Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-12-14
FARMERS MEETINGS.


Waterbury.
The farmers meeting at Waterbury open
ed on Tuesday with an address by +. f.
Palmer of Waterbury. III whichh urged that
farmers take moro interest in agricultural
meetings. William Chaplin of Middlesex
followed on "Rcmoving Instructions. lie
advocated picking stones, removing large
stones, employing more expensive machines,
removing unnecessary fonces--the fence be
ing the farmer heaviest taN--rcmoving the
road fences making line and pasture fences
better removing the old Sprawling stone
walls, improving the hogs and marshy
places by drainage He had made efficient
drains by ditch 3 feet deep, I J feet wide.
filed with feet of stone and covered
with foot of Garth He would remove the
mortgage from the farm and have more
equal taxation. Railroads only pay one
third as much As farmers; saving banks dc
posts should be taxed mills and machinery
should not he exempted. Chattclmortgages
were curse to the farmers and should be
| abolished.
G. W. Winslow of Brandon said mutton
sheep were brought from England; the fine
wool Marine from Spain. few sheep on
the farm are always valuable as there are
various kinds of weeds that cattle will not
touch and that sheep will keep down.
Southdowns make the best mutton and the
lambs always sell for n good price. Sheep
are easily cared for and if one dies the wool
will pay for the sheep. sheep never dies
in debt. 1t is said that raising fine wool
sheep will pay. The sheep of Vermont are
! the best in the world to cross with sheep in
Australia and the South. Sheep deteriorate
/ in a dry, warm climate and the stock has to
be constantly replenishcd The wool grows
thin and brittle and needs stock from a cold
er climate.
Rollin C. Smith of Pittsford thought it
would pay to raise more sheep in Vermont
| William Chaplin Of MiddleseX thought it was
very profitable to raise SOuthdowns iii
Washington county. but he did not think it
would pay to raise the fine wool sheep there.
Rollin c. Smith Of Pittsford, said farmers
must take more pains in breeding their
cows. Calves should not he fed too high nor
too low. They should be kept in Il yard and
pasture as soon as possible. Their muscles
should he developed by exercise Cows
need to get to the pasture as early as posi-
BILE in the spring. The old dry grass just
fits the cattle, by physicing them, for the
summer feed
Professor W. ". Cooke of Burlington.
spoke Of silos and ensilage. He thought
! Silos were an advantage TO the farmers.
Wood was better than stone for building
them.
President NJ. H. Buckham Of Burlington
gave a very fine address in answer to the
theory of Henry George that there was nc
rights to private property in land. He re
felred to the history OF the human race. tc
mankind in the savage, the pastoral and thu
civilized state, showing how the rights OF
property has been recognized in all ages.
He deplored the fact that boys would leave
the beautiful farms of Vermont to go into
other occupations. Z. f. Palmer spoke OF
the same topic.
{. f. Clough wished some one would tel
the reason why the farms of our State were
deserted. G. w. Randall said it was hecaus'
there were better prospects in the West. G
W. Kennedy said that the farmer of Yer
mont could make no more than two per cent
upon the capital invested. The farmer wa
taxed on an average of 81 % while severa
other kinds of property pay only co cents
aud a good deal of property pays no tax a
all. He snid that all property was the pro
duct of labor and hence when man tool
land in a wild state and improved it by hi
labor he created a property by his labor
which no man could dispute and this wa
tile origin of the rights of property in land
II. w. Vail OF Pomfret, spoke OF the dairy
making remarks which included many praC
teal suggestions