Morning journal and courier., 1891-12-18
THE FARMERS, CONVENTION.

xA.~AhA-A A Word About Bacteria and other
 Interesting subjects from pr. Conn
 and Professor Brewer, and a Word
 About the Weather Bureau and
 Peach Culture.
 Among the features of the Wednesdays session of the state board of agriculture in New Britain were the addresses of Dr. H. W. Conn and of Professor Brewer.
 Dr. Conn of the state experiment station gave an interesting talk upon ''Some of the Uses of Bacteria" Bacteria do not inter est medical men exclusively, but should interest the farmer as we'll. He first ex- plained the growth and purposes of the yeast plant, in creating carbonic acid and alcohol, one useful in bread making, the other in the manufacture of wine, while in beers both are used. Bacteria growing on the surface of hard cider are what converts it into vinegar. Lactic acid is made from milk only by the aid of bacteria.
 In the matter of ensilage, to secure good sweet ensilage, bacteria growth must be managed properly, otherwise it will mould and decay. As far as milk is concerned bacteria is nuisance, causing it to sour, turn blue, etc., but in butter making the bacteria are useful. The ripening of cream is the result of a very rapid growth of bac- teria. and this ripening process is what aids in quick churning and adds to the aroma of the butter. It is all process of decomposition, but if cream is left to stand too long the decomposition goes too far and the quality of the butter is in jured. In cheese-making it is the growth of bacteria that ripens and adds to the quality of the cheese, making old cheese much higher favored than new. We have learned to plant yeast in our bread, wine and beer, but have not bacteria growths in our milk and cream, and thus make just such cheese and but ter as we want There are now some 500 species of bacteria known that create various flavors and odors, and it is hoped that the experiment station will in time be able to tell the farmers just what to plant in their milk to get any special favored cheese. As scavongers, bacteria growth are useful, as it is by their aid alone that the decomposition of dead trees, plants and animal life takes place and finally returns them to earth from which they came. Otherwise the &C., emulation of these things for centuries would leave little room te anything else. The agency of bacteria in plant life is what enables plants and animals to use the same food over and over again, and thus nature is perpetual except to 8 small de- gree-that which drifts to the ocean and is lost forever. The earth is full of all ele-
 oe ,;@ source of this supply is limited, and the plant-life of the world would die if it could not be got from the air. Experi ments begin to show that plants of the pea family, beans, clover, etc, aided by bacteria, are enabled to absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere and return it to the soil.
 Professor Brewer, at the close of Dr. Conn's talk, said he believed the time was coming when the farmer would appreciate the value of the various species of bacteria as we'll as they now do the species of plants they grow. All the great brownies now keep all expert to take charge of the pro- pagation of the proper bacteria in their yeast. The commercial compressed yeast of to day is the result of 8 careful culture of the yeast plant. The flavor of tobacco can be change and improved by the right culture of bacteria in it. The texture of Connecticut tobacco is the best in the world, and there is fair prospect that the use of this knowledge may within few years enable us to make the quality equal to the best grown in Cuba by inoculating it with the bacteria found in the tobacco there.
 Professor Smith, in short talk regard ing the work of the United States weather bureau, said the department wanted 8 number of voluntary observers and re- porters. There are now 16O stations in the country which report twice daily, and 1,700 volunteer stations that report once a month. There are twenty-two of these re- porters in Connecticut, but others are wanted in North Holland, Litchfeld and Fairfield counties, and they also want crop correspondents in every town in the state The Old Colony and New York and New England Railroad companies have agreed to carry daily flags indicating the weather, and the department expects the next season to send out post warnings all over New En- gland. The Southern New England Tele- phone company will also circulate this information and will display flags at all their offices if poles and flags are furnished by localities interested. Professor Smith will visit any grange or farmers club in the SUdlc duo Gdlh upOu Guc SuUJSCU Ol Gl6 weather bureau and it's value to agricul- Boston.
 Among those present were, in addition to those noted before:
 Professor William H. Brewer, New Haven; H. A. Potter, North Haven; Harry Sedgwick and wife, Cornwall w. R. Sis sions and wife, Boston; J. B. Olcott and wife, Manchester; Levi Yale, Meridan; Robert Eaton, North Haven; George Doug lass, Collinsville; s. M. Wells, Wethers- field; John Webster, Berlin; William G. French, Watertown; Fred Norton, Southington; Edward Manchester, Win sted; Professor L. P. Chamberlain, Storrs; Q: S.. Wood, Ellington; Clayton Grant, Mapping; Dairy Commissioner Winslow, Taylor, Westport; w. F. Andross, South Windsor; A. Wetmore, Litchfeld; Mrs. J. P. Bacon, Danbury; Timothy Sedgwick and wife, West Hartford.
 An audience of more than 500 of the best farmers of the state greeted ex-Gov- ernor w. D. Hoard of Wisconsin and list ened most attentively for two hours to his talk upon "The Breeding, Handling and Feeding of the Dairy Cow,' and for nearly two hours more questioned him about the various phases of the subject.
 Other interesting features of the sessions of the board are appended as follows:
 J. H. Hale spoke of "Fruit Culture" in Connecticut" showing our advantage over what are considered more favored sections of the country.
 Discussion on fruit culture followed. James Hoyt of New Canaan spoke in favor of co-operage cold-storage warehouses for fruits, claiming they were an aid to the small farmer
 MT. White and Rev. MT. Much of New Jersey spoke on quince culture.
 Secretary Gold made the announcement that within the past year death had taken a very large number of active or former members of the board of agriculture. The list is as follows: The Rev. William Gifts of Mystic, The Hon. Albert Day of Brook lyn, Ralph w. Robinson of Hampton, Dr. Joseph w. Alsop of Middletown. The