St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1903-12-23
State Agricultural rleetings.
Interesting Sessions at Danviile and
Peacham.

Peachnm.
A meeting of the State Board ofAgri-
culture took place at the Town Hall at
Danville Wednesday OF last week. The
weather was very cold and consequently
there was not as large an attendance as
was hoped for. The morning session
opened at haltpast ten with c. ]. Bell,
secretary of the Board of Agriculture, as
chairman. Hon. c. D. Brainerd deliver
ed the address of welcome, very cordially
welcoming the visiting speakers. Mr..
Bell then said they had nothing especial
ly new to bring to the people of Danville,
but that rather they wished to encourage
them in their work. He said to gain
success in farming, as in other business,
one must understand it thoroughly.
P.of. Gowell of the state Agricultural
College oil Orono, Maine, was the main
speaker of the morning and talked on
The Dairy Cow" and gave much val
liable information. He said that in
Maine, for milking, they are using nearly
altogether grade Jersey cows, breeding
the imported Jersey with the old New
England stock. They make strong
healthy cows, excellent for giving milk.
In bis talk he referred to the Island Of
Jersey tor an example in the breeding oil
cows. There the farmers cooperate to-
gether in breeding high grade cows and
so get results that they could not attain
-as in individuals. Mr.. Gowel also
spoke for short time on hens and
said he thought the keeping of hens
profitable industry for the people OF
limited means. He gave his own ex.
perierce in the raising aud care OF hens
which was very helpful. He tested his
hens by nests so arranged that when a
hen went on the nest to lay she shuts
herself in; having thus ascertained the
laying capacity of each hen be disposed
of the Improbable ones and now has 40
hens each laying 210 eggs in a year.
Ernest Hitchcock was the first speaker
OF the afternoon and his topic was
Foods for the Dairy Cow" He said he
used to talk ABOUT the put chase of feed
and think that, the most important
point TO consider, but he has changed his
mind in regard to it. Though he would
withdraw no emphasis from the import
ance of buy ing right yet the point where
one needs to give best thought is on
what he is going to raise the farm end
rather than the market end makes the
success. He asked the question What
is the part played by the dairy COW 2"
1t is simply TO market crops. Looking
at it IRON that standpoint the most i'm
portant subject is what shall we feed the
COW? The land is the foundation OF the
whole. The past two years have been
hard, vet some farmers have produced
good crops OF corn. The hard years
show the reason why some succeed
when others fail, because those who
have the correct system are able to tide
over a drouth or meet Other difficulties.
Isn't it worth while for every farmer to
learn the right systems? He said cows
must have the elements in their TODD
which are ecessary to support tissues
| of body and Tor making the product, and
that we hear a great deal about bal
anced ration. He then explained what
balanced ration is. He said there is no
such thing as an absolute balanced ra-
ton for universal use. Cows differ and
circumstances differ, making the needs OF
the individual dairy different. He said
study for ourself what your cows need,
what is most profitable for you to feed
them. One can learn much from the ex'
perience of others then vary it to meet
their own Mt eds. One can iced their COW
too economically and there is also pos
sibility OF feeding beyond profit. She
must have enough to support her tissues,
etc., and to keep her in normal condition
and then there must be surplus-as the
profit comes from the surplus, but there
is highest point OF net profit which one
must look out for and not fe, d beyond.
In his Judgment the corner stone of ra-
tons Tor Vermont dairymen is the corn
crop and silo, considering quantity and
quality for an equal expenditure oil
money.
The corn used through the si'o makes
product the nearest like June grass
one can produce. The best means Of
handling the corn crop is through the
silo, as soured, it has the important ele
ment OF succulerce.' He also emphasized
the Importance of the clover crop. One
advantage, besides being good feed for
the COW, is that it leaves the land in
good condition, the roots of the clover
retaining nitrogen.
II necessary to buy additional feed buy
something that has the protein element
in it strong, and that you find in this
by-products. How much you need de
ponds on cows. Use it just to the extent
it is profitable. TIE dollar the farmer
is ter is the dollar above cost. Sc
use.that dollar that it will iced your cat
tie and at the same time fertil re your
land. Let the increase of one increase
the other.
Pref. ZONES of Burlington gave mos
interesting and instructive talk on How
plants grow" He said ut is necessary
for the highest success to know how {
plant or animal lives and gave as thu
reason why our farmers are succeeding
better with animals than plants tina
they understand them better-understan
their needs and learn how to care 70
them. Plants exist Tor two purposes
nutrition and reproduction, and if w
are to help them we must under is ant
the laws OF nutrition and reproduction.
In regard to the food for plants he SAT-
it is just as necessary that they SHOULD
have balanced ration as it is for tn
cows-that if too large proportion OF |
certain material is supplied them tn
amount over the right proportion /
wasted.
Taking the potato for example whicl
is compos, d OF 80 per cent water, 20 pc
cent OF dry matter, 10 per cent OF whic
is starch. II there is too much waite