Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-02-08
WESTMINSTER WEST.
The Agricultural Meeting.

uC HSIlCulbbI az "CCNulS'
The attendance upon the farmers
meeting here Monday evening and
Tuesday was much diminished by rea-
son of the very unfavOTable weather.
But all the advertised speakers were
present and a fair number of people.
The topics presented were not, in
every case, such as had been assigned,
but all were of practical importance to
the farmer and were treated in an in
teresting way. Mr.. Aitken of Wood
stock. himself a breeder of sheep, pre-.
scented that branch of the farming
industry as one that can be made to
pay well and as involving much less
continuous labor than the dairy. The
raising of wool alone, he said, could
not be done to a profit in Vermont,
but by looking to the production of
mutton as well, it may be made a good
paying business. He advocated the
keeping of sheep of the Southdown
type and said that no country in the
world could raise better sheep than
the state of Vermont. Prof Hills of
Burlington spoke of the great impor-
lance to the individual dairyman in
applying the Babcock test to weed
out the poor COWS from his herd.
This, he said, is the only known means
for telling with absolute certainty the
animals that are kept at a loss, and
many farmers are retaining just such
COWS, which may look well and give
a good quantity of milk, but do no.
yield sufficient butter.
Mr. c. F. Smith of Morrisville gave
very interesting talk upon his meth
cd of farming which is proving very
successful. He employs clover large
ly to give fertility to his land, and a
short rotation of crops, and does not
make much use of commercial fertili-
zers He claimed that his method is
much more successful in giving good
profit. He answered a great many
questions put to him in a way that
showed he was perfectly familiar
with the business.
Mr. j. f. Gale of Guilford spoke
upon business methods in farming ad.
vocating the keeping of an account,
buying for cash as far as possible,
looking after fences in season. and in
general, hustling as all other business
people do who succeed. Secretary
Bell told about his experiences in tn
berculosis, and urged the great impor-
lance of applying the test to all sus-
pected cows, and to all imported cat
tie. Col. Brigham gave a practical
talk to the boys, full of good sense
and good advice. In the evening Of
Tuesday Mr. Bell talked of farm ma
chinery, comparing the advantage of
the new over the old, and Col Brig
ham made an address which was lis
tened to with great interest by the
company present. II seems pity
that the meeting should have encoun-
tered the worst storm of the season.
Deacon Buxton. who has been i'll SO
long. has manifestly failed within the
past few weeks
A free dinner and supper was fur
nished by the ladies of the place for
all who attended the farmers meeting
Tuesday.
f. J. Houghton is confined to the
house by an outbreak of erysipelas
upon his face. 1t seems now to be
under control.
H. E. Hastings, who rolls our side
walks, encountered a big drift in
front of the parsonage, and, in at
tempting to drive through, was pitch
ed headlong into it from his roller.
Two OF the lecturers WHO went
down to Putney to take the morning
train for Brattleboro, after battling
with the snow drifts and being buffet
ed by the wind, had the pleasure of
seeing the train pull out just as they
got in sight.
1t is understood that the teachers
and people of the north district are
to give an entertainment next week
in the town hall, the proceeds Of which
are to go to swell the water supply
fund which has been started to fur
nish running water at the school
house.
On Tuesday evening at the resi-
dence of Deacon H. p Ranney, the
brides uncle, Mr. Amasa A. Fuller of
Warren was married to Miss Clara
L., daughter of Deacon Otis F. Buxton,
They remain a few days, after which
they go to reside in Warren, where
Mr.. Fuller is the owner Of large
farm.
The road leading west from the vii
lage was well blocked up Tuesday
morning. Road Commissioner Butter
field prudently went around in coming
down to the farmers meeting. Hugh
Goodell succeeded in getting through,
but at the expense of breaking his
sleigh. In other places the drifts
We're not very bad, and were kept open
during the day.