The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-01-23
THE VERMONT DAIRYMAN's AssOCIA-
TION
Address of President DougIass-The Her
aids synopsis,

reason to he proud of her dairy record,
as compared with those of her sister
States, In this, as in most OF those pro-
gressive movements, where enterprise
and intelligence are the prime factors of
success Vermont has occupied an ad-
vancpd position, which she can and
ought to maintain. Vermont genius has
revolutionrzad the dairy practice of the
country especially in the department of
the butter dairy.
When this Association was first organ
izad little progress hal been made in the
art of butter making, while compare
lively nothing was known of it as a
science. The most absurd met hods were
universally practised, methods not only
unnecessarily laborious in their appica
ion but which necessitated a ruInOus
loss both in the amount produced and
in the quality of the produci, during II
large portion of the year. New York
had made substantial progress in the arr
of che, Sc making. Jesse Williams had
conceived and introduced the cheese
factory system, but her leading writer
and speakers of that time did not claim
10 be experts at butter making. Even
| l. B. Arnold at meet ing of this AssO-
citation held at Es eX Junction advocated
the use of The o'd dash Churn" long af-
er they had, by the teachings of thus
Association, been driven from the
dairies of Vermont, and the revolving
principle in some form been substituted
IN their steLd.
One of tn first questions which came
I'D for discussion was the cause, charac-
ter of and remedy for the white speCks
| in butter, then so troublesome in con.
nection with the old pan system then
universally in use. After sharp dis
russion Prof. Collier, who chanced to b-
present. volunteered TO investigate The
subject and determine their true charac-
ter by chemical analysis. which he did
When their true character was deter
mined the cause Of the remeJy for their
appearance became apparent.
| Milk setting for cream raising pur
poses had teen made a subj ct of expert
mental work some two or three years
before the organization of the A sOcia-
| ion, With the advocacy and adoption
Of water, as a medium for tempering
milk and cream, began new era IN the
history Of the butter dairy. Upro this
time, air, the most fickle and changeabie
of the elements in nature. had been EN-
ployed as medium by which 10 main
ain that right and uniform condition OF
temperature 70 indispensable t. success
in butter making. With such medium
the production cf good butter during rht
heat OF summer and the cold Of winter
was nearly impossible. The massing O.
milk in cream raising and the u-e oI
water for temperiDg il, regard as ont
pf the great improvements Of the age
and one intimately connected with tht
early work of this Association Through
its meetings and publications in connec
ton with those of the State Board Oi
Agriculture, 1t was first brought tn the
attention Of the world At the second
me ting of the Association, held at Bur
Iington, much time was occupied in *
planning, and discussing the then novel
and 10 most people absurd idea of 'deeI
Setting.h II was n innovation utterly
opposed to the preconceived Opinions
land practices of the world, and like
many of the great improvements of the
age, il was at first ridiculed and de
n0unced as an absurdity. These discus
sions were widely published, and at
racted a great deal of attention at the
ina. Deep setting" has come to stay
At least so long as cream is raised by any
process of gravilation. It, and the ap
pliances invented for use in its Trac'ica
pplication, by the fertile genius of Yer
monters, have wrought complete rev
luton in the methods employed in the
dairy practice of our country.
From the time, and for several year
subsequent to the introduction of th'
deep setting" or pail system, paten
devices of all descriptions for use in th'
butter dairy were brought out, and al
though large portion of them were
both scientific and practical ahsufdities
hey were sold in large numbers, by gilt
ongued agents to the masses, who were
ready to accept of any new device, as az
improvement upon old appliances. The
lecade following the introduction o
"deep setting" may very properly bt
'alled the patent right period OF the but
ter dairy.
Testing tubes, also Vermont inven.
ZION, were introduced IN connection will
he principle of deep setting" and thu
vital importance of testing the lndivld,
nal merits OF cows, was taught anC
demonstrated. HeretOo, The true char
acter of the butter globule was first dis
covered, and the theory so long taugb
nv scientists, that it was encssed in |
.ack of caseine, proved TO be erroneous
This discovery, very naturally led to tn
EXPLANATION of the true theory of churn
ing, and aided IN the introduction of th'
revolving principle in the churns EN-
ployed.
The true philosophy of rIpening cream
was discovered and taught about th'
time. The reasons why sweet cream
will not produce a good keeping articl
of butter were fully demonstrated.
The philosophy of temperature Il
cream raising and churnIng was ais
taught, and the thermometer, ,previnusl
but little used, was extensively intro
duced.
These are some of the more importan
discoveries made by Vermont genius
and of which this Association has bee
the foster mother. and through whOs
aid they have heen brought to publ
notice aud introduced into practice. A
: the time of the second meeting the the
untried and novel plan OF carrying agr
cultural institutes to the homes of tn
farmers, was adopted and preparation
made for holding them in every count
: in the STATE Farmers Institutes, no'
40 popular with our Western brethren
are a product of Vermont brain, at lea'
/ 20 far as relates to their itinerant fea
lures.
have thus brief outlined the histor
of the work accomplished here in Vel
mont, not in toistful spirit, hut b.
cause wish to have our State put upn
. record in this matter. 1t is a record {
which we may well be proud. Ou
] Western brethren, with characterize
!. cheek are disposed 10 arrogaIe to them
I selves ali that is worth knowing con
; corning dairy h sbandry, to speak DIS
: pnragingly OF Vermont as the land
I fogyism and stupidity.
have spoken only of the work " hic
y our Association has been Instrument
: in accomplishing in the past. but wh'
/, of the future A cloud dark as nigi
hangs over the future of New Englan
4 agriculture. and It is not the part Of wi
/ dom TO ignore the fact. II there bt
been occasion for persistent untiring e
X forts IN behalf of dairy Improvement !
the past, how much greater the wor
demanded in the future2 The questio
j nf success in the future is the queStio
) of the survival of the fittest," Adver'
= influences Of every description are r.
ducing the profirs of the farmer. TT
opening up of untold millions of publ
domain faI in advance Of the require
menrs OF the time, the use Of machlner
not only upon these lands but through
out the country and the consequent va
overprnduction in consequences of the
influences; cheap transportation whic
has practically brought the We.teI
farmer to the doors n our own market
; that organization of bu-iness whiC
, crowds down The price Of the raw mI
terial which the farmer has TO sell, whi
. IL crowds up the price of the manufa,