The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-01-22

WITH MEMBERS OF THE STATE BOARD OF
AGRICULTURE.
Well-attended farmers institutes
have been held at East Barre and
at East Montpelier during the past
week under the direction of the State
Board of Agriculture that must have
been productive of good results, and
surely have awakened new interest in
the subjects discussed. The farmers
wives have responded in large num-
bers to the especial invitation extended
to them to attend, and have been in
terested spectators and listeners.
At each of these institutes substan-
TALLY the same programme has been
carried out. A representative of the
WATCHMAN attended the one held at
East Montpelier last Thursday after
noon, and would gladly have remained
during the two days. sessions. The adj
dress of welcome at East Montpelier
Thursday morning was given by DIR.
talk on Sanitary Care of Cattle in Its
Relation to Tuberculosis" by G. M.
Winslow of Brandon, secretary of the
State Board. The reporter was not
present at the morning session, but
in conversation with several of the
farmers who heard Mr.. Winslow it was
learned that the subject has a peculiar
interest to them and that not word of
the speakers address was lost upon
them, although, naturally, some of
them were not prepared to endorse all
that was said.
In conversation with Mr.. Winslow on
the subject, before the afternoon sea-
sion, in response to several inquiries put
to him by the newspaper man Mr..
Winslow said: "All that is needed to
convert community to the importance
of this subject is to kill few affected
cows, and let the farmers see the actual
condition of diseased COW. / believe
it is we'll that we passed the law we
did last fall, for New Hampshire, close
to us, has no legal protection against
this disease, which is spreading in that
state. l am sure that 1000 expended
In Vermont this year will be worth
l.
had to take back some things that /
have formerly said in regard to this dis
ease. l used to think that it had been
in this country for a great many years,
but the more l see of it the more am
convinced that it is not more than six
or eight years old. believe if it had
been with us for generation many
herds would have been 80 affected by
it that their owners would have been
obliged to withdraw from the butter or
milk business"
Thursday afternoons session at East
Montpelier was opened by Hon. H. W.
Vail of Pomfret on 4" Breeding and Care
of the Dairy Cow" Himself one of
the most extensive breeders in the
state, and owner of one of the largest
farms in Windsor county, Mr.. Wallis
words naturally carried much weight.
He said that the dairy COW is said to
be machine, and that we in Vermont
have the facilities for doing the very
best work in dairying and getting the
most possible out of our machines. II
has been found at the Experiment
Station and by private individuals that
one COW will give twice as much milk
as another on the same feed. The av.
erage butter record of Vermont COWS is
1855 pounds, which seems very low
when many cows make 300 and 40C
pounds, and some even higher, and
some of our farmers must be doing
pretty poor work to keep the average
30 low. The practical question is, How
can we improve the average dairy COW
of Vermont?
Mr.. Vail said the milk quality was