St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-02-11
sEhoa the egarw and garden.
SOUTH RYEGATE.
Farmers Meeting.

SOUTH RYEGATE.
Farmers Meeting.
The second meeting of the Farmers
club was held in the school house
Thursday evening. Topic, "Does dai
rying in the winter pay or not 2" was
discussed, George Cochran leading.
He re-statcd it thus, "does dairying
the year round payq" His experience
was in favor of the year round. Winter
butter brings higher price and by
making it the year round the summer
butter also brings better price, as
customers want fresh butter all the
time. Skim milk is worth more, as
calves in the winter bring from four to
five cents, while in the summer they
often bring only two to three cents.
Butter averaged to bring from six to
eight cents more in the winter. Last
year the extreme difference was 10
cents. Cuts hay early, also cuts oats
green and cures for dry feeding. For
several years has only threshed enough
for seed. In winter feeds about six
pounds per day to a COW, of corn meal,
middlings and bran. Does not feed
roots. Waters cows twice day, feeds
hay three times and dry meal twice.
Thinks extra price on butter and skim
milk more than pays for the meal.
Does not scruple to buy meal and
thinks this is one of the ways if not
the way to make fertilizers. Finds
that cows will shrink for number of
days when fed with very green fodder
corn and would feed meal and let the
corn stand until it had we'll formed
ears. Cows calf in August for winter
dairying. Makes most butter in May
Mr.. Ricker's methods were so SINH
lar to Mr.. COchran's that there was but
little for him to say. Can make butter
cheaper in the winter as he can save
the expense of one man at least. Feeds
use middlings. Cuts hay twice or
more, the oftener the better. Extreme
difference in price last year was 10
cents in 1884 it was 10 cents. Does
not let best cows raise a calf every IL
months. This is an important point
as it gives the cow a rest and has a
tendency to prevent abortion. Does
not believe in allowing adulterated
goods of any kind to be placed in the
market and thinks bogus butter the
greatest drawback to dairymen. Be-
lieves the resolution passed by Far
mers' club in Iowa, which was pre-
sented to congress by Mr.. Murphy on
Jan. %, to enact law requiring all
limitations of butter and cheese in the
United States to be labeled with a
stamp imposing tax of five cents a
pound, would help the dairy interests
and also the labOring class. Stringent
laws enforced against all limitations
would give the producer better profits,
the labOrer more work and the con-
sumner a better article. Questions were |
freely asked and answered. Remarks |
were made by Pringle Gibson, ESQ.,, A.
III. Gibson, RObt. Gates, Mr.. Parker |
and others. This was one of the best |
farmers meetings we ever attended,
meetings of the state board not except |
ed.
The next meeting will be at Ryegate
Corner in the town hall, Feb. IL, at |
7.30 p. IN. Topic: Experience with |
silOs. Leaders, Erastus Baldwin, Esq,
and Martin H. Gibson.
Freezing Apples.
A good solid freezing arrests in APP
pies the process of ripening and decay,
and actually preserves them in fine
condition for months. "Let II barrel
of winter apples freeze sOlid," says an
or so much as touch an apple in it
with the tip of the finger. Let it stay
ust where it is and thaw out thor
Oughly but gradually. Cover the APP
pies so that they will be kept quito
dark. Thus your barrel of apples will
frozen solid for months and
the fruit, if treated as above, will thaw
out gently and gradually when the
time comes, and be plump, sound, SOL
id and sweet rs if just picked"
Repair the Tools.
There are many cold and stormy
days during the winter that drive the
farmer indoors, which can be spent in
the repair shop, looking over and re-
pairing the farm tools, and thus have
them ready for use when the busy sea-
son comes. This not only saves val
liable time when the farmer has all he
can do, but it saves paying out cOnsid-
cradle money for more extensive re-
pairs, because little break neglected,
soon leads to other breaks that will
require immediate attention and
skilled workman, who will not neglect
to charge high for his labor.
Keep n Scrap Book.
A farmers scrap book should be kept
on every well-regulated farm. There
are thousands of recipes for the curing
of sick animals which may be of great
value if referred to at the proper time.
Useful hints regarding special crops
may be forgotten unless preserved in
this manner, convenient for reference.
Plans for farm buildings or their inte-
riOr management may be preserved
until wanted. Gates, fences, bitches
and the numerous other things which
make up the business of the farm, re-
quire frequent repairs or entire recon
struction, and the hints and helps
which may be afforded if the scrap
book has been well kept, are of i'm
mense value.