Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-02-07
FARMERS AT FRANKLIN.
CLOSE OF THE BOARD OF AGRlcUL-
TURE MEETING.

| About Every Possible Subject of Interest
to the Farmer Discussed from the
Abandoned farms of Vermont to
tho Dairy Cow.
One Of the most intelligent audiences OF
practical farmers greeted the State Board
at Franklin. Mr. Bart Whitney presided.
Rev. G.. l.. Story gave the address of
welcome. He was proud to be the citizen
of State that provides for such a meet
ing. We have no large manufacturing in
dustries within our borders; neither have
we any deserted farms" We have rep
resentative farmers whom we know to be
the bone and sinew of our whole country.
We want to know farmers that knowl-
| edge is power. We are proud of our coun-
ty, the largest in agricultural wealth of any
county in the State. We believe in Yer
mont and in the productiveness of her soil.
We want to know how to produce more
crops, make our COWS produce more, how to
keep our money at home, and how to edu-
cate our young men and women to remain
on the farms.
DAIRYING IN VERMONT.
Rollin c. Smith of Pittsford spoke on
upon Vermont farmers by the depreciating
sheep and wool industries. The State is
really young in the business. Our average
per cow is not as much as it should be. In
dividual diaries are producing over twice
| as much as the State averages. He advo-
Gated making more of cheese. The United
States imports 5000, 600 worth of cheese,
and it could all be made in this country
| We should make better article; the better
the article the more will be consumed. Too
much milk is made into butter during the
summer, and not enough in the winter.
New York city consumes | ,O00 900 pounds
per week and some weeks it receives four
times that amount. He advocated winter
dairying and that more pains be taken in
breeding dairy stock. Not half the cows
in the State are fit to breed from. No man
should keep a dairy who is not adapted to
the business. Adaptability and care are of
as much consequence as breed and feed.
MADE FARMING PAY.
Mr.. Smith was followed by Mr.. G. S.
Fassett, a successful dairymau from Enos-
burgh and a former member OF the board
who said: bought farm when real es-
tate was high and its money value imme-
diately began to drop The farm was run
down, | was too proud to fail and went to
thinking how to improve my position. Was
making 1870 pounds of butter per COW, and
by careful selecting and judicious breeding
have raised the average to from $50 to 2IO
pounds per year and have raised the mort
gage on my farm can take a farm at the
market price and pay for it with cows. We
are crowded out because of over production.
| have no sympathy with the abandoned"
farm boom. Farmers who work intelli-
| Ot
folks. A COW that will produce $50 pounds
of butter is worth seven times as much as
one that will produce 100 pounds. Why
A 1870 pound COW nets but So profit and a
$50 pound COW $50 net profit over cost of
keeping. Have much faith in the Jersey
cow Have bred to increase the color of
my butter and now only color in the spring
of the year and then only slightly. There
is limit In feeding grain to profit. Can
market in places outside OF Boston better
than in Boston.
GATHERING Up THE FRAGMENTS.
At the afternoon session Mr.. Edward +.
Towle, a former member Of the board, read
a very instructive paper on Gathering VI
the fragments. He complimented the
present board on the work it has done. He
said: / have always been farmer and
have studied and planned with some sue
cess. Our available lands are all occupied
and it would be hard to find town where
SO many farms are owned and carried on by
the descendants of the original settlers. The
productive capacity of our lands is Won
derful and the cause of our low prices, in
a great measure, is reproduction. Oul
, creameries in this section have paid fairly
well. Diaries that sold in season We're re-
munerative, but what shall be done with
ha lie "a ba
| year will see the produce put upon the mar
ket earlier than has been the custom. What
other branches of farming shall we take
upS Sheep husbandry in small focls il
proving remuneratiye, and that branch OF
husbandry is commendable. 1t is not Ger
tain that the coming season will be as pro
ductive as the last, and it would be well tC
/ look ahead. | have Away kept cows and
| shall keep along with the dairy. Price;
will be low and we must increase the pro.
duct. Sitt out the cows The number of
COWS is not of as much consequence al the
quality. The best possible care should be
taken of all kinds of stock. Every ANNA
needs certain amount of feed to support
animal life; after that the feed for profit
, comes in. Swine, poultry and calves are ac
cessory to the dairy, and would recommend
poultry to the care of women and children
l |
is as high in price any product and should
receive attention at the proper season, i
Is not cheaper to buy grain than to raise it
t If COWS are expected to do their best must
be well fed. Much work can be accom-
plished if properly planned.
= Mr. Chaplin of the board read a paper or
3 removing obstacles which was listened to
3 with attention.
Mr.. Fassett said that If the present low
8 prices continued farmer could not pay
| much attention to farm improvements
make the COWS produce twice as much a
they now do, and two spears Of grass wher
one grows now
} Mr.. Smith of the board spoke of seedin,
down to grass and inquired of the method:
4 and practices
S Mr.. Towle said; We seed in the sprin,
with grass.
s Mr.. Smith said: In some localities they
/ SOW grass seed with the corn at second tim
= of hoeing; of course perfectly level cul
= ture is practiced, and good results are OBJ
tanned
Mr.. Fassett said: raise little or M
| 4