Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-02-26

maple sugar to the great injury to the
sale of the genuine article, as it destroys all
confidence in the market. If no sugar was
adulterated and all of Vermonts product
could find good customers, millions of dol
lars would be added to our annual income.
Mr.. Bell advocated rapidity of evaporat-
ing sap, covered buckets, metallic spOuts,
settling syrup rather than straining, clean
packages, well Grated in convenient form
for handling. He settles syrup by pouring
pint or so of cold sap in a small stream
into the centre of pailful of hot syrup
and does this in preference to the slow
process of straining through felt. He uses
cedar buckets, painted red inside and out,
with covers of painted bass wood.
The Vermont Maple Sugar Makers asso-
citation advocates the formation of a stock
company, with $50, 900 capital stock, to re-
ceive and market all maple products of the
state under a protected trade mark. The
discussion which followed showed much
progressive interest.
II. w. Vail on Dairy Stock.
Hon. II. w. Vail of Pomfret then spoke
upon 1.-THE Improvement of dairy stock"
This should be the watchword of darying,
as a good COW is the first essential to the
business. The future call for Vermont
dairy stock will be great, and the supply of
good cows is not now equal to the demand
of the city markets. The value of the extra
good COW Mr.. Vail demonstrated to be 100
per cent greater than that of the ordinary
one, as feed, taxes and care are the same,
and the net profit double. The greatest
profits are from the greatest producing
cows. Development of the milking quail
ties does not shorten the life or weaken
the constitution of the COW, but merely di-
reefs through other channels of animal
economy the natural vital forces. 1t is
easier to revert than progress. Cows were
formerly bred for beef until udder develop
ment are nearly lost and much work in an
opposite direction was necessary for i'm
| proving dairy stock. Test feeding i'm
proves rather than Injuries cows, and set
ties and develops their capacity. 1t is a
rule of political economy that the price of
all products tends to work down toward
the cost of production, yet there is some
profit in dairying even in these hard times,
as feeds are low and profits will go as far,
except for debts, as greater profits would
10 years ago. Mr.. Vail prefers Jerseys,
and thinks grades better than thorough
breds for the ordinary farmer.
The discussion brought out good points
regarding feed. The meeting was adjourn
ed to l 80 p NJ.
J. Il. Curtis on Grass Culture.
The afternoon session opened with
soprano solo by Miss Jennie Goodenough.
j. X. Curtis of Georgia then presented a
thoughtful and valuable address on "Grass
culture" saying that grass is the main
crop of Vermont the soil and climate be-
ing especially adapted to its growth. Our
farmers depend very largely upon it for
their success. The average yield is but
one ton to the acre, and should be double
that amount. Barns might be so construct
ed as to save large quantities of fertility
now wasted. This line of progress is be-
ing worked up, and tends to greatly in
crease our grass crop. The grass lands of
the Champlain valley have been abused by
continual sale of hay and need fertilizlng
and reseedng. Many good farmers are
now seeding with grass in the corn field
with excellent results, level culture of
course being necessary.
Hay should be cut early, June 20 being
none too soon to begin. More care is need
ed in curing than when cut later. Glover
is most valuable as a forage crop and
should be cut when in bloom; herds grass
as soon as it begins to head out. The ted
der should be used freely, and hay put in
the best shape possible.
Opinions were brought out in the ensu-
ing discussion to the effect that hay is best
before the seed natures that clover should
be cured in the cock to prevent the leaves
falling off; that commercial fertilizers may
proftably be used in grass seeding, and in
top dressing grass lands.
]. o. Sanford on Dairy Management.
Hon. j. o. Sanford of Stamford was
next introduced as a successful self.made
Vermont farmer, who would impart the
result of valuable experience in the man
agement of the dairy farm. An unusual
ly able address followed, in which Mr.. San
ford said that dairying is about the only
industry left to Vermonters, but that is
still lucrative business. He cited an in
stance where a Vermont woman is man
aging 44-cow farm at net annual profit
of S2400 from milk sold to a creamery,
demonstrating the success of dairying if
carried on in a business-like way. The
speaker alluded to the ruthless destruction
of our Vermont forests, and is glad to see
that lumbermen are now leaving the small
er growth to grow up when clearing off
lots. The farm forest should be carefully
perpetuated as it furnishes frewood, lum-
Der and the sugar camp. Old trees should
be culled out and the younger ones left to
grow. Much pasture is waste land and
where of little value for feeding should be
allowed to grow up to trees. Pastures
should be fed short in the early season, or
they will be of little value later, and weeds
and brush will soon choke out the grass.
Feed the good pasture well, but fence off
the waste land and let it grow up. Ar
range for butternut orchard, or grow
walnuts or chestnuts. Timber and fruit
will both be valuable in few years.
Clover and corn are the cheapest forage
crops. The latter should be cut, ears and
ALL into the silo, where it makes the best
of dairy food. Oats and peas sown to-
gether in the proportion of two bushels of
oats to one of peas make a good dairy
food. Cut early if the oats lodge; they
will come up and furnish a second crop if
cut before headed out. Glover improves
the land and is the most valuable grass
crop.
Science points ont the need of better
barns. Thousands of RECONSTRUCTED sta
bles are wasting hundreds of thousands of
dollars. We buy 100000 worth of ferti-
izeTs annually, and waste five times as
much of the same chemical elements.
Ideas were brought out in the discussion
following to the effect that flint corn is
more profitable for the silo than dent corn,
as it natures better and makes a less wa
terry and more nutritive fodder, the San
ford corn being especially recommend d.