Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-01-31
THE FARMERS COURSE.
The First Lecture Delivered by Col. r. ID
Curtis of tho New York Dairy
mems Association

mems Association.
The sixth course of lectures for farmers
opened at the experiment station Tuesday
afternoon with an opening address by Pres
ldent Buckham and a lecture by Col. F. d .
Curtis of the New York Dairymen's asso-
citation. In the beginning of his address
President Buckham said that he was glad
that there was one lady present in order
that he might address his audience as ladies'
and gentlemen. Like all literary men he
took great pleasure in anticipating
the time when he should own
farm and even should he
never gain the object of his
wishes he still could enjoy thinking of it.
His duties in life had brought him in con-
tact with men in all the modern professions
and he was wildly impressed with the fact
that they were always striving to bring
their intelligence to bear upon their work
and, when assembled together, to gain some-
thing from the intelligence of each other.
What was true in this respect of profession
al life is also true of the life of the farmer
and the results of success are in proportion
Inc president was glad to see, for the
first time, a class Of boys present. The sub
ect of abandoned farms was one which he
thought in some instances an INJURIOUS one
light with which some newspapers strove 70
show that agriculture was deterioratinZ in
the State Vermont The speaker hoped
that the time was not far distant when the
Vermont farmer would be entirely content
with his work and not desire to go some
where else. He then introduced the lee
turer, Col. +. d. Curtis
Mr.. Curtis said that he was somewhat
embarrassed to speak before an audience
composed of people from State in which
he was stranger, but he would take it for
granted that the needs of farmers in Yer
mont are similar to those in New York.
There was a similar depreciation in the
value OF New York farms and the condition
of affairs required the same energetic action
on the part of the farmers and others inter
ested in the community's welfare.
Mr.. Curtis then proceeded on the discus
sion of the subject, many of the facts given
being derived from personal experience of
many years. Taking the ingredients found
in quantity of analysed milk the speaker
gave some interesting aud exceedingly
plain advice in regard to the production of
solids, showing how and in what
quantities certain foods contained and in
what proportion they lacked the elements
necessary for the production of animal
S'i uSbuie. "A seCllOns Oh
two pigs, one fed for fat and the other for
muscle was good illustration OF the
speakers thought
The fact that the ingredients which pro-
duce muscle in an animal also produce but
ter fat in milk was then taken up and some
interesting results from the experiments
made at the meetings of the New York
Dairymen's associations given; how in some
instances a pound of butter was made from
II pounds of milk and in others from 80
pounds. In this connection the ration which
is fed to dairy cows i'll the Northwest,
and which is considered an equal ration,
was given and is as follows: Sixteen
pounds of hay, of linseed meal, 6 OF corn
meal and Of wheat bran
quantity of analysed butter was next
brought into use, and certain foods, such as
corn, shown to produce staren too much
OF which will make butter too hard and
crumbly; other foods, such as linseed meal,
produce olea, which makes butter too soft,
and the necessity of judicious feeding
brought forth.
The final topic which was we'll illustrated
by diagrams, was that the foods that pro
duce both muscle and butter fat also
return the greatest fertility to the land
The meeting closed with an appeal from
President Buckham for larger attendance
at the next lecture. Mr.. Curtis remained
and kindly answered questions asked by the
farmers present. The next lecture occurs
on Friday afternoon when Mr.. H. W. Vail
will speak on "Ensilage and Corn Fodder"