Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-01-24
FARMERS MEETINGS.
THE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE
AT SOUTH ROYALTON.
Successful Meetings in which Questions
of Interest to Vermont Farmers and
Dairymen are IntelligentIy Dis
cussed by Practical Farmers.

RoYALToN VT, Jan. 22.-Th farmers
meetings under the auspices of the State
Board of Agriculture at this place, like all
the other meetings of the board this season,
were very successful, Mr.. j. w. Waldo |
was chosen chairman,
John f. Shepard, who gave the welcom-
ing talk said: The White River Grange |
and the people of Royalton extend greetings |
to you as citizens of our own valued State. |
We look to you as teachers, qualified by |
practical experience and professional ac-
quirements, to instruct in the greatest in
dustry of the State. A common farmer
has not all the convenieIces to make expert |
ments hence the great value and import |
ance of an experimental farm. No farmer |
can read the report of the agricultural sta |
ton and not receive benefit therefrom es |
pecially the feeding and fertilizing value of
different feeds. When our land was first
cleared it was not lacking in fertility. Now
1t is different and we need to study what is
the most effective means of restoring it.
Cheap transportation brings us in direct
competition with the West. The only thing
n Vermont farmer can do is to produce
better article than the West, one that will
command u higher price. Vermont horses
and sheep, maple sugar and dairy products
have the reputation of being the best on the
market, and. by care and painstaking can be
sustained.
Prof. Cooke was the first speaker, who
took
PIG FEEDING
for his subject and was listened to with
marked attention. In answer to ques-
tions he gave the following answers:
| If we We're to take the statistics of the
| State on pork raising we should find it was
| Improbable, but if the hogs were killed
when younger it might be made profitable.
The cost of making pound of pork from
! young pig is less than half as much as when
it will weigh 200 pounds. About 80
pounds live weight is the most profitable
time to kill. the markets demand differ
ent hog than they did 90 years ago. They
want hogs with more lean meat The de
mand for that kind of pork is increasing
and in England is enormous. Regarding
the fertilizing value of feeds Mr.. Cooke
rated skim-mlk at 50. % per ton, corn meal
at SO and wheat bran at Sl3. 80 The df-
ference between the live and dead weight
was IL per cent on the 200 pound pig killed
at the station. Unless had good clover
patch | should not raise pigs for market.
Pigs take more food in winter than in sum
nier; must he kept warm in winter.
Mr.. Chapin said: Tie individuality Of the
pig has something to do with it. The breed
must be predisposed to take i'll tat; clover
is most excellent feed for pigs
After adjournment the members of the
board and all from out of town were invit-
ed to remain in the hall while the good
wives and daughters spread most bounti-
full repast, and all were invited to partake.
The spread gave evidence chat we were in
country where deserted farms were not
, abundant.
At the opening of the afternoon session
| Hon ID. C.. Denison was next introduced.
There is no better valley in Vermont or
any other State, he said, than White River
Valley and no class OF people on earth are
better fed or better housed. The Dakota
farmer lives in dug out or perhaps only a
hole i'll the ground, and goes ragged. Not
one in a thousand who ever left this valley
to farm it in other States have better
ed their condition, every farmer who at
tends to his business, as successful lawyers,
merchants and physicians do, are prosper
Gus. Lazy men fail in any profession or
business. Any man who does not attend
strictly to his business is failure. There
are white sheep and black ones in every
business and profession. You must make
farming success or what viii become of
the other industries of our State. Your
business is :he foundation of all others.
Mr.. Chaplin responded very happily on
behalf of the board, acknowledging the cor
dial welcome
Mr.. Skinner of Tunbridge, an enthusiastic
dairymen, who has made some wonderful
records with his few cows, said | am glad
there was such an institution as the Board
of Agriculture and an cNper mont station.
# lore is any success in farming the most
important thing is doing the chores. The
COW is servant and very important one
for the State of Vermont She not only
furnises us with the necessities but the lux
uries of life. | will not even except the
Morgan horse. 1 have engaged in butter
making for p years. My object was first,
TO make an honest living, and second, to
make worthy article and in
both | have been moderately successful
To be successful in any kind Of business a
man must be adapted to H.. This is as true
N dairying as any thing else. The selec-
tion of COWS is the next important thing.
, No man can afford to keep poor COW. To
test cow-which every owner should
you first want TO know the amount of mill;
yielded, color, time taken for il 10 cream,
, solidity of cream, time of churning, amount
and texture of butter. My COWS stand IL
stanchion. Regarding
FEED AND CARE,
No man can afford TO keep COW poorly
} fed. Good care and good feed are essential
Milk from COW poor in eSh can not make
good butter. Hay should be cut in June
Cows do best in pasture in the same month
and grass is worth more at that time o
year Cut second crop of hay in August
= and feed meal and bran circumstances re
quire. / feed bran the year around and
5 corn meal part of the time ! feed no corn
Q meal just before nor just after calving.
vary in feeding corn meal from
2 one 10 four quarts per day, a
the condition requires Should nlwav
feed literally. Corn meal Away
makes good butter. feed my cows in th
manner: LIST. Feed hay in the morning an,
= water in the barn, then feed meal and card
f them Consider csrding very essential. A
a 3 p IN. feed meal and bran, after which
t teed hay. | make only two feeds in day
ana only turn out Of the barn in pleasan
, weather. Quiet and comfort are ndispen
= siblc, and are of more Importance than
2 | faoJ ot iaost how theV ara fad iS nf III