Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-03-11
FARMERS WEEK
Three Addresses Monday Evening
at the First Meeting of Series.
President rfuci>hnn,, state Comm ssiOn-
or Of Agriculture Martin and III
rector Brooks of Mnssn cbusctts
Expc rimcnt station Speak.

The first annual Vermont farmers
week, held under tie Joint auspices of
the University OF Vermont and the
state commission of agriculture. was
auspiciously begun Monday evening. The
speakers were President buchanan, |
state Commissioner q. l.. Martin and |
| Director W. y. Brooks Of the Massa-
chusot's Experiment station.
President Buckham in q short adj
dress endcavorcd to formulate the ar
tumcnts of intelligent, reasoning |
farmers for and against the PROPOSE
tion of sending boys to the agricul-
tural college. He imagined that as
arguments against such a course IL
might be urged
% That agriculture Is a plain
mans occupation. largely dependent
on weather conditions. which cannot
be controlled and are not affected by
scientific work.
| CD That such n training may tend
to educate away from the farm.
CD That collegiate instruction
promises much but performs little;
that It docs not really turn out any
considerable numbers OF greatly i'm
proved farmers; that returns are not
commensurate with the sacrifices
made. such arguments doubtless due
to faulty reasoning. in many cases
at least are reasonable and not unduly
prejudiccd.
On the other hand It may he urged
ID That science is quite as capable of
developing wonders in agriculture as in
ether lines of human endeavor.
. 81 That to say that science bears no
relation to agriculture is to proclaim
ourselves g years behind the times. As
examples of such influence may be cited
the improved Louisiana sugar cane. the
corn breeding and improvement move
ment Of the middle West, and the Bab-
cock test.
go That the lihcralizing Of the farm
lie is quite necessary as that OF the
lawyer, doctor preacher merchant: that
the fact that some farmers boys are
drawn oitywards as result Of education
! is in its favor and serves to develop
J farm life.
3 Commissioner Martin read paper deal
Z ing With the bearing of agriculture on the
= prosperity Of the country as q whole
e He cited the proposed New England corn
4 and fruit shows Of next fall and the
$ possibilities Of an Agricultural survey OF
V the several New England States as ex-
= amplcs OF the new lines OF cooperative
/ work upon which it seemed wise to en-
4 ter for the bcttermcnt of New England
t agricultural conditions.
d The main address Of the evening. cop
o iously illustrated by lantern slides. was
n on Japan Farms and Farmers" hi
j rector Brooks lived for nearly !. wears
= In Japan, being connected with the agri-
= cultural college Of that country He gay,
V very vivid ana Interesting account Of
y lifc, manners and customs. He spoke OF
j. the uneven topography, its effect on ,hc
h stream flows. producing extreme varia-
S ton from torrent to dry bed of til.
n congestion Of population near the coas
@ and the lower plains and its scarcity
= back In the mountains Of the great rang,
r. IN climate as wide as between tho
:. illustrated; and finally types, dwellings,
II rains ard its cons. qucrt poor roads anC
l. costly transportation.
" Concerning this latter matter he stated
= that transportation charges more thar
any other item governed population dis
tribution and the character Of the nationn
agriculture which was Of the most ntcr.
sve character. He laid stress on thc
difference in unit values IN this country
=. and In Japan. Hero the man, his ability
TO work. is the unit of measurement; Il
japan, where human labor is cheap. The
Q land unit obtains. It is not that the mar
n must do his utmost but the land must
h bear the utmost Hence Intensive culture
\. hence ideal ,ilaCe hence absolute absence
g of weeds. Their crudc implements. thei,
@ peculiar methods their odd ways were
n The Ladies' Missionary society vii
g habits ard religion were pictured.