Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1895-01-31
Board of Agriculture.
rleetings at Hyde Park, East Hard
wick, st. Johnsbury Center and
Norwich.

Tuesday, the 22d inst, and there
was hall well filled with the citizens
of this and adjoinining towns. The
topic of this session was "TubercuIo-
sis" by G. M. Winslow. The topic
proved of interest.
| The afternoon session was called at
l:30 o'clock, and the discussion con-
tinued until 2. Various opinions were
held in reference to the nature of the
disease and the proper means to adopt
with reference to it, all of which were
freely expressed.
AT o'clock, H. w. Vail, of the
board, gave talk upon the "Breed-
ing and Care of the Dairy Cow" He
gave brief statement of the result
secured in dairying in different locali-
ties, in some of which it was profit
able industry, in Others was probably
carried on at loss. Attributed this
difference in results mainly to two
causes:
|, The animals used for dairy pur-
poses.
2, The management of the animals.
To secure the animals fitted for the
the dairy there are two ways of pro-
ceeding, by breeding and by purchas-
ing. The first was the more common
and generally the best way of secur-
ing fine herd. But few men can
Judge the dairy animal with sufficient
certainty to make this mode satisfac-
tory. In breeding the dairy animal,
should discard other qualities and
breed for dairy qualities alone. There
is no general purpose COW. 1t is as
sensible to train a Norman or Clyde
horse for the race track as to try to
produce the dairy COW from the breeds
of cows that have been developed for
other qualities.
He recognized three breeds of cows
as dairy animals, the Jersey, Guernsey
and Ayrshire, and tho the two latter
breeds possessed many fine dairy quail
tiles, he considered the Jersey the best
butter COW. Sketched the early intro
duction of the Jersey to this country
and said that the advance made, and
the general use now made of the Jer-
sey in dairy sections, had come
about from the merits OF the animal
The present test of the dairy COW is
not her fancy points but the pounds Of
butter that can be produced from her.
Did not believe that the farmer of to-
day could afford to build up butter
herd from native stock by selections
Should take advantage of the centu-
ries of work which have been done by
others and use thoroughbred sires.
The phenomenal development Of the
dairy cow was no part of the legiti-
mate work of the dairymen and should
be left for experts in that line. Be-
lieved that COW, by continuous good
care and feed, could be improved in
production and that no bad results
would follow. Instanced the cows
used in the dairy test at Chicago, near
ly all of which were doing better work
now than before undergoing the great
pressure put upon them at that time, as
testimony showing that even crowd
ing COW to her best, under wise
management, improves rather than in
jures the animal. Had no sympathy
with the theory advanced in some
cases, that good care and feed had
made the animals of the country tu-
berculous. Did not think it time to
expose our animals to cold and sub
ject them to insufficient feed, with the
expectation of making them healthy.
Every COW has point of profitable
production, and feeding beyond this
point or below it does not produce the
greatest profit. Each dairyman must
determine for his own herd where this
point is. Passing to the care of the
dairy COW, said that this was matter
that required great study and only the
man who personally superintends his
dairy is likely to secure the best re-
suits.
The production of milk is nervous
function and is disturbed by very
slight causes. Usually new mixer
would fail to secure so good returns
as one to which the COW is accustomed.
Gave several illustrations of this
point. Called attention to the neces-
sity for the most kindly treatment of
the dairy COW, as matter dictated by
economic as well as moral reasons.
Every time COW is harshly treated
the owner has to suffer loss in milk
production.
Mr.. Wallis talk was followed by a
paper by Harrison Dodge of Norris
vile upon the management of the dali
~ COW. This paper was full of good
suggestions and only want of space
prevents an outline of it.
In the evening, EARN Horses" was
the subject of II. M. Arms, following
which ex-Gov. Page made few re-
marks calling attention to the MANY
men born in the small towns of Yer
mont who were occupying high po-
sitions. Said that Vermont's repre-
sentation in the United States Senate
by natives of the state was thirteen
times as large as its proportion by
population. Believed that a man to
succeed in any business should love It
and that work in his chosen calling
should be pleasure.
On Woduocdox