Morning journal and courier., 1890-12-19
rHE rAnmEns, anRrrNe

Papers-Address by FrOfs BreWer-
An Exciting Debate.
ROCKVILLE, Dec. 1S.-Farmers from all |
over the state were present at the state
convention of the farmers, and earnest
and close attention was manifested. The
convention passed a resolution of condo
lence with Secretary Gold and his family
in their affection in the death of their
daughter. The convention adopted q reso-
luton which, after commencing the pros
perity of Connecticut, one of the earliest
states joining in the celebration of the
Four hundredth anniversary of Columbus
discovery of America, further says:
Resolved, That we earnestly request the gem
such sum as the Connecticut members Of the
Worlds Columbian commission may deem neces-
sary to insure such an exhibit of Connecticut
terests Of the state demand.
Professor K. n. Jenkins, as Professor
johnson was detained athome by sickness,
remarked upon the experiment stations
and outlined the character of the work
there; and following him, Assistant Chem
list Winter of the experiment station, spoke
of tests made of twenty samples of milk
at the station by the aid of Babcock's milk
tess ..iachine, a machine simple and easy
of use, and which will very likely be
adopted in cooperative creameries.
DIR. Thaxter explained the results of his
experiments with the potato scab.
DR.. Jenkins read o valuable paper on
Ashes, in which he said: "Ashes have al
ways been priced as fertilizer. Some of
the effects of ashes upon the soil are quite
different from those of commercial fertili-
zers, but are quite as important to the
crop. The great drawback to their use is
that they are not at all uniform in COM
position. Hickory ashes contain more
potash than oak ashes; coal ashes are no
better than pit sand as source of plant
food. Leached wood ashes or sifted coal
ashes may not only make leachy soils more
retentive of water, they may at the same
time make very stiff clay soil lighter and
easier to till. Ashes are an application
specially we'll adapted to correct in the soil,
OF in fertilizer on it, qualities which would
hinder or prevent bacterial action SO neces-
sary to the SOIL" The lecture was Illus
trated by tables, blackboard, etc.
w. o. Atwater of the Storrs school gave
general outline of the station work, its
dairy tests and various analyses of foods
and feeding stuffs.
DR.. Charles Woods, chemist of the Storrs
school, followed with talk on Forage
Plants.
CATTLE FEEDING.
Professor Phelps followed with paper
on "Cattle Feeding and Results of Station
Feeding Tests" The animal may be con-
sidered as machine. The more perfect
the mechanism the more perfectly will the
work be performed. A machine requires
certain part of its power or force applied
to overcome it's own defects. The more
perfect the machine the greater will be
| the proportion of food entering into the
manufacture of products. The question
of the effect of food on the quality of milk
| is perplexing one. The matter has been
warmly discussed during the past few
years and a diversity of opinion seems to
exist. We are not satisfied that the matter
has been fully settled by scientific investi-
| cation, but hold that there is still an open
| field for research. That the milk may be
affected by the food over long period of
| time, few will be inclined to doubt. In
little over years time the quality of
cows milk has been greatly changed, ap-
parently from no other cause than feed.
We should not only feed our stock with
view to producing valuable products, but
also with view to improving our lands.
Only part of the food eaten is made use
of by the animal To summarize briefly
we would be disposed to recommend, first,
| the feeding of better animals, which implies
the breeding and rearing of more thorough
| bred and high-grade stock; second, the
more extended use of folders rich in pro-
tein or nitrogen for the higher develop
ment of our animals and the better results
on the products; and, thirdly, the growing
and use Of such folders as will add most
to the fertility of the land.
A FARMERS TALK FOR THE PRESENT TIMES.
Tuesday evening Mr.. J. II. Hubbard of
Middletown delivered an excellent address
on Courage in Agriculture" the follow
ing being some of the leading points in
his discourse:
I wish that every Connecticut farmer
| would start on an expedition of conquest.
l want him to conquer and subdue his
l farm. I want him to come into actual
possession of all that his little deeds Sc
cure to him. At present in far too many
cases his grasp of what is his own is fee
BILE and irresolute. He keeps other people
off, but beyond that his ownership
amounts to but very little. There are
treasures hid within the boundaries of that
farm from which he is as effectually ex-
cluded as if an armed hand kept guard
l over them and thrust him back whenever
he endeavored to approach
Our efforts should be to produce for oul
markets what they will pay the most for.
In regard to the quality, quantity and
proftableness of our products there ought
to be a steady forward movement on the
part of Connecticut farmers. Something
of such a movement there undoubtedly is
| but it is not what it should be. It is oc
casional and intermittent in character, and
here and there an individual or group oil
individuals, only illustrative of it. II
ought to be general.
If you will give me one half what has
gone south into the Louisiana lottery and
west into farm mortgages, and in oil di
rections into all manner of speculations
some of them successful and many of them
otherwise, / would agree to furnish all
the capital for the needed enlargement OF
Connecticut agriculture without encroach
ing in the least upon the savings banl
deposit wisely laid by for rainy day What
more do we needa Industry and good man
agement. Yes, both of these. But if Con.
necticut Yankees do not possess these
qualities, where in the wide world do you
propose to search for thems Other com
munities and other avocations in need OF
skill and industry come to Connecticut
after them, and it would be passing strange
if a needed and profitable DEVELOPMENT Of
Connecticut agriculture should fail fol
want of these qualities. What more il
neededs just this one thing-courage.
There are risks in going forward, Nobody
will insure results for us. We shall en-
counter difficulties. Some of our ventures
will prove failures.
The region before us is full of forces
which will serve us if we conquer and
subdue and train them for service, but
never otherwise. do not propose to lay
down any law for the guidance of others
but my own inclination has always beer
toward the conservative practice of sup
plying our own wants as far as practicable
from the products of the farm. Of cours,
this policy tends to restrict trade. Bu1
the rule which is good for me may not b.
good for all. 1t is a matter for individual
discrimination. Each for himself must FL
limits to the range of his productions, an6
this Will determine also the scope of his pur
chase.
Now, am very glad to see representa-
tives of agriculture taking hold Of public
affairs. It is for them the exercise of ar
unquestioned right, and may also say the
performance of an obvious duty. But dc
not look for the immediate advent of the
millennium as a consequence of such &C.
ton. l hook instead for many mistakes
Accomplishments and defeats to be mingled
with the triumphs of organized and united
agriculture, graphing with the problems
OF legislation and administration of public
affairs. 1t is not likely that some of it's
successes may prove as disappointing as any
of its defeats are disas trous. My solicitude
is for wisdom which can profit by mis-
takes and q courage W hich can endure dis
appointment and defeats and strive on in
spite of them until a final success is
achieved, Fortitude, the capacity to en-.
dure, those think should be among the
synonyms of couraq @, and thew are what