Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-10-02
STAiE AGRICULTURAL
EXPERIMENT STATION, ;
BURLINGTON, VT, 1898. J

Bulletin No.S. Newspaper Bulletin No. TO-
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR-PART 1.
q The present report covers the work of
the station from Jan. to Dec. 81, 1892,
though part Of the work in the test of
corn fodder and ensilage extended into
the year 1898. The financial report COW
ers the year ending June 80, 1892.
Publications.
During the year four bulletins have
been issued as follows:
January-No. 81. Tests of Dairy APP
paratus.
April-No. %. Plant Diseases.
1. Potato Blight and Rot.
Q. A New Potato Disease.
3. Potato Scab.
4. Apple and Pear Scab.
8. Dat Smut.
May-No. 90. Analyses of Licensed
Fertilizers.
June-No. 80. The Results of the
Bounty ON Maple Sugar.
Changes In Station Staff and Equipment.
Few changes have taken place in the
working force during the year. Mr.. G.
". Minott resigned his position as hor-
ficulturist of the station. Mr.. D. D.
Howe of Brookfeld, VT, has become the
farm superintendent and Mr.. E. Fl.
Powell the treasurer of the station.
During 1899 the equipment of the station
was increased by the addition of 30 acres
to the farm for a pasture. It also be-
came necessary to build an addition to
the creamery to accommodate the stu
dents of the dairy school.
The Work of the Year.
There has been no notable change in
the character of the work the past year
from that of previous years. Most of
the lines of investigation can be grouped
under the headings, Fertilizer Control, Pig
Feeding, Plant Diseases and Their Rene
dies and Dairying, in the broadcast sense
of this latter term. The results obtained
In these several lines will be very briefly
sketched in the following report:
Fertilizer Control.
AS required by law, this station has
made analyses during the year of the
various brands licensed for sale in this
state. The results have shown that the
farmer has obtained plant food in the
fertilizers at about the same price as dur
ing the previous year. All of the fertili-
zers have been up to their guarantees.
A comparison has been instituted be-
tween the results Of the fertilizer inspec-
ton in Vermont for the years 1885 to
1893 inclusive. Some very interesting
facts are brought to light. The retail |
price of fertilizers has dropped steadily
during these nine years from $3.50 in
1885 to $32 80 in 1898, or fall of $5.5S. |
1t the same time the composition of the |
fertilizers has somewhat improved. |
10
ing the years 1888, and 1889, since which |
there has been a falling off in quality.
but the average goods in 1898 are worth |
about $1.50 ton more than the goods Of |
1885.
1t is evident then that the farmer at |
the present time is getting more plant
food for his money than he was eight |
years ago. A dollar in 1898 bought as
much plant food as 1924 in 1885. On |
the aggregate fertilizer business of the |
state this amounts, to, a large sum, It |
means that the farmers of this state are
saving $50, 900 yearly from what the same
fertilizers would have cost in 1885. Many |
have com bined to produce this |
result, and there is no doubt but that |
the work of the station in sampling, |
Analysing and publishing the results
broadcast over the state has been one of !
these influences, and by no means the |
least.
Pig Feeding.
The work III pig feeding during the /
past year has been continuation of that |
of previous years, the general idea being /
to ascertain the best and most econom-
ical way of using the ski1nmilk from the
dairy for the production of pork. The
experiments conducted seem to show
that the sour skimmilk produced just as
good results, pound for pound, as sweet
skimmilk. Where there was any differ
ence, it was in favor of sour skimmilk.
This corresponds with the results OBJ
tanned in similar investigation a year
ago and seems to indicate that the farm
ers need not be afraid that they are los
ing money every time the milk sours on
the way home from the creamery, and
creamery men need not go to any ex-
pense or trouble to so handle the skim
milk as to sterilize it and keep it sweet.
Two ounces of cornmeal to each quart
of skimmilk has yielded the pound of
pork at the least cost of food. a larger
amount of cornmeal has produced
more rapid growth, but at an increased
cost for food for each pound of pork
above its market value.
During heavy feeding in preparation
for market, IL quarts of skimmilk daily
to each pig, with all the cornmeal that
would be eaten, produced more rapid
growth and at less cost per pound than
six quarts of milk under similar condi-
tionsI
A method Of feeding during the earlier
months which tends to the development
of bone, muscle and digestive organs.
rather than the formation of fat, pro-
vides a foundation on which greater