Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-02-10
FARMERS MEETINGS.
rhc state Board of Agriculture
AT BRATTLBBoRo AND SO. LON
DONDERRY.
Report of the BrOttIebOro Meeting.


The farmers institute opened yesterday
morning at the town hall under the direc-
tion of the state board of agriculture.
The day sessions were well attended and
in the evening large audience was pres
emf. Geo. w. Pierce was elected chair
man at the morning meeting and gave an
address of welcome. He alluded to the
progress which agriculture had made and
Showed the necessity for the education of
fine farmer under the new conditions of
things He brought up many good points
in a clear and forcible manner.
The first paper presented was by d. e.
Tasker upon "Poultry raising" He said
that, for the capital invested, no farm
stock pays so well as poultry, properly
cared for. He called attention to the great
value of the poultry and egg products in
the United States, asserting that though
statistics are incomplete, they represent as
great value as any other one product.
The chen business" has been much ignor-
ed The number of those who engage in
the business is increasing, but those who
have made it a success are in the small
minority. 1t is no child's play. 1t means
hard work. Most people make the mis-
take of trying to keep too many hens at
first. If you cannot make a few pay, you
certainly need no more He said that his
experience had led him to believe that
chickens should be Matched early in the
spring, preferably in April, and kept grow
ing until matured, being fed with the right
kind of nourishing food. Mr.. Tasker
gave his ideas as to the best feed for chicks
and hens and outlined methods for their
proper care. He described an excellent ar
arngement for hen-house and gave much
valuabl information bearing upon the sub
ject.
Prof j. c. Hills followed with a very
instructive talk upon "Milk testing" A
test, he said, to be of practical use for
farmers must be accurate, cheap, simple
and rapid Not until 1890 was such test
discovered, when the Vermont and Wis
consin stations brought out method sim
ultaneously. The latter, known as the
Babcock system, has come most generally
into use. A complete apparatus of small
size can be bought for SO, and 800 tests can
be made for 81; II to 40 tests can be made
in an hour, and anybody can learn to con-
duct them accurately.
Since milk from the same COW or herd
will be of different quality on different
days, the best way is to secure composite
samples, that is, sample from milking
each day. to be tested at the end of week.
If the milk sours, powdered lye can be
added.
Testing milk at creamery makes fair
basis for payment, checks dishonesty and
checks wastes. The quantity often thrown
away in skim milk is enormous and the
test will show what 1t is. We should have
knowledge of dairy animals, know the
quantity and kind of milk. He said that
the average butter yield in Vermont is only
140 pounds per year, while the poorest COW
at the experiment station has a record OF
241 pounds, which is so low that she will
not be kept. This showed the importance
of knowledge of our stock.
The speaker then illustrated his remarks
by testing two samples of milk by the Bah
cock system. Equal known quantities OF
the milk and strong oil of vitrol were run
into glass bottle with a graduated neck
and mixed. The milk turned dark brown
the curd was dissolved, the fat melted and
heat was caused by the union of the acid
and water The bottle was then whired
in the centrifugal machine for five minutes
hot water was added to raise the fat to the
neck of the bottle and the column of melted
fat read against the scale on the neck which
showed direct the per cent of fat present
Prof. Hills was kept busy half hour aftel
the session answering questions.
Thursday Afternoon.
The afternoon session was one of inter
est. There were two addresses and a very
general discussion followed each. H. w
Vale of Pomfret spoke on Modern de
yelOpments of butter making" Formerl!
butter making was not a science, though
good results were often obtained. One COW
was considered about as good as another
women did most of the work. the milk wa
set in earthen dishes, the up and dow
churn was in use, the butter was Target,
put down in tubs. Lately, however, th-r
has been a great development. The set
ting OF milk in fiat pans was IL lvO atel II
order to better control its temperature
Then came the deep cold setting. wher
the cream was dipped off the top an | nov
there is the extractor. At present Tin
plain swing or revolving churn, wthOu
paddles, is thought the best. Butter is pm
up in air-tight packages, and, owing u
cold storage, can be sold fresh on the mar
ket, Associate dairying has come abOut
where at one creamery FRANKLIN county
5000 pounds OF butter have been maj
in one day. Along with this development
tlrie his been good deal uf discussion
Tor example, the temperature discussion,
and the question a. TO the amount of sal
~ 't Vst'i all ! It's PllcCJ uJOll uulbti'
ls known now that the salt does not ente
into composition with the butter, but
held in solution in the form of brine
TA1 discussion was led by Mrs. Osca
Ware She reviewed sone of the olde
methods in a pleasant vein and referre
to the way farmers had opposed the dee
setting creamery system until test Ia
showed its superiority, and the old ques
ton as to whether butter should be wash
ed, She believed something was comm
out of the separator. She always salte
butter to suit customers. To get good but
tel we must go back to the milk, for any
thing wrong with the barn, COW or fee
will be noticed in the butter. She cite
an instance where feeding frosted ensilag
had lost premium on butter.
j. o. Sanford gave the second addreS
upon "The winter care of stock" II
cOntrasted the care given years ago with tn
better treatment of today and said th
change has been due to a change of opiI
ions. The main idea at that time was
keep the cattle alive until spring to be use
for beef or dairy purposes in the summe
But man was merciful then as now, for