The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-02-20
INTELLIGENT FARMING.

| INTELLIGENT FARMING.
Thoughts Suggested by the Late Ag.
ricuIturRl Meeting In Bennington,
supplemented by n Visit to Model
Farm.
Mr.. EDIToR:-The recent agricultural
meeting held at Bennington has doubt
less awakened, as it ought. more than
usual interest in the pursuit of stock
raising and farm culture. 1t could hardly
be possible that class of men, who
have made farming successful. should
come together, and for two days discuss
and set forth publicly. those measures
and principles by which they have made
their calling honorable and profitable,
without stimulating their hearers 10 re-
newed activity in agricultural improve
ment,
Beyond question there is no calling
more dignifed and honest than that
which developes the possibilities and
brings out the ripe, rich products of the
soil. The farmers are the feeders of the
world. Primarily they are the pro-
ducers of all our luxuries.
There is no industry known to man
that offers wider field for the exercise
Of brains, and none that responds
quicker to the thought that is put into it.
Nature is prodigal of her blessings, and
will render some returns 10 the man
who merely scratches the soil and does
his farm v ork without brains. But the
men who succeed are the meI who put
thought as well as muscle into their en-
terprise.
Such men put into their farming what
Cesar and Napoleon put into their mill
tary campaigns pluck and energy, and
daring. and will-power, over-topped
with common sense. 1t requires these
" lead ON to vic DRY.
When man is not afraid to build a |
silo, and start creamery,and pay $1,000 |
for bull to improve his stock. there is |
SAND in him." as we say 1t requires
daring to push out beyond all precedent, |
as judged by ones neighbors, and take |
such advanced ground, But the man
who takes risks is generally the man
who succeeds.
1t is the timid do-nothing policy that
is running our farming interests to-day. |
If man has judgmen to breed peH and |
to adapt himself to his soil and his |
market he can make farm husbandry |
pay even here in Vermont.
Since the Vermont Board of Agricul- |
ture gave little fresh impulse to some
of our citizens, a party of tire took |
advantage of the new snow to visit one |
Of the speakers, Mr.. S. A. Hickox of
South Williamstown. who gave us two |
hours Of common-sense talk at one of
the meetings here.
We mel with most cordial reception |
by host E nd hostess, and shall not so n |
forget the hospitality of that happy and |
prosperous Christian home. We spent |
Z night witt Mr.. Hickox, ex mining |
his stock, his barn, his silo. and ensil |
age, observing his methods of feelings |
and taking care of his milk products |
We proved our Yankee origin by plying |
him with questions.
We were interested with everything |
1t is astonishing what forces may be- |
successfully employed on a farm. A |
small steam engine is made easily TO Gu
wood, cut the cOrn-iodder before put
ting IL into the silo, do the churning, |
and numerous other jobs requiring |
power. We found in enumerating the |
farm products that the half had not |
been told
But perhaps nothing was more inter-
esiing than his large herd of Jersey cat
tie. MIR. hickox began years ago to |
breed on his grade stock. His ideal was |
to breed out all that was native and to
breed IN the best qualities of The Jer-
N hn lon. I'll, ll,V
that in many instances it would be very |
difficult to detect trace of grade blood |
in the product.
He has very many registered cows and
heifers; but u large proportion of his |
herd is the product vi breeding with |
thorough bred sires. To accomplish |
these high results in breeding Mr.. Hick
OK has spared no expense of time and |
money IN procuring such bulls as would |
bring him quickest to the ideal herd at
Shich he has been aiming. The bull he
is now using is IL years old and has
taken the first premium at the Massa-
chusetts State fairs tor years.
He is regular old sweepstakes,
and nothing can stand in competition
with him. His services are in demand
at 800 per COW, and the price is by no
means exOrbitant.
1t pays To bring our stock as near per
lection as possible. If the farmers of
Bennington. with their new dreamer,
a out TO open, could introduce such an
animal to improve the butter qualities
of their diaries, even at cost of from IS
to $50 for service, IL would be in few
years money in their pockets.
A gentleman in Bennington Centre
has registered Jersey COW whose sire
took the first premium at the Vermont
State fair few years ago. This crow
will drop calf in about two months
sired by Mr.. Hickox's stock bull, Lord
Lisgar, Of Lambert pedigree. II this
cali is heifer the owner has an offer OF
$50 for II. II IL should be a bull calf it
ought to be retained in Bennington for
future use, although a man in Massa-
chusetts is ready to come for IL. The
mother has a record of 81 pounds of
butter per week. This does not equal the
highest record attained by any means
The Holsteins have run as high as 80
pounds per week in single Instance,
and under best condit ons. But il is far
above the average. There is no ne d of
our dairy he DIS averaging only four or
five pounds Of butter PEI week through
the best three months Of the season as is
often the case. A little expense and
care In breeding might easily bring the
average yield for the same time TO from
10 10 Is pounds per head and right here
is where the profits come in to the
farmer.
Intelligent farming viii pay. Try It.