Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-02-07
FARMERS IN SESSION.
THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE HOLD
MEETINGS AT UNDERHlLL.
Farm Crops Considered 49, Condi tions
Which Bring the Best Results-Intel-
ligence Needed TO Feed Out as
well as to Raise the Crop,

ligence Needed to Feed out as
well as to Raise the Crop.
A fair sized audience of representative
farmers greeted the Board of Agriculture
at Underhill. Frank Jackson was elected
chairman, who addressed the farmers as
follows: 1t is a great struggle for farmers
to keep abreast of the times We can not
cultivate our soil as our fathers did, the
virgin soil, now we have to furnish to n
greater or less degree the constituents OF
our soil Formerly the man who did the
most digging of the soil met with the most
success, now it is the man who puts the
most study and thought into his business,
who is the most successful. The day has
passed when any man can he farmer.
The farmer of to-day proposes to conduct
his own business He argues, and justly
too, that his social and political position are
rs good as any ones. Our farms must pay
more than living expenses. Vermont oilers
as many Inducements to-day to the farmer
as any other State in the Union. We be-
lieve in our own State The product of the
West is in reality as near the market as we
are owing to the freight rates. All the
products that we raise must be of first
quality. Our experiment station and ex-
pertinent farm are great educators for its
farmers. One would think to read some of
the papers, that Vermont was all offered for
sale and begging for a purchaser, but he
was afraid the Swedes would find it diff
ferent
O. j. Lowrey Of Jericho said l am in
sympathy with what has been said and also
with the workings of the board They are
practical men and speak from subjects they
are familiar with. lie spoke very highly
OF the grange both in its social capacity
and as a State and national organization.
Thought it brought the farmers together
and was great educator.
Mr.. Chaplin said he was in full sympathy
with the grange The members of this in
stitution take matters pertaining to their
own business into their own hands, Think
when the farmers wake up to their own
position it will be better for them. Spoke
of the times when we had farmer COVER
nors and farmers for other State officers.
FARM CROPS.
Mr. Chaplin was the first speaker who
read a paper on Farm Crops He spoke
of the great improvement of implements
and compared the present with those used
90 years ago Do your work WE'LL too
much work is half done. Plow well and
piow at the right time Land properly pre-
pared is half of the battle. Farm manure
is of the utmost Importance: more should
be saved and less bought. If you can make
dollar by buying commercial fertilizer
then buy it, but study it well beforehand.
Too many of our crops are not harvested
in season. This is true of both grain and
grass On our million acres of meadows
we cut million tons of hay. By proper
management we could produce much more.
Orchard grass is wonderful plant if a man
is smart enough for it. 1t wants cutting
three times year. The corn grown in the
United States gives to each person 80 bush
els: in Vermont six bushels. Vermont
should raise more of her own grain. Straw
berries should be found on every farm and
garden in the State; can raise them as east
ly as potatoes and about as many; modern
implements have killed out most of the wild
ones; some important points in the raising
Of this crop are soil, location and condition;
prefer to set the plants On land that has had
the year previous some hoed rropA, prefer
deep loan, warm and moist land; a good
bed should yield a busLel TO a square rod;
must be kept clean. Crescent Seeding,
Bidwell and Charles Downing are good va
rieties; in gardening set the plants 2x1 feet;
Crescent is a large producing variety but
need stamenate variety with them
about to 5.
In answer to questions Mr.. Chaplin said:
Wheat cut early makes better -four than
late cut. Rye cut in May or June is good
fodder and if dry makes a good feed for
mich COWS. Barley cut green makes first
class feed to supplement pasture.
Mr.. Smith of the board said; I raised
two crops of barley on same ground; the
past year cut both for hay and find it an
excellent fodder for milk; does not produce
rs many tons per acre one would think.
Prof. Cooke said: Barley sown in July
is a good fodder to feed late in the fall.
Frost Injuries it but very little. Barley
helps balance the ration when feeding corn
Corn is not perfect ration.
Mr.. Winslow of the board said: Barley
is one of the best crops to raise; wants rich
land and to be sown early. | have raised
go bushels per acre. II is good grain to
feed COWS; is healthy. The straw is worth
more to feed than poor hay
Prof. Cooke at the afternoon session said
1t needs more intelligence to feed out croT
without waste than it does to raise it. AL
ways feed for the health of the animal
Feed may not be unhealthy Of itself but
may be fed so as to make it so. Cottor
seed meal fed when properly mixed will
make perfect ration, but fed alone woulc
produce bad results. Pasture produces the
most natural feed for animals, clover hay
and corn meal make a good feed, tho rates
is about to q. Five quarts of corn meal
is heavy feed for a cow Should prefe
TO mix the heavier grains with the lighter
equal weights. Clover hay dies out thu
second year after seeding, but if cut befor,
it seeds will last much longer Timothy
cut ripe IS not as good as timothy sown o.
hay cut early. White clover lasts mucl
longer than red.
Farmers Meetings.