Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1916-12-08
COUNTY AGENT LETTER
A. W. Sweeton Reviews Variety
Of Agricultural Subjects
Would Have Milk Producers Organize
Favors More Farmers Clubs Like
One in East Jamaica.

County Agent Arthur w. Swoeton
has just issued his monthly news let
ter to the members of the Windham
County Agricultural association In
part it is as follows;
Results of the Milk Strike.-During
the month of October there was a very
extensive strike of the producers OF
milk for the Boston market. Owing to
the increased cost of feed, help and
cows, the producers asked for a certain
increase in price and the Boston con
tractors refused to give it. AS con
sequence of this thousands of quarts
of milk were taken from the Boston
market and put into creamcries ana
disposed of in other ways.
In Windham county, Alden Broth
ers load a car of milk going from Brat
tleboro to Bellows Falls a portion Of
this comes from Chesterfield and
Wcstmoreland on the New Hampshire
side. The larger part of the Vermont
milk comes from Putncy and East Put
ney, where the producers are organized
When the New England producers went
out on the first of October most of
these members went also, and tempo
rarily sent their cream to the Amherst
creamery. During the month two large
producers meetings were held in Rut
land and one in Putney and the farm.
ers held together pretty well. On the
9th of November they were anxious to
bring things to a head and they sent
II. w. Frost of East Putney to Boston
as their representative to confer with
Secretary Pattee of the New England
Producers association and Mr.. Alden
the milk dealer who had been buying
the milk in this section. After
lengthy conference with both parties
an agreement was reached by which
the producers who loaded on the Brat
tlebOro car were to receive an increase
of six cents per eight and half quart
can or an average of 80 cents per can
until March l, and the dealers pay the
freight. For March they are to receive
six-cent increase over last year and
possibly q little better. Aldens are to
take all that any of these producers
make and hold them to the Massa-
chusetts standard for quality. They
further agreed to take back all the
farmers who went out and give them
the same price and treatment received
ny inc OlUeTS. InlS - HOl uUlIe us the
producers asked for, but it is a very
substantial increase of three-q quarters
of a cent quart, which means consid-
cradle on n carload of milk. 1t is very
probable that an increase of three or
possibly four cents a can might have
been secured if they had not struck,
but comparing this with the results in
other sections it is certain that our
milk producers melted at least two
cents can more than they would have
if they had not been organized. This
is good business and we hope that the
producers in Windham county will see
fit to organize in similar way so as
to be ready for any developments that
may come in the future
Agricultural Extension Schools in
Windham County.-For the past three
winters the Vermont agricultural ex
tension service has been holding their
sO-called agricultural extension schools
in different towns in the state These
schools are given without expense to
the community excepting that local
people are asked to furnish heated
and lighted hall and to bring the
equipment to and from the railroad
station. These schools last a week and
most of the common agricultural sub
iects are taken up in a practical way.
Demonstration of the testing of milk.
the treating of oats for smut, etc, are
given along with the discussions.
Last year schools were held in Jack
sonvilc and Bellows Falls. This year
Wardsboro and Windham have in petl-
tons and the first one of the season
WI ho hal of ,,f
December 4.
In Windham 80 men have petitioned
for the agricultural section and over
20 women have signed for the home
economies section, and both sections
will be held there the week following
the one at Wardsboro beginning De
cember 1D.
These schools grow better and more
helpful each year and with the inter
est that the petitions indicate we look
for very successful schools in each
place.
East Jamaica Farmers Cmb.-In
Franklin County, Vermont, there arc
farmers clubs in every town but one
in the whole county. In other counties
farmers clubs have been developed i'm
large numbers. In Windham county
very few clubs have been organized
However, there is need of many
more farmers clubs like the one that
has just been organized in East ia
maica.
On November 10 the people of thi,
community met and plans were dis
cussed and preliminary arrangements
made for the organization of a farm
ers club and committee was elected
to draw up constitution and bylaws
and report at the next meeting. Since
then a second meeting has been held
and the constitution and bylaws adopt
ed.
The officers of the club are Prcsi
dent, g.. II. Gleason; Vice-qresident, +
II. Leonard; secretary, L. Il. Grout'
treasurer, Mrs. G. NJ Doane. The pro
gram committee for the second meet
ing was +. M. Butler, who gave an in
teresting talk covering the carly his
tory Of the town up to the present
time. 1t is understood that sepa
rate committee will be appointed tC
arrange for the program of each meet