The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-01-23

ing manner, upon Jne Advantages OF
Dairy Conference" President Buck
ham of the Agricultural College fol-
lowed with some sound remarks, in his
lucid and impressive style, upon the
advance of civilization and the increase
of mans command over nature, con-
Meeting these ideas with the progress
of agriculture in recent times.
Thursday mornings proceedings
were introduced by a very practical adj
dress, from George Aitken of Wood
stock, upon the " Growing of Beets for
Cow-feeding." Mr. Aitken is an En-
glishman, and has all of an English
farmers zeal for root-culture, together
with the skill which long practice has
given them in the work. Mr.. Aiken
is certain that butter can be made on
beets greatly cheaper than on corn,
1t possibly may be so, with men who
can grow them, as he does, for four
cents a bushel; but this is probably
not more than oue-third what they
would cost the average Vermonter, in
the present state of his knowledge of
the business. That beets make good
butter was pretty well demonstrated by
the success of Mr.. Aitken in carrying
away all the biggest premiums at the
butter exhibit
Mr. Gould, in some incisive remarks,
seemed to prove that, in Ohio at least,
corn ensilage will overlap beets for
| butter-making in the proportion of
nearly three to one; and this idea was
supported by Dairy Commissioner
Brown of New York, with some strik-
ing facts in his own experience, show
ing that with ensilage and good cows
he is able to produce a high grade of
butter, selling at from thirty to forty
cents per pound, at a cost not exceed
ing sixteen cents.
Milk-testing for its butter value was
illustrated by the practical operation of
Shorts method by Mr.. Gould, and the
Lactocrite by Professor Cooke. We
shall tell our readers all about these
methods hereafter.
In the afternoon, after brief attack
upon the Question-box, Mr.. Gould
showed how he built good-enough silo
at cost of only forty-eight cents per
ton of contents. Our readers will have
all these particulars in good time, too
Following his silo description, Mr.
Gould gave vivid and very enjoyable
address upon "The Kind of Dairying
Demanded by the Times" and the way
he raked the old-fogy ways of dairying
drew roar upon roar of laughter. We
never before Saw people enjoying the
sharpest criticism as our dairymen did
on this occasion.
Mr. Harris, of Faneuil Hall market,
Boston, who judged the butter exhibit,
was called up, and told the principles
which governed him in his work, which,
on the whole, appeared to have been
more satisfactory than it commonly has
been.
Following this was the business meet
ing and election of officers, the particu-
lars of which will be found in our news
columns, together with the award of
premiums, etc.
The evening session was opened with
some fine music by the opera-house
orchestra, following which were two of
the soundest and best-appreciated lee
lures upon education that it was ever
our good fortune to listen to. Mr.. Il.
5. Gold, for so many years the model
secretary of the Connecticut Board of
Agriculture, spoke of :" Practical Educa-
ton for Farmers Boys" giving an ac-
count, among many other things, of the
operations of the Storrs Agricultural
School, in his state. Succeeding Mr..
Gold, the Vermont dairymen's old ia.
vorite, A. W. Cheever, of the NeW En-
gland Farmer, addressed them upon
Farm Education;' and if almost con-
tinuous applause is evidence of appre-
citation there can be no doubt that Mr..
Cheever had it, as he certainly well
merited it, Practically and deep
thought characterized both of these
sterling addresses. Succeeding them
came few stirring sentences from Sec
rotary Sessions of the Massachusetts
Board of Agriculture, who is rapidly
winning the regard of our farmers by
his vigorous and intelligent devotion to
progressive agriculture.
Friday, the last day, was quite as in
teresting as either of the others, and
there was little falling off in the attend
ance. Protests were made against ir-
Irregularities in some of the exhibits
which received prizes, reference to
which will be found in another column,
along with the list of premiums
awarded
NJ L.