St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-06-03
DOWN IN WINDSOR COUNTY

DOWN IN WINDSOR COUNTY
Report by County Agent of Work
Done by the Farmers Association.
The following published report
by the county agent of the Windsor
County Farmers Association is re-
printed here, not because that as
ISOLATION seems to be accomplishing
more than the Caledonia County
Farmers Association but because it
may be of interest to the members
of the local association to see what
the farmers are doing elsewhere. In
fact much of this report will be
quickly recognized in this county as
practically the work County Agent
Stimson has done.
After the work of the association
has been maintained for over a year,
a few remarks concerning the ac-
complishments and plans promoted
by the county agent may, without
hesitation, be presented to the pub
lie. The reader will keep in mind
that the success of the movement is
due to the cooperation OF the farm
ers of the county more than to the
individual efforts of any one man or
group of men.
With the average yield of corn in
Windham county at 4 bushels per
acre, of oats at 43 bushels per acre;
and potatoes at 152 bushels per ac-
re, it seems quite evident that the
average farmer might profit by
studying the methods of neighbors
who are obtaining better results.
The aim is to increase the net in
come of the farmer rather than to
increase crop yield, yet the yield per
acre may serve as an index to the
business, provided these yields are
obtained economically. During the
past year, a certain number of farm
ers agreed to carry on demonstra-
ton plots of corn, the method sug-
gested by the county agent being
followed with reasonable detail.
Other farmers were working as CO.
operators with crops such as pota-
toes, orchard improvement, etc.
The following will show that results
obtained by some of the better farm
ers may be increased when better
methods are used.
One demonstrators had the follow
ing results with a demonstration &C
re of corn grown for ensilage:
Total yield demonstration acre,
$4,000 lbs.
Total yield other acre, 10000 lbs.
In addition to the increased yield,
the corn on the demonstration acre
was cared better and had reached a
better state of maturity which added
greatly to the value of the ensilage.
These results are fairly typical of
other demonstration acres in the
county.
This year the work with corn will
be continued and new lines of work
taken up. One thing to receive
attention will be the treatment of
meadow lands with chemical
fertilizers. Many plots in various
parts of the county will be treated
and it is hoped that the advantages
of fertilizing hay lands will be def
nitely shown.
Spraying demonstrations will be
given and the advantages of the pro-
per care of orchards demonstrated.
Arrangements have been made with
the owners of several orchards in
the county and the care of the or
chards will be followed throughout
the season. Our apple orchards
are greatly in need of improvement
and will be a source of considerable
incomes when they are properly
cared for. There is always a market
for fancy fruit when it is neatly
packed and marketed in the right
way. The trouble with the apple in
dustry in this section of Vermont
is that many of the farmers have
been trying to sell culls for good
fruit and are running the market for
their own produce and injuring the
market for those who do put out an
honest produce.
Since the movement started, three
cow test associations have been or
ganiZed, placing under test over
1000 COWS. Probably no work of
greater benefit to the farmers of the
county could have been undertaken,
as Windsor county is primarily
dairy section and any movement
which will improve the interests of
the dairy farmers is welcomed. Ac-
cording to the 1910 census the aver
age receipts per dairy cow in Wind
sor county was S41.00 per year. We
need more conclusive evidence than
this that herd improvement work is
needed. The greatest difficulty with
the organization of COW test work is
the small size of the average herd.
The first cooperative bull associ-
alton to be organized in the State of
Vermont was launched in the COM
munities of Bridgewater Corners and
East Barnard during the past sum-
mer and fall. Eleven men, the own
ers of approximately 120 cows, form
ed the association, and all are join
ing with the definite purpose of
keeping thoroughbred cattle.
Through the generosity of three
public spirited men, three thorough
bred Jersey bull calves were secured
and are to be used exclusively as