotton. seed meal with
other meal feeds, straw and corn fodder. Mr.
Applin of Putney feeds about quart OF
eotton-s seed meal with corn and oat meal and
cut straw. Oil meal increases the yield OF
butter, and he would like to know what ouau.
tity can be fed with safety.
Some one stated that butter worked oyel
Immediately after sailing wond be certain tc
have white streaks that could never be worked
out. Mr.. Goodwin thought it was possible tc
work out the white streaks, but butter should
not be worked Immediately after sailing, be
cause the sharp crystals of salt cut the gran
ules Time should be given for the crystal,
to dissolve before working the butter. II,
likes the barrel churn, and thinks it make,
better butter.
discussion arose about the value of corn
cob meal. Mr.. Goodwin, 1. B. Taft and sew
eral others believed in corn cob meal Tn,
opinion of Prof Collier, based on chemica
analysis, that there is a nutritive value in tn,
cob, was quoted. Mr. Loren P. Smith Of
Trumansburgh, N. y, said that in his sec
ton there were no mills for grinding the cob,
with the corn all the farmers there though
the cobs not worth the cost of grinding. Mr.
Perry mixes one bushel of oats with barre
of corn ears cracked and ground together ant
adds to this an equal part of cotton, seed meal
and feeds two quarts of the mixture twice ,
day. Mr.. Taylor of Guiford gave his meth
cd of feeding, and made inquiries as to tn,
best time of feeding; and Mr.. Whitman o.
Brattleboro inquired what should be fed t.
growing and fattening stock-questions which
we're replied to in the progress of the meet
ing
Mr.. Davis was positive in his opinion tina
no people we're ever so abused as the milk
men. He believed that such a thing as AT
honest milkman was possible. He selected
his cows and fed them with a view to makinf
the best quality of milk to sell to his custom
ers. He fed his COWS cotton.seed meal. ant
believed that, so far from injuring the milk
it was one Of the best of foods to improve il,
quality.
At the opening of the afternoon session Of
the first day, Henry Lane of Cornwall, mem
Der of the board spoke on the tonic of