Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-03-04
P0ULTRYMEN AND
POTATO GROWERS
HAVE IN CS

The weather could hardly have been
worse for Farmers week. Two days and
three evenings Of steady %wnpou do
not help to fill audience halls. However.
several poultrymen and potato growers
we're on hand Thursday at the sessions.
Briefs OF a few Of the - addresses de-
livered Thursday follow:
AGRICULTURAL sECTIoN-POULTRY
Professor JUL said concerning winter
Egg Production" that there is good
money in winter egg production; but
the problem Is to get the GIGS He dis
GUESSED tho more important features OF
breeding and feeding poultry to secure
winter eggs, pointing out that II the
average Vermont farm kept a flock of 100
hens laying n yearly average Of 100 egg,
their value would be increased more
than 200 per cent.
MIR. Lawrence spoke on Turkeys" He
said the New England farmers had
largely quit the business because of diff
culties and disease; that he had had
fine success despite discourngements.
Professor JUL discussed Poultry
Houses" He said that as Gar as the
housing OF poultry is concerned there
are three classes OF farmers those who
own no houses, those who use inferior
houses, and those who build good houses
and look after their fowls we'll. In or
der 70 lay we'll a bird must be comfort
able at Al, times and particularly in cold
| weather. The house should be dry, well
aired and free from drafts. 1t should
be sunny, convenient and economical.
FRUIT AND POTATOES.
Professor Cummings reviewed the les
sons of the season in fruit growing. say
ing that richards have suffered much
from dry weather. During the ~forepart
Of the season there was too little mois-
ture for maximum tree growth, a conoi-
ton which usually results in fruit OF
small size. Frequent tillage, manurial
applications, the use Of cover crops aown
In midsummer and plowed under are the
relief measures. In at least two com
mercial orchards in rmo irriga ton
plants are being installed. The local
market should be developed.
DIR. Lutman discussed some points in
potato culture. saying that there are two
points in potato culture to which more
attention should be directed. The first
of these is length Of the growing season
Of the potato with reference to the va
riety planted and to the tip-hurn. Our
growing season Is ehort-not over 10 days
on the average. 1t is a season that is
adapted TO the growing Of late varieties.
The second point in potato culture is in
the sort of fertilizer to use in order to
lessen the injury from scab. Manure.
lime and ashes aggravate the scabby con-
dition and should he avoided. The ideal
conditions for scabbing seem to be an
alkaline soil. rich in humus. and fairly
moist. Sulphur and ammonium sulphate
tend to make the soil acid and so prevent
scabbing. Commercial fertilizers are bet
ter than stable ms nure for the produce
ton of clean potatoes.
Mr.. Orion OF the federal department
discussed tho Control of Pota Diseases
Through Pure Seed. aging that
many of the most serious pota-
to diseases are spread in or on
seed potatoes, and may be controlled by
attention to seed selection. Better seed
is of fundamenta Importance in the i'm
provement Of Vermont potato growing,
II Is needed to raise the standard of tho
industry at home and to establish a repu-
tation in other States. Educational work
Is needed to accomplish this end. followed
by Introduction OF a system OF seed In
spection by a State agency. much as nur-
sery stock Is now inspected.
Vermont potato growers We're urged to
organize and introduce such a seed In
spection system which has already been
carried out successfully in Wisconsin.
Maine and other States.
HOME ECONOMICS SECTION.
Miss Marshall, in discussing The
Choosing Of Fabrics said that at the
time when fabrics we're manufactured
in the home, all processes Of convert
ing the raw fbres into the finished
material were fully known to the
members Of the household. each mem
Der usually participating in some way
large or small. in it's production.
Changing economic conditions have
taken this manufacture out Of the
home and into the great factories
thus removing from the majority OF
consumers all knowledge of the pro-
cessee of manufacture and deprivine
them OF standards Of judgment in &C.
lecting the materials.
ROAD CONSTRUCTION SECTION
Mr.. Reeves of the federal department
spoke or Dust Prevention and Road
Preservation" saying that the former
standard types of highway construc-
tion have proven inadequate with the
increase Of fast motor car traffic in
recent years. Efforts to secure great
er durability and consequent lower
maintenance charges ave led to the
extensive use of bituminous materials
Valuable products of this character
are derived from petroleums, tars, and
native asphalts.