Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-02-21
FARMERS MEETINGS.
THE VERMENT STATE BOARD OF
AGRICULTURE.
Close Their Last Meeting for the Season
with the session vt NestDiins term
tcresting Addresses aud Valuable
piNcuSsiOns.

Board of Agriculture at Westminster {. NJ.
Winslow spoke about the sheep industry in
the State. saying that wool could be pro
duced at profit on many OF our farms,
3. +. Phelps said have always had care
of sheep. Ny father was a large sheep
raiser, both for wool and mutton. Sheep
need special care and close watching at some
seasons Of the yenr, Have known many
10 die from grub in the head, but more from
want of grub in the stomach There
is great difference in men about taking
care Of sheep and succeeding with them
One of my neighbors bought of another
neighbor q sheep which had not died from
a flock of about 80. From this p he raised
90 lambs which weighed 30 pounds each
and sold for 81 cents. The sheep sheared {
pounds of wool which sold for 20 cents.
This illustrates the difference between good
keeping and poor. Sheep require good dry
pasture. Wet pasture produces foot rot.
They should be housed and fed twice day
and let alone the rest of the time. Scours
IN the fall can be cured by a dose of salt,
pepper and vinegar; give epson salts for
stritches a few years ago [ lost 30 water
lambs by disease called water brnsh. .
There is no cure for it but a mixture Of
salt, sulphur and satpetre is "A preventive.
| think a man who is well situated and un-
derstands his business can make as much
money from sheep a. from the dairy. Lambs
at - cents with 81. 90 worth of wool from
the eve will pay to raise.
Mr. Chase have experimental with
both horses and sheep and failed with both:
suppose it was from lack OF knowledge; can
get more from cows with less labor tban
sheep or horses.
Mr.. Chapin-Sheep husbandry is an an
cient and honorable calling, Abel was a
keeper of sheep aud Job had 700. We fire.
quently find large focks that pay here in
Vermont. c. W. Reed of Addison has 700. l
could keep mutton sheep at profit if they
did not shear a pound of wool.
Mr.. Copeland asled-Can sheep be kept
at profit where there is no water in the
PASTURE Mr. Wnslow-Shcep Or any other
animals need water.
Mr.. Winslow said-There is an island Off
the coast of Maine ON which are kept 1000
sheep. There is no spring on the island.
The sheep are not housed at all and Craze
all the year. Mr.. Copeland-Have kept
sheep through the summer without water
and had them do well. Mr.. Fred Campbell
said-Did | understand Mr.. Winslow to say
Australian wool was Larsher and dryer
than Vermont wool | think | can get
full as much money from the dairy Help
is great problem in farming and we get
along with less in sheep husbandry than in
the dairy. Mr.. Winslow-Fibre in Aus
tralian wool is not as strong as in Vermont
wool and when long enough cannot be used
for combing, SO much of il breaks and is
wasted.
MIR. Charles Campbell said-In speaking
of mutton rams i'll thoroughbred Merino
focks you must bear in mind they
are of the same breeding as the wrinkley
ones. ! have been successful i'll selling that
kind. They are what are called sports in
breeding-are liable to produce wrinkley
stock. Have Just returned from a Western
trip to Montana Find farmers are going
out Of the cattle business and into sheep.
Wheat growers are largely buying sheep.
Farmers in Dakota are taking sheep from
Western ranches on shares Thousands of
them have been shipped there this season.
After an address on dairying by Mr..
Smith the following discussion was listened
to with much interest Mr.. Wright, the
manager Of the creamery, which by the
way is a model one, the butter selling at 80
cents pound and the creamery making
over 1900 pounds week, said This is the
occasion of hard times. Better COWS and
better feed will help farmers out. The
average cow in the State makes only l2S
pounds and Vermont has the largest aver
age of any State. There are many that
make 800 pounds and these are the ones
that pay
ID. II. Bailey asked-If cows are not
watered but once day what time would
you advise? Mr.. Smith, water in the
morning. Think best to water before the
grain is fed
Mr. Haddern asked-How often do YOU
salt: Mr.. Smith-As often as twice a week
the better way is to have salt kept by
them where they can eat when they wish to-
Mr.. Chaise said-Sult is all a habit and
a bad one. A calf will not eat salt unit
they are taught how. In early days PEG
pie did not salt their cattle. Mr.. Smith
Think all stock require it. Wild cattle ant
buffalo travel miles TO get TO the 'salt
licks.
Mr.. Clay said have heard Mr.. Chaist
say he never had COW that would make
over four pounds of butter per week Per
haps if he would salt his cows he would gel
more. In answer to other questions on sal
Mr.. Smith sad-Salt will have the sam,
effect in winter, and l think in summer
when the feed is succuent, they will ca
more than in winter. / use Turks IslanC
salt
Mr.. Stoddard asked How do you faster
your cows! Mr.. Smith-In the old-fash
toned stanchion, but should prefer the
swing stanchion.
George w. Jennson asked-What dt
you think of warming water Mr.. Smith
There has been much written and said upol
this subject. My own opinion is if cow
stand in a warm stable, unless the water i
very cold it would not pay to heat it. 7
there is anchor ice in your water as it run
into the trough, should warm it. Should no
want cows chilled through at the trough.
Charles Winch secretary of the Farmers
club at Landon, n. H., asked-Do you fee,
your whole grain ration at once Mr.
Smith-Yes, but if | were granting heavil,
TO get all the milk from the COW she coul,
produce, should make two feeds Of it. Glu
ten meal differs from corn meal by havin
the heat producing qualities taken out an,
the muscle producing left in
George Banks asked-is there any mil
gained by feeding bran? Is milk wort
more for cheese than for butter? Mr.
Smith-Most assuredy. Bran is a goo,
food for the dairy COW The past two year
milk has paid the cheese makers about 3
cents more thau fine lutter. makers