The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-02-22
INCREASING VERMONT
GRASS PRODUCTION
Was Subject Of Interesting Discussion
BY J. p. Helyar at Farmers Week
Observance.


of increasing the production of grasses
in Vermont was subject considered il
a paper by J. p. Helyar, an instructor
in the university of Vermont, at thu
farmers week observance this week. Mr.
| Helyar spoke in part as follows:
The business of the former is that o.
a food producer, and as such should
his problem be studied. When viewec
in this light, it offers field of study
teeming with possibilities, and vastly
more interesting than when considered
as labor of blowing, planting and har'
vesting. And this problem of food pro
! duetion is the all important one to-day
and will be more so tomorrow How
are we going to provide for the demands
OF rapidly increasing population, q
large proportion of which is unwilling
| to enter into the food producing bias
mess.
| Vermont must always remain what
| it is to-day, first rank producer OF
dairy products. A consideration Of con
| trolling factors, of which climatic con
ditions are most important, bring us "a
this conclusion. Because of climate. our
land is practically unproductiye two
then of producing a crop to be disposed
OF at maturity. and carrying with il
the richness of our soil, or one that
can be converted into food products,
through the agency of animals, during
the idle period so that large amount
of fertility viii be returned to the soil.
Again the climate and the soil deter
mine what our first rank crop shall be.
Experience has shown that every natural
qualification is present for the most
successful production OF grasses in the
meadows and pastures of Vermont. In
this we are most fortunate, for the
grasses, including the cereals, are of
more Importance to man than all other
plants combined.
The Vermont farmer can become a
great factor in increasing food pro-
duction by increasing his grass produc
tion mot by radical changes in meth
DDS. nor by increased acreage for pres
ent labor conditions do not allow. Rath-
er he can make two blades of grass
grow where only one grew before, by
paying careful attention to every de-
tail of his business, such as
], Through preparation of seed bed
Tillage influenced fertility and all 9th
er conditions being equal the percent
OF seeds terminating depends on the
condition Of the seed bed.
2. The drainage Of wet areas by tile
or ditch. which allows the production
OF a more profitable crop. The results
pay for the cost.
3. Selection of species. Get the right
on for the right place. Timothy is
good for the best soils, orchard grass,
red top and English foxtail for moist
soils, Canada blue joint, fowl meadow
and the mamma grasses good for very
moist soils.
4. Rotations and fertilizing demand
greater consideration; not hit or miss
proposition,
s. Buying Of seed. Buy the best Be.
ware of low priced seeds charged with
adulterants or the worst of noxious
weeds. Buy only upon report of the
experiment station il you are in doubt.
G. A revolution in pasture" manage
ment is needed in Vermont. Reforest,
reduce and reseed are good words to
remember.
Z. Study all conditions, confer with ex-
perts Eternal vigilance is the price OF
success in producing foods as well as
in the other lines of business.
Relation of Animal Diseases To Man.
Another interesting subject, "Fhc RI
lation of Animal Diseases to Man" Was
taken up by DIR. b. II. Stone, director
Of the Vermont board OF health labora
tory, and he spoke in part as follows
Those diseases which are Commune
nieable in nature and which are com
NOR to man and animals can be trans.
mitted from tbs one to the other. Some
Of these diseases are septic infections;
anthrax, rabies; actinomycosis; foot and
mouth disease; CHAMBERS; triehonosis;
and tuberculosis, These diseases are
caused by minute vegetable or animal
organisms and can be transmitted from |
the sick animal to man by direct con-
tact or by the ingestion of meat or
milk. OF these methods of transmits |
sion, the ingestion of milk Is the most |
important because this product is tax
IN in an uncooked condition, is good /
breeding ground for the germs Of the
iisease, and on account OF its physical /
eonceals the evidence of /
Is contents, and finally, because it is
he universal food Of infants and in I
'alids. Septic conditions of the udder
nay produce infections of the intestinal
ract of those using the milk. Anthrax
nay be transmitted in this way. Foot
md mouth disease cause infection in
hose using the milk of an infected ami
nal, and, finally tuberculosis is car
led from the diseased animal to the
uman being by milk and its products.
{ has been shown that tubercle baeilli
nay be introduced through the mouth,
arried through the walls of the intes-
inal tract and produce tuberculosis of
he lungs. 1t has also been shown that
he human being may be infected with
'orine tuberculosis, hence milk or any
milk product contaminated with these
erms is dangerous to the. human be-
ne. Milk may be infected with tuber-
lie bacilli from an animal with an in
eeted udder or from germs which have
cen coughed from the lungs, swallowed.
nd passed through the intestinal tract.
he discharge of tuberelar cows often
obtains large numbers of tubercle
acilli. These dry and form a part of
he stable dust in which condition they
ain access TO the milk. This is one
{ the reasons why it is so important
0 have clean milk The problems of
hc eradication of human and bovine
are inseparahly connected.
Besides these diseases which afiiict
nimals, milk acts as carrier from
ian tn man of many diseases ~ which |