Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-10-13


year.
We hear fabulous reports of the wealth
Of our gold and silver mines. but If our
statistics are correct. either one of the
four leading agricultural products OF our
country exceed In value all the gold and
silver produced in all the world each year
Fuch are only few of the many facts
which are available. nut they are
sufricleu' 90 .llu-trate the value of agri-
cultural he I'm orr country. and If two
thirds Of TIC roo :" Of Vermont are Ell
gagged fin these pursuits. such facts should
stimulate tlit Legislature 30 attempt
tie most pru.re fsive legisla ton along
these lines
Not only would an Agricultural high
school course more fully develop the rich
Resources Of Vermont and thus largely
Increase the AGRICULTURAL products. but
for those who would engage In an agri-
cultural life IT would lead 20 an educa-
tion thoroughly practical. BY this means
we should in one short generation develop
"a r'ass of practical and scientific farmers.
therefore recommend that the present
General Assembly ESTABLISH one or moro
agricultural schools, with all the neces-
stiles and advantages which should per
tain thereto.
THE WORTHLESS Dog.
While considering agricultural life,
cannot refrain from referring to one OF
the special evils or pests of farm life,
VIZ. the worthless dog Personal ex-
roricnce OF Il most disappointing charac-
ter ana careful study of farm lito
conditions Ia our county for the last
eight wears. have Convinced me that the
worthless dogs Of our towns and citie.
have driven the sheep from our hill sides
and forced upon our farmers the keep
Ing almost exclusively of cattl. one OF
the most surc,+sf,, breeders of Spanisn
Merlno sheep in our section. after hay-
ing spent twenty-five Years In perfectlnp
his flock, was compelled to dispose OF
the remnant and substitute cattle.
though not till he had shot on his
premises the seventy-fourth dog chasing
his sleep. This may be an unusual case.
but with Ms there are many others suf-
fc,inr from tn" same evil
The result Of this pethory Of cattle In
our state has forced most of our farmers
to the production OF dairy products
wholly. and in such quantities that less
than one-third are consumed at home
and the remaining two-thirds must seek
n foreign market a, a greatly reduced
price
The farmer working on large scale
realizes fully the difficulty OF obtaining
proper help for dairy purposes, but he too
often Is forced to this task, as he cannot
safely devote his energies to the raising
and herding Of sheep.
Nc 49,
verely felt In certain sections than in 9th
ers. but my attention OF late has fire.
quently been called to this subject and
the farmers In Rutland county are earn
estly asking for relief.
our laws do not and should not permit
the keeping OF dogs or other animals that
may DO a cause Of serious dnancia! injury
| or damage to our people.
] would recommend to this assembly the
serious considerat ton of this subject the
! continuance of a reasonable tax on dogs
! the compelling of wearing a collar as al
! present, with the owners name plainly
marked thereon, and In addition, requir-
| ing each owner Of a dog to deposit bond
! with the city or town clerk of 500 more
/ or less, which must he maintained at this
amount with one or more sufficient sure.
ties. Thus an injured party could at once
| realize for his loss so soon as he could
/ prove the ownership of the offending dog
/ Some statute 70 this effect drawn prop
erly and foarlessly enforced would rio
the State Of the more undesirab Bile hall
/ OF our dogs AZ once, and II this law coulC
he made effective It would inure great,
/ to the benefit OF our farmers, and to the
large increase of sheep hcrding in oul
. state.
In this connection, it may not he out o.
/ place for mo to call attention to the fail
/ ure of local officials to enforce our pres
ont laws requiring the killing Of all dog!
not licensed ana collared. No law can b,
effective unless II is enforced
FORESTRY.
During the last few years the subiec
| of forestry has been attracting increased
attention from those citizens who hav,
the hest interests Of our state at heart.
/ No argument Is necessary at this tim
to convince our people OF tho great Root
to be accomplished by the practice OF for
estry, so-called. The only question is, II
what manner can the best results be at
tanned? Our first forestry law of any i'm
uortancc was enacted In 1901, designed t
protect our forests from fires. This Law
has served its purpose reasonably well
tbo,ab /, I. ,bo,s,b, ,h., or,o,a,,art
c,,ld lao mad. v.,.io, ,,,o,,a VII, -, NOV
! thoror,hl,. n,co,n,,li.h thi. ohioo,
Cur noonlo may roe, ius,,,. nro,1 y, m
odvancoment in This oold os win on1v fou
years' eyuorience there is only one Stat
with a larger ni,rsar, than bas Vermon.
learn from Professor HAYES and NJ,
Hitchcock of pi,tyford to hoth of whom
am indebted for many facts thai thor