The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-02-15
URGES FARM ADVISER
FOR WASHINGTON co.
And Discussed Good Roads at Meeting
in Barre Opera House Last
Evening.

considerable length in the opera hous,
last evening, when j. IL. Dodge OF
Washington, u. C., government super
intendent OF highway construction, and
James ii. Taylor of Saxtons River, sec
retary of the Greater Vermont associa.
tion, gave interesting addresses under
the auspices of the Barre Board of
Trade. Interest 20 Mr.. Dodges talk on
road building was added by series OF
stereopticon views showing the progress
made in highway construction through
out the country. The speakers were in
troduced by Vice President II. G.. Wood
ruff of the Board of Trade. The attend
ance was not large, although those who
| followed the lectures through were pos
tive in their convictions that more time
| ly subjects could not have been treated.
Secretary Taylor introduced the coun-
ty adviser idea for the first time in
Washington county. He called attention
to its successful operation in other Yer
mont counties, declaring that its recent
introduction in several sections of the
state had been amply justified already.
As the result of the work of agricultural
advisers, notable things have been
achieved in the West and South he said.
In New England Vermont is leading in
the movem ent, and Secretary Taylor con.
tended that it should continue to lead.
He believed that work of this kind
greatly stimulated all business enter
prises, while at the same time it had
proved to be of inealculable value to the
farmers.
The government agricultural depart
ment is now prepared to pay half the
expenses up to the sum of $1,000 per
annum, select the adviser and supervise
his work in such counties as will pro-
vide an equal sum or more. 1t is stipu-
lated that the man must have a four
years course in an agricultural college
and have been farm bred. A county ad-
wiser must know farming first hand, said
the speaker, and he must be well enough
balanced to prove TO the farmers that
he really does know farming. At the I
present time there are two county agents
at work in Vermont, in Bennington and I
Windsor counties, while Franklin county
farmers are all ready to engage super
visor. Mr.. Taylor spoke in favor OF
county farm bureaus.
With few provisions inserted in its
the crop Improvement COM
changes has promised to give any coun-
ty in Vermont the sum of 1000 for
the purpose of aiding in county farm
bureau work. The money is given alb
solutely without strings as to its dis
Dursement, and it is to be merged with
the local funds of the bureau
In discussing the county adviser and
Iarm bureau plan, Secretary Taylor
outlined some of the functions OF the
former. The work is to be in charge OF
/ trained agriculturahst who will con-
iuct farm management field studies and
demonstrations among the farmers of a.
yiven locality. He i supposed to ac-
quaint himself as rapidly as possible
With the general agricultural conditions
# improved farming in the section,
tudy the various types of soils, the
rops that have been found to be the !.
est adapted to the soils, and the types ,
f farming that have been most sue !
essful on each type of soil He is ex-
ected to study in detail the methods of
armers III preparing their lands for
eeding; he must study the live stock
n the various farms and the methods
handling such stock. Close study, it
expected will enable him to advise
he farmers in the establishing of better
ropping systems on their farms. in the n
Intelligent selection of better live stock, c
etter seed and better markets. IG
AT the close of his remarks, Secretary
aylor commended the plan to the care
ii consideration of every local board
trade, asserting that only in the CO. .
)eration of farmers and their market g
en could progress of the right kind be .
ade in Vermont.
Supt. Dodge's Address. N
Superintendent Dodge devoted the Sc
'tter part of an hour to his lecture on j
ghways. Within the last twelve. X
onth Mr.. Dodge has toured Vermont W
the company of State Highway Com Sc
issioner g. w. Gates of Franklin and
ON his peculiar knowledge of road I'll
lilding elsewhere he has been able to st
agnose Nermonts road needs with the b
scernnent of a specialist. The slides VIC
splayed on the screen were taken from vc
secured largely from south so
n and western states, although there ri!
ire several that pictured types OF road qu
ilding IN New England states. m
Under general discussion of good no
nd construction, Mr.. Dodge pointed out ba
e kinds of highway structures best ha
tied to different sections of the eoun-
7. Here in Vermont he advocated the lc'
ilding OF gravel roads, since gravel
d fine stone are always at hand, The
t foundation for g.lvel built roads
lst be firm aud the gravel must be
in courses and finished in the proper
son. He was able TO exhibit some cai
endid pictures of gravel roads in
county, Alabama, where sci
;ions of such highway pieced together iel
Sregate over 500 miles. He described w,
Montgomery county roads as among rim
best in the United States. He rec an,
mended the road drag in the main de,
ance OF highways, rather than in low
liz construction
Water is the greatest enemy of good
ds. said the speaker. Surface drain
of the most approved type should
uppermost in the mind OF the expert
d builder Highways should be kept
d and il certain degree of firmness :
maintained the danger from water
be reduced 20 a minimum. Turning "a !,
sandy road construction. Mr.. Dodge
Jared that some of the best highways - -
T built were made of sand with la "a"
+ foundation. at the same time en- -,
sizing the necessity of a proper pro- ~
I ION existing between the sand aud huu