The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-10-17

Last winter, aller giving nOulCe OF une
meeting of the Vermont Dairymen's
Association to be held at Montpelier,
the New England Homestead adds :
" Vermont is nothing if not a dairy
state, but many of her dairymen are far
behind their western competitors in
knowledge of their own business"
Without stopping to discuss the state
ment that, if Vermont is not dairy
state she is nothing, the writer of this
begs to inquire frankly of the editor of
the Homestead on what information or
facts he bases the assertion that YER
mont dairymen are far behind that class
in the West. The editors knowledge
of Vermont may greatly exceed that of
the writer, but the latter's, while it is
quite limited compared with that of
others, extends over a period of not less
than one-third of century thirty
years of which were largely spent in
the manufacture of dairying apparatus
in the Green Mountain state. From
about 1864 until a short time before
leaving the state, which was in the
spring of 1885, the writer attended
many dairy meetings in that and other
states, the Bay State included. Any
one who has attended such meetings
knows that the most intelligent, pro-
gressive and enterprising farmers and
dairymen compose very large part
of the attendance. AT such meetings
he has never met a more intelligent
class than at those held in Vermont.
Nor has he ever seen finer butter than
that shown at the meetings of the Yer
mont Dairymen's Association-butter
made by Vermont dairymen and dairy
women. He cannot understand why
the editor of the New England Home
stead should feel it incumbent on him
self to make such an invidious COMPARE
son as the one included in the sentence
quoted at the beginning of this letter.
Certainly Vermont has had and still has
some very successful dairymen and
dairywomen, many of whom have
given especial attention to butter
making-for instance, the Douglasses-
including the Hon. F. d. Douglass of
Whiting and Mr.. and Mrs. E. b. Doug
lass of Shoreham. While at this time
these are the only ones whose names
will be mentioned as representatives of
their class-which is by no means a
small one-the writer feels that, in JUS
tice to service rendered in good cause,
mention should be made of the late
Hon. E. d. Mason, the first president
of the Vermont Dairymen's Associa-
ton, and O. S. Bliss, who for years was
associated with the former as secretary
of the organization. Both of these
men did good work in the cause of
dairying, Mr.. Bliss being of the two
the harder worker, but Mr.. Mason
always seconding him with his advice,
encouragement and influence.
1t was due to the foresight of Mr..
Bliss that the Vermont Dairymen's AS
ISOLATION was the first to include in one
of the early meetings the subject of
butter-making. Up to this time, the
New York Dairymen's Association had
never given any attention to the sub
ject, its attention being mainly directed
to cheese dairying; and at the time
when the Vermont association took up
butter-making the New York assoca-
ton was the only other one in existence.
Again the Vermont association was the
first of its kind in New England. Now
any one who has had any opportunity
to compare New England farmers with
those of the West knows the former
compare favorably with the latter in
all qualities and habits of life that go to
make good and successful dairymen.
Much more could be written in this
connection, but before doing so, the
writer prefers to wait till the editor of
the Homestead gives his reason for
making a comparison so unfavorable
to Vermont between her dairymen and
| those of the West. +. w. MOSELEY.
Clinton, Iowa.