Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-02-17

growing tree, averaging about foot
year in height and sometimes three feet.
lives TO z or 100 years. the old trees
are now rare. In original forests trees
,5o-2oO feet high were common. Suscept-
lille to damage by fire In youth but
as bark thickens gets more resistant.
chief enemy ls white pine weevil.
Red spruce Is usually confined to bet
ter grades Of soil. It's root system Is
shallow end it is therefore liable to
windfall Spruce can exist for many
years under dense shade Fairly rapid
growing in the open although less SO
than the pine. In the old forests it usual
" grows very slowly. Easily destroyed
by fire.
Sugar maple has same range as spruce
hut extends further south Occurs most
" on lower slopes OF mountains and
gently rolling land where 1t makes an
ideal sunar orchard. Seldom occurs on
sand and is lime loving. AS a rule, slow
growing Is a prolific seeder, ripening in
fall while seed OF red maple ,ipen in
spring Tickets OF young maple COM
mon where protected from grazing. On
account of thickness OF bark suffers lit
| Tie from fire Yellow birch throughout
| New England. is less particular in re-
| gard to soil and moisture. Makes fair
| ~ rapid growth. prolific seeder. Beech
usually occurs ir mixture with maple
and birch on rich moist land and low
er stones. Chief means of reproduction
n nut. Good fire resister. White and red
oak are neither fastidious about soil.
Long lived trees. Both reproduce chief
~ from seed and from sproutng from
stump.
| Professor Washburn's address in brief
was as follows;
The geographical location of Vermont
places It within the market milk zone Of
both Boston and New York.
| The topography and soil Of Vermont
are such as to favor the production Of n
clean and good favored milk.
| The perrnle of Vermont are already well
and intellieently established In the dairy
business.
The demand from the cities for more
and better milk Ii becoming stronger.
The average price paid to the farmers of
Vermont for milk during the year 1853
was about Sl75 per cwt. The average
price paid for butter fat during the same
period was about &c per cent. per pound
Assuming four per cent milk, 100 lbs
would carry fat to the value Of Sis. If
a 80 per cent. cream be delivered there
would remain on the farm, about S. lbs
skim milk. About 325 lbs. skim milk has
a feeding value for pigs equal to 100 lbs
corn when fed at the rate of ! corn to
to milk. With corn at $3.50 per cwt. OF
81 cents bushel, the skim milk is worth
IS cents per cwt or 81 lbs. is worth 4
cents. Adding the manurial value Of the
milk fed. about 10 cents per cwt. or Il
cents for the So lbs. we have then a tota
of Sis as the conservative estimate OF
the value of milk. A per cent dorsey
milk is worth about 81 on same basis
or s2.65 to $3.50 if butter is made on the
farm. To even this must be added thu
extra cost and diffculty Of raising heifel
calves for the future dairy and pigs t.
use UP the many by-products of the bal
anced farm. The people Of the cities
want Vermont milk; but the farmers o
every county where there is a creamery
should hold onto 1t for many years We
and never sell milk until they can secur,
a price above what can be figured il
other ways.
Miss Hobart. in her address upoi
circulating Libraries for Farmers
spoke at some length in reference 10 tn
work of the library commissi in Yer
mont and the possibilities which lie be
. fore it in furnishing books to the var
ious towns OF the State.
The books furnished should not b
wholly technical In character for tn
. farmers wife and family should b
taken into consideration and readin
| M tar
also spoke of the desirabllity of tn
. towns forming branch libraries to sen
out to the smaller villages
Following Miss Hobart, Professor Hill
j. said
The distinguishing feature Of the agr
; culture of the far Southwest is it's usag
. of water. Constant sunshine and fertll
" soils abound in these arid regions an
water is the one element needed f,
success. The national government
spending millions yearly in the recla ms
ton of these arid areas impounding III
y storm waters for use in irrigation Whe
% water becomes available the desc,
q literally blossoms like the rose. A mic
!. summer trip (such as was taken by III
" writer last summeD through Arizon
% (arid zone) Is an interesting experenc
70 One sees but little from the platform
:. the observation car but arldity; sun al
:. soil in plenty; water In paucity. At tt
~ occasional points where II is availab
"A great crops are grown. Markets Of cour.
N are few until one gets over into Cal
,s fornia, and transportation charges pr,
m hibitive.
"a What about the agricultural future
~ these desert regions? The total wat,
a supply when all Is captured and use
N to the best advantage will suffice for b'
N a small area. For the residue 1t won
q seem worth while In these days of cost
81 meats to consider the making OF prick
40 r..@r beef and mutton. There are sever
q cacti which are edible when the spin
N are burned off. and which make 20,
N beef. They are Indigenous and may
N propagaxed to good advantage. The
30 gain water and hold 1t In their fiesl
n tissue without serious transpirati
% losses. Agricultural opera lions here a
10 highly specialized and the products sen
u tropical. Conditions are so unlike tho
- obtaining here that Vermont farm
% would have to unlearn much he ne
y knows and become a child again. Man
% however, going there to maintain III
~ have found health and some degree
wealth In farming In this glorious dr.
~ not, but livable climate. | do not, no
!" ever, recommend II ms compared WI
r. New England with it's less fertile 81
30 and less constant sunshine but mo