Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-05-10
COUNTY FARMERS HOLDING ON
Selling Little Stock, N. E. M. P.
A: Essex Jet. Meeting Shows.
Many Raising More Grain-Lab0r Pr0b.
lem Likely 10 he soived-Boston
10 ray More fer Milk
abOut July 4.

There is no hysteria among Chittenden
ptpunty farmers over the high prices and
lbcarcitv of grain, IL the testimony of var
1eus dairymen of the several towns Is evil
tjence. A series Of questions, framed by
officials Of the New England Milk
Producers association, was put to 60 or
. 70 bf the men at a meeting In the Music
hail, Essex Junction, Monday night, and
almost to man they said that conditions
were about normal,
Neither cows nor calves are being sold
off, practically speaking. any more than
In other years. Those that have been
disposed of have gone to other dairymen
rather than slaughter-houees, during the
last tive months. Labor is scarce, how
ever, and In some instances wages have
advanced s5,W a month, though II n
difficult TO say how general this state OF
eAinsb Is. The agricultural extension
service has received offers Of $50 a month
aNd board, instead of the former rate OF
rs, from a number of farmers. director
Thomas Bradlee of the agricultural ex-
tension service told the meeting. More
grain is being planted, in some towns 10
per cent. more. in few others perhaps
70 per cent. Milton and Colchester are
both looking for labor. Grain is much
more plentiful now. and has been for a
month, than Il was previously. There
So enough seed, except potato seed and
reed wheat J, .. Middlebrook & Sons
were quoted as saying that their supply
was oversold, Prices at present are 81. %
TO A50 Whether dairymen are losing
money at the present prices for feed Is
question.
Prof. r, T. Burdick OF the College OF
Agriculture, the third speaker. following
,Prosident Frank w. Clark Of Wiliston.
head of the n. f. M p. A. and Mr..
Bradlee. said possibly. candidly We may
have overdone'' in making the Vermont
farm a dairy farm to the entire exclusion
Of all else. He didn't put 1t that way.
but said that the Vermont farm had gone
too far In raising crops that made for a
waste too large to be available. Reduce
tho cost OF feed; plough the sod under so
Is to keep the soil rich and use the right
rotation Of crops; use soy beans with corn
SO as to waste no land nor labor of
cultivation; be sure your horses are fitted
to their work and that they are draught
and not light horses These were some
Of the means recommended to reduce
costs.
Mr.. Clark, who presided and opened the
meeting. said Frank Talcott of Wiliston.
Mr.. Bradlee and himself had arranged
the meeting. and stated the objects. Mr.
mems League had accomplished for its
members. and what the Chicago associa-
ton had done. Every dairyman in the
county would be approached sooner oil
later If available for membership by the
N. Il. NJ. P. A., he minated
Mr. Bradlee mentioned having heard OF
20 auction sales of stock advertised or
one barn in the State. He showed by
the figures how the supply of grain. corn
= l., .ss-se
with year ago in April. At the Request
of the States relations service the agri
cultural extension service has detailed
man to study the labor question in Yer
mont.
The quarries in Washington county hav
agreed to release 300 former farm labor
ers. for a time at least: the railroads ant
certain industries at Bellows Falls others
He felt optimistic concerning the labo
question.
Mr.. Clark called on various dairyme
of the county. Mr.. Talcott said he ha
planned to cut his dairy in two, but ha
changed his mind, when he heard of tn
higher prices for milk in prospec,
Wright Fay of Jericho said his town ha
several outlets for its products. throug
a cooperative creamery and the Rich
mond market. If grains go up. the pric
of milk should also, he thought. DAME
Johnson or Essex junction Salu IL wa
hard to say what the price of grain woul
be, but advised caution and conservatism
NJ. Z. Thompson of Colchester plans t
raise more soy beans, alfalfa and grail
r. j. Rowley of Milton spoke briefly
the same vein as his predecessors.
Mr.. Clark said the price of milk neg
August and September within 100 mile
of New York would be $3.50 for grade
and s3.05 for grade A. He predicted
price of possibly $3.50 next winter Bosto
would be paying cent a quarter moi
about July l.
The sentiment of those present was
favor of the objects proposed by II
~. L. NJ p. A.. namely. to make farm
sclf-supporting so far as possible, reta
dairy herds. cooperate in obtaining be
ter prices for feed. work against the u!
for liquor manufacture of grain. whiC
could be used better for feed. and try
make the volume of dairy products
large as possible.