The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-02-19

That certain parties are contemplating
the building a shoe factory at the
"Wash Tubs That Barber has sold
his farm, and, that Barber has not sold
his farm. That our lawyer is retained
| by the rumsellers. That "tin plate" is
higher and "hn ware" cheaper. That,
which is of interest to florists: A new
"hybid" called Cotton Lille"
Some notice is due the meetings which
the Estate Board of Agriculture" held
at POwnal last week, as they were in
tended for the benefit of the whole
town; and because some of us, in spirit
of cOmmendable humility sparingly par
ticipated in its benefits. Prof. Cook is
to be commended for his method in the
meetings. No criticism is possible so
far as the members of the Board are
concerned They did their part we'll;
and if a slim harvest of good, perfect
fruit shall succeed this winter sowing of
practicable ideas, the fault is in t
''soir' and not in the seed, nor in the
sowing thereof. OF course, at present
no enthusiasm in such meetings can be
awakened among the farmers as class,
the only thing to excite their interest at
this season of the year being a 'vendue"
of old "chains," sled stakes" trucks"
and wagon "tires." But few of our
farmers were present, who, be it said to
their credit, express commensurate
praise of all the exercises. They also
are hopeful in the future of Vermont
farming. Unfortunately those who did
not attend these meetings being much
larger class than the others, are not
aware of any loss on account of their alb
sence. These Farmers" are those who
cherish much contempt for what they
call book farming a vague kind of
expression, which simply means that
farming has no foundation of sciens
tific truth; no maxims to be incculcated,
no laws that are stable, and that all of
its processes are so simple that the
farmer, unlike other persons, needs no
other training or education than can be
readily obtained from the daily routine
of his labors. In distinction from those
whom they thus condemn, these latter
NAV be called "boCkless" farmers, whose
meadows raise more "daises" than
''timothy," and whose fences are hedge
rows. They buy few books and read
less than they buy. They take one news
paper, which they value only because it
furnishes story once week, short and
simple enough for their meager compre-
henSiOn. Their knowledge of affairs and
their stock of daily wisdom is only that
which is supplied by the current gossip
of saloons, stores and livery stables.
One may take an inventory of this class
of her farmers and learn thereby an eX-
PLANTATION why Vermont would tolerate
within her borders such n gathering of
fools as was our last Legislature. They
are not native to her soil. They have
come with the blizzard and potato bee
tie, and like the latter, remains to blight
and destroy her former greatness.
From a report to the Rutland Herald
of the farmers meetings we copy: ThOs.
L. BrOwnell of North Pownal was chair
man and d. Thomas Bates secretary.
William Chaplin of Middlesex delivered
an address on Farming for Profit He
held that there was great profit to be
made from maple sugar if it were pre-
pared in careful manner and put up in
attractive packages, claiming that it
would sell for ten cents a pound and the
cost of making it would not exceed four
and one-half to six cents a pound. He
also dwelt upon the value of the day
crop and pastures. By keeping the best
breed of cows and giving them proper
care, farmers could make profit of $50
to $50 year from each COW. Good
profit could be made, he said, from rails
ing horses; and poultry could be made
profitable sources of income as well as
Sheep raising. In the afternoon G. A.
Mills. of the Massachusetts, Board of Ag-
riculture spoke on Farm Management"
He said the first thing was to study the
North Adams market, as that was
where the Pownal farmers expected to
sell their products. Thursday evening
Prof. Cooke of Burlington spoke on
milk and Its Care