Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-12-20
THE BEST DAIRY cow.
SUCCESSFUL BOARD OF AGRlCUl-
TURE MEETING AT STOWE.
Mr.. Chapin Says the Curse of the Farmer
is Goldfish Aristocracy-How to XIII
Brakes-ENpcrimcnt stations Dis
cussed-Other Matters OF Inter-
est to Farmers.

STOWE Dec. 1S-The Farmers meetings
were opened here Tuesday morning by
Lucius Sallies chairman.
Prof w. W. Cooke of Burlington was the
first speaker, taking for his subject Breed
ing Dairy Stock" During his talk, Prof
Cooke said: To secure profitable results,
the dairy COW that will make 300 pounds OF
butter per year must receive the best OF
care, as she is in a highly nervous condi-
ton On the other hand Il COW that pro-
duced but 100 pounds of butter annually
will stand a considerable amount of expo
sure without injury. A farmer should
have an ideal of the COW he desires, and
breed for that ideal. The highly bred Jer
sey and Holstein have each strong natures
and crossbreedng will not always pro-
duce the good points of both.
Mr.. Gale: Il should expect such a cross
would produce some very fine COWS and
some of the other sort. -
Prof. Cooke: ''That is so. The most
highly bred animals will beget scrubs; in
deed, the tendency to do SO is greater than
among mongrels because they are farther
removed from the original grade. Go any
where before a community of farmers and
advise them to use a thoroughbred bull and
they will tell you that their grade bulls pro
duce better stock The reason for this is
that they buy pedigree and not a thorough
bres animal. No one can expect to get a
thoroughbred for small amount of mon
ey. A bull should have all the external
marks of the fine bred cow.
Mr.. Wilkins: Suppose bull has all
these external marks and good pedigree,
would it be a safe investment ~
Prof Cooke: 81 think it would. | should
prefer a scrub bull and good pedigree to a
good bull and scrub pedigree, because
think the ancestry of the first would have a
stronger influence and better stock would
be the result. >
Mr. McAahon 'What breed of COWS is
profitable to keep?'
Prof. Cooke: THAT is difficult ques-
tion to answer. You might take 100 Of
the best dairies in the State and find the
preponderence of breed, but very likely one
would he better for milk and another for
butter
G. NJ Winslow of Brandon said: ''The
COW is merely a machine while a horse must
have disposition and pluck as well as exter-
nal marks to become a trotter. p"
Mr.. Wilkins: Even if thoroughbred
animal had all these characteristics, would
it not be possible for him to be failure -
Mr. Winslow 1T would be possible, but
not probable
In the afternoon a large audience listened
to an interesting paper on Farms and
Farming" by Hon. William Chaplin of
MddleseX. 'The curse of the farmers, "
said Mr.. Chaplin, lis a Goldfish aristocracy
together with the determinations of rail-
roads. and most Of highly paid and useless
officials, including the Board Of Agriculture
A remedy for this would be to give the boys
chance; show them that they can become
somebodies, even if farmers.
Mr.. Bingham said: "Mr. Chaplin, ! sup
pose you know everything tell us what will
kill out the brakes upon our farms
''Well, - said Mr.. Chaplin, that is one of
the few Things which | do not know |
have mown brakes ever since | was large
enough to swing a scythe and they have
seemed to thrive upon it. In my opinion
however, if they We're moved six or seven
times a year, it would discourage them ter
rbly."
Mr. Smith suggested that if the brake
should be ploughed up late in the fall and
left, it would have the desired effect
George w. Wilkins asked Mr. Cnapin to
instance discriminating legislation against
farmers.
Mr.. Chaplin spoke of the Savings bank
and the Central Vermont railroad as such
instances.
j. Warren Newton followed with a talk
on The New Agriculture. He sketched
the oleomargarine fight in Massachusetts as
a result of the power of farmers when
united. Mr.. Newton strongly condemned
the folly of a farmer wasting the fertilizer
that should accumulate on his farm, anC
then buying other fertilizers. He spoke
highly of experiment stations as means OF
elevating the farmer.
Mr.. wilkins: "Are these experiment sta
tions an instance of legislative discrimina
tion, Mr.. Chapin?''
No." said Mr.. Chaplin solemnly, "that il
just the other way. Even the Devil doe
good sometimes, / suppose"
In the evening NJ. w. Dayis of Westmn
ster spoke on Economy in Stock Feeding. y
Economy should be the central and grea
idea to every farmer, from which will rad
ate all these methods. Mr.. Davis strongly
advocated the raising of corn and clover, as
did also Mr.. Chaplin.
The farmers seem very much tsterested
in the work of the board
RGDEDICATION AT BRATTLEBORO
Interesting Ceremonies at the First Bap
tist Church of Brattleboro.