Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-08-18

the station from Jan. to Dec. 81, 1892,
though pat of the wor,; in the test Of
porn fodder and ensilage extended into
he year 1893 The financial report COW
'ers the year ending June 80, 1892.
Publications.
During the year four bulletins have
been issued as follows:
January--No. % Tests of Dairy Ar-
baratus.
.April-No. 2S. Plant Diseases.
1. Potato Blight and Rot.
2. \ New Potato Disease.
3. Potato Scab.
d. Apple and Pear Scab.
Is. Dat Smut.
May-No. 30. Analyses of Licensed
Fertilizers.
June-No. 30. The Results of the
Bounty on Maple Sugar.
Changes In station stan and Equipment.
Few changes haYe taken place in the
working force during the year, Mr.. c.
Nv. Minott re~igned his position as hor-
|iculturist of the station. Mr, D, D.
Howe of Drookfeld Vt, has become the
farm superintendent and Mr.. Z, H.
Powell the treasurer of the station.
During 1892 the equipment of the station
twas increased by the addition of 30 acres
ito the fam for a pasture. 1t 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 broadest 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 1870 in
/ 1885 to $32.32 in 1893, or fall Of sos
1t the same time the composition of the
fertilizers has somewhat improved.
There was decided Improvement dur
! 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 $3.50 a ton more than the goods of
|1SSj.
1t is evident then that the farmer at
I the present time is getting more plant
4 food for his money than he was eight
years ago. \ dollar in 1898 bought as
much plant food as 1924 in 1880. On
the aggregate fertilizer business of the
state this amounts to large sum. 1t
means that the farmers of this state are
saving S50. OOJ yearly from what the same
fertilizers would have cost in 1885. Many
i influences nave combined toproduce this
result, and there is no doubt but that
! the work of the station in sampling
analyzing ana publishing the results
broadcast over the state has been one OF
these influences, and by no means the
least.
Pig Feeding.
The work in pig feeding during the
I past year has been a continuation of that
of previous years, the general idea being
: to ascertain the best and most econom
f ical way of using the skimmilk from tn,
! dairy for the production of pork, The
experiments conducted seem to show
. that the sour skimmilk produced Just a,
good results, pound for pound, as swee
skimmilk. Where there was any differ
d ence, it was in favor of sour skimmilk
This corresponds with the results oh
+ tanned in a similar investigation yea
ago and seems to indicate that the farm
ers need not be afraid that they are los
| ing money every time the milk sours OF
F the way home from the creamery, anC
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.
of skimmilk has yielded the pound o
pork at the least cost of food. A large
amount of cornmeal has produced
more rapid growth, but at an increased
cost for food for each pound of porl
. above its market value.
During heavy feeding in preparation
for market, 10 quarts of skimmilk dali,
to each pig, with all the cornmeal tina
would be eaten, produced a more rapi
growth and at less cost per pound thai
six quarts Of milk under similar condi
lions.
A method cf feeding during the earle
months which tends to the development
of bone, muscle and digestive organs
rather than the formation of fat, pre-
vides a foundation on which create
profit will be made when heavy feedin
! begins in preparation for market. An
method of feeding which furnishes bulk
. food tends to the larger growth of til
stomach and intestines, and larger pc
cent in shrinkage in dressing. Water
. food has the same influence.
Tho aiorbt ~ cro in tbaca facto