The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-10-13

provisions for defraying the expense of the
same is inadequate to the end sought to be
attained. The results OF analyses do not
get to the knowledge of the farmers of the
state in season for their spring purchase OF
fertilizers. This delay has been the cause
of much complaint. The sum appropriated
to defray the expense of these analyses
should be reasonable and the constituent
parts and percentages of each should be Of
fcally announced through the press by
day fixed by law before the approach of
spring. Cognate to this subject call your
attention to the law relating to the infec-
tious diseases of cattle. In the winter OF
1S84-5 a destructive cattle disease broke out
in herd in Cambridge, carrying OIL dozen
or more of the herd in a few days. | was
applied to by the local authorities to ap.
point and send thither at once a board OF
cattle commissioners in the interest of the
public safety. Satisfied that adequate au-
thority was vested by law in the selectmen
to make and enforce regulations to prevent
the spread of infectious or contagious dis
eases among cattle even to the extent OF or
dering and enforcing quarantine, | de-
clined to organize board OF cattle commits
sioners but, as an equally hopeful and
| less expensive precaution | requested the
secretary of, the Board of Agriculture Dr.
! Cutting, to 90 to Cambridge and make care
| full examination of the nature and habits of
! the disease and recommend or take meas
ures as the public safety might demand to
prevent its spreading, which he did. There
seemed to be no such exigency:as would call
! for a commission under the law and none
| was appointed. DIR. Cuttings report is one
of so general interest to the dairymen and
| stock rasers that | have directed it to be
| printed and it will be duly transmitted to
you, in the Report of the Board of Agricul-
ture. Reports of other cattle diseases have
| come to hand but, upon reference to the
existing law, the local boards have proved
equal to their suppression.
FORESTRY
A Joint resolution of the general assembly
of 1882 directed the appointment of com
mission " to inquire into the subject of the
forests of Vermont, as to their extent and
| condition, and what, If any, measures should
| be taken in respect to their protection.
| The commission, consisting OF Redheld
| Proctor, Frederick Billings and Edward j.
Phelps, reported at the last session, recon-
mending legislative action in several impor-
tant particulars. An act was passed at that
session to encourage the planting of shade
trees upon public squares and highways,
authorizing one per cent of the grand list
of the towns to be be voted for premiums to
the owners of lands who should plant their
public margins with trees. / am not aware
that this statute has been availed of by any
town. This is the extent of direct legisla-
ton in the history of our state upon this i'm
portant subject. Noting as l have for sew
eral years past the progressive trending of
the most enterprising states of our country
in the East and West, in their economic and
systematic encouragement of tree-planting
as an important branch of agriculture, to
enhance the value and beauty of the farm,
| the village and the town, / invited the gem
eral observance of an Arbor Day on May /,
1885, recommending the same, not as legal
holiday, but as a day for the general spon-
taneous and voluntary contributions of the
people, municipal and religious corpora
lions, societies for town and village improve
ment agricultural associations and schools
towards the adornment of the streets, the
roadsides, parks, pablo buildings, homes
and waste places. The systematic observ-
ance of the day was gratifying beyond ex-
pectation. Thousands of shade trees were
set in many towns while few, if any, re-
sponded with regrets. The proclamation was
renewed this year and the results, as in the
other states, indicate that the sentiment of
the people calls for the establishment of
another legal holiday in our calendar, dis
cretonary with the executive or absolutely
by law.
HIGHWAY LAW.
The law of the last session placing the re-
pairing of highways and bridges under the
direction of the selectmen, or street COM
missioners. or such officers or agents as the
towns respectively may direct, has proved
a most satisfactory law in its operation. The
last clause of the first section, however, has
been the cause of much confusion in many
towns, the same presenting an apparent in
consistency with the spirit and purpose OF
the entire act which evidently was intended
to do away the highway district system,
abolish the labor tax practice and place the
highways under town control with money
tax only to maintain them. Not a few
towns have elected highway surveyors with
a view to proceed under the old law, while
this act expressly repeats the sections iii
recting the duties and methods of such Off
cials. The law seems right and polite in
principle and most salutary in its operation
hn a. a N :
from town officials and others asking the
meaning of the clause referred to that |
deem it my duty to invite your attention
to it.
ELECTION LAWS.
Under the act of the last session for the
compilation of the election and naturaliza-
ton laws, appointed George W. Wales.
Esq, commissioner in November, 1884, and
in January, 1885, his report and work were
completed and the compilation duly distrib-
uted. | commend it to your consideration
and to the use of the boards of seectmen,
civil authority, and to the public as com
piation of painstaking completeness, and,
especially under the new check list laws,
as invaluable.
THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION.
The report of the commissioner is not yet
published. " Forthwith upon the passage
of the act appropriating $1,000 for the pur-
pose of defraying the expense of exhibiting
position, I appointed John b. Mead of Ran
dolph, commissioner, and William p Fair
banks of st. Johnsbury and Alvin b. Frank
lin of Newfane as my associates of the
executive committee, in accordance with
the act. This committee allotted and di-
rected the proportionate part of the appro-
priaton under the act, less the expense and
services of the commissioner, which should
be devoted to properly exhibiting the re-
surces of the state between the various
mineral, agricultural and manufacturing
Notwithstanding, also, that the same sub
stantial ratio be observed in the applica-
ton of such funds as might be passed to the
commissioner from the management of New
! Orleans for the benefit of the state. The
general summary of the commissioners re-
port mot yet published), with statement
of receipts and disbursements, will be found
in appendix. / have, in common with the
other members of the executive committee,
watched the operations of this worlds ex-
position at New Orleans through its fnan-
ment, until the final transfer of its property
and good will to new corporation. And
while, in financial sense il has proved a
failure, yet as an Interstate and interna-
} tional exhibition of the agricultural manu-
featuring and mining productions of the
day it has been productive of much sub
J stantial benefit to these interests throughout
our country. The tact and energy of Com.
! missioner Mead, through the financial crisis
Of the management of the exposition, in
protecting the interests of the state and in
securing in large degree the performance