The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-12-19

l0cy were well eTnDa1kcu. w nat Ine
state most needs is better cows, better
feed and more intelligence. Not half
the attention is paid to the breeding of
cows that there should be. He thinks
he is correct in saying that nineteen
twentielhs of the dairy stock in the
state is raised with no regard for milk
ing qualities, although it is easily shown
that some of our dairymen have raised
the product of their dairy from one
hundred fifty to three hundred pounds
to the cow by breeding alone. We also
are deficient in care and feeding.
Where the dairy is a specially on the
farm the study should be to raise
crops to supply any deficiency that may
occur by failing pasturefeed, which is
gradually growing less every year. The
soiling of the dairy is matter that
must be looked after sooner or later.
He predicted that in another quarter of
a century more cows will be kept
through the summer by artificial feed
than by pasturage. On most farms, he
thinks, cows should stand in the stan
chions every night, and be fed some
thing every night as soon as June grass
begins TO show its inability to supply
the usual amount in the milk-pail.
II. w. Vail read a paper upon " Dairy
ing" treating largely upon breeding and
raising dairy cows. His subject was di-
vided into three heads-the man, the
COW and the feed. He treated of the
knowledge, skill and energy required of
the dairyman and the necessity for
good COW. He spoke at length of the
necessity for developing the milking
qualities of heifer by feed and care in
order to produce profitable COW, and
the most economical methods of feeding
to produce butter.
The address was followed by discus
sion, participated in by Mr.. Kneeland of
Waitsfeld and G.. F. Clough of Water
bury. Mr.. Clough declared that all the
legislation in the state of Vermont had
been in favor of corporations and adj
verse to agriculture. The stockholders
of banks are allowed to draw double in
terest and the manufacturer, by special
act, is released from taxation. The rail-
roads owned the legislature Of Vermont,
body and soul, but when and where has
there been any act of that body that Of
fered any relief for suffering farmers?
A bill to remove double taxation of the
mortgage on their little farms could
never get respectable hearing before
that body. Farms were for sale and no
buyers, and money is going West The
| Board of Agriculture was created by the
state to find the cause and apply the
remedy for these evils. We are paying
them for this and we want to hear from
them. Mr.. Chaplin replied in brief to
Mr.. Clough, stating that the board had
] # IL
! could not be diverted from it to discuss
grcenback, or any other, ism. AT the
close of the afternoon session Mr. Vail
said that the depression in the agricul-
lure of the state was common to the
whole countly-nOt only to this, but to
every other countly-and was part of
the financial condition which affected
the business of the world. He was
proud of the confidence the people had
in the ability Of the board to clear up
all the dark questions of the universe.
Mr.. Davis of Westminster, he said
would speak in the evening, and would
clear up these matters for all time.
"Come out, and bring your wives"
w. G.. Wheeler of Waterbury read
an interestinr paper on Farmers
Education One of the needs of mod
ern farmers, he said, is scientific
education. He spoke of the value of
geology; of botany, learning the differ
ent modes of growth and development
of plants; of chemistry, how it is APP
piled to agriculture. The difference
between success and failure is marked
by the difference in knowledge and its
application. The duty of progressive
farmers to be philosophical and lift
up their neighbors was enforced.
NJ. w. Davis of Westminster read a
paper on " Agricultural Brica-brac. "
Agriculture, he said. is the substratum
of all industries, No people, no gov
eminent, can prosper unless there is a
healthy agriculture. Daniel Webster
once said that agriculture, manufactures
and commerce form a most beautiful
trio, but towering above them all is ag-
riculture. This night in New England
tens of thousands of spindles hum with
activity turned 10y the beautiful water
powers, guided by thousands of OPP
eratives, all fed from the farm. The
farm feeds them all, yet what severe
complaint against the farm, what
abandoning of these rural homes. What
neglect and dis satisfaction when Yer
mon grand old Vermont-in time
past produced the best men, best
women, best horses, best sheep, pos
sessing the best soil of any state in the
Union, though not so easily worked.
But twenty-five years of western-faced
bands of her people, when once turned
back TO farm industry here, will restore
these better homes to their former pres
tige. while many industries formerly
pursued may, in part, have TO be given
up. Success in farming now hinges upon
the dairy, though the better tiock-mas-
tiers should fancy the noble sheep and
the Morgan-lovers the noble horse.
Substantially the same addresses are
ven at the various meetings, but the
discussions vary with the varying au-
diences. In some places what the
members have to say is unchallenged
in others very lively debates spring uI
over these formal papers. Such was
the case at Brookfield. Mr.. Vail
paper was the same as the one he read
at Waterbury, but an interesting and
profitable discussion was started on