Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-10-22
GRAND ISLE FARMERS.
First Fall Mcrtin Oft the state Beard OF
agriculture.


pre.ides gave tho opening address in which
ho alluded to the first board meeting in this
county Is years ago where the full board
was all present ard the audience consisted
of four. These brought fruit apples and
pears aud exhibited them as fruits of these
islands. and the speaker made some
interesting comparisons, between the
past and present exhibits. Mr.. Cor
don said that it entirely unnec-
essary to tell the board they were welcome
on this island for all the older members
knew they Were.
Mr.. Chaplin in reply, gave short history
of the workings of the boafd and said we
were now of age. being past 81 years old.
That 46 men before hal travelled the State
and exhausted every subject. but he was
happy to say that the speaker, this evening
would have an entire new uhject, the at
fractions of Vermont.
Mr. Sanford from Bennington county was
the first speaker his subj ct beies Main
tanning the fertility of the farm Mr..
Sanford said: 1t is evident that i'll a
ajOrlty of cases our farms are growing
poorer little 10y little every yenr aud that he
attributes the cause TO the way they have
been managed in the last - years. Our
land was originally filled with fertility, no
state ever possessed better natural soil.
Our fathers had no other idea of farming
than to clear the land and gather in the
large crops the then virgin soil would pro-
duce. This same method prevails in the
West to-day and in the older western states
they now lament the burning of their straw
and other equally destructive practice Mr..
Sanford advises; More intense Turning
some of the poorer pastures should grow up
| TO md IN tnrnpl tD
ture. The modern progressive farmer will
have less land on which to raise the same
| crops he now raSes--less fen more wood
land: thinks every acre should be made to
cut two crops of hay of at least three tons.
The system of building barns where the
drainage would run away from them was
AL right for the time, but now they are
built to hold all the dropping both liquid
and solid-6O per cent of the value of this
manure is in the liquid. The love of own
ing more land born in us and we need
to be rid OF it-less land and better cultiva-
ton is what we want. 1t Is too expensive to
run over large area to gather crop
which can be grown on smaller area.
Think the prospects for farmers more on
couraging. The consumers increasing
faster than the producers and 90 per cent of
our farm products are consumed at home.
Immediately put on; would recommend
sowing rye on corn or potato land even if
it is to be plowed under in spring
In answer to question by Mr.. Edward
Gordon, Dir. Sanford said he would SOW rye
and grass seed as late now and clover
early in spriug-though clover the most
/ important crop a farmer can raise--it is
good renovntor of the soil and good natural
! feed for cows
Mr.. Vail of the board-Have sown clover
in corn as late September with good re-
suits but it is not safe to do So Rye for
fodder needs to he cut young, soon as the
head can be seen. Sown in August it will
! be fit to cut in May
| Prof. Cooke-We have eight acres OF rye
sown among the corn August %, all looking
well; part was cultivated in and part not;
shall feed next May and pow same land for
corn. Narrowing and rolling young rye or
oats will put back the ripening of the grain
about two weeks aud MAKE thicker growth.
| j. A. Chamberlain II soil on this island
is mostly heavy clay an heaves with frost,
killing clover to "A greater or less extent.
FARM BUILDINGS
Mr.. Vail delivered an address on farm
buildings, saying in part: | believe with a
more intense farming this island could he
made to keep u COW to the acre. Barns
should be built to insure warmth and com
fort to animals and save all the fertilizer.
No one can afford to keep poor stock or
keep stock poor. The most complaint comes
from the farmers with poor stock and a
wasteful handling of the manures.
Farm buildings should be built so as to
look as attractive as possible and all money
put onto them considered as an investment
Mr.. Vail illustrated his lecture with draw
ings Of different farm barns aud advised a
barn built on side hill with an elevated
road way, thus iDsuring economy in haul
| ing and unloading hay as well Conven lent
| stabing and manure cellar in sub basement.
At the Thursday morning session Mr..
Chaplin read paper on farming as a prof
fesson, in which he took up the following
thoughts and spoke at some length.
IA natural occupation and most useful
and honorable.
Food, the first necessity for man and
animals-ten times as much of our food
comes from land as from the sea
He spoke of the fertility of our soil and
gave an instance where farmer in Ber in
husked over 200 bushels Of sound corn from
10 rods Of ground which had been cultivated
for ensilage corn.
Judge Miller of North Pomfret was the
next speaker, who said that he came to the
meeting because Grand Isle county was one
OF two counties that he had never visited
He was well pleased with the county, and
wondered somewhat why the board cam,
here to teach or DO fought, but concluded il
was TO gain Instructions to carry them
through the winter. lie advises the organ.
i2ing of farmers club and gave a short
history of the one in Pomfret.
''ATTRACTIONS or VERMONT
At the evening session Mr. Spear had 70,
his subject. The attractions of Vermont ;
and he was listened 10 with marked ntten
tion. Tie subject was new for an egricut
tural meeting, be said but if the towns haC
kept their money at home Indebtedness
would have almost been unknown and mort
cages would not have been found on ou1
records. Our management has done muci
to embarrass our farmers We have quiet
y listened to the attractions of the newer
States and sent our money there, followed
little utter by many of our sons and daugn
l tiers when II that capital had been kept a
ha