Year: 1862




of men in the field wear and destroy, in
weight. third more Of clothing than in the
peaceful avocaions OF life tha, at the south
all the carpets have been cut into blankets.
and that very little Of the worn out stock
will be supplied until peace is restored
from the fact that they have not even the
raw material TO replenish with, the whole
seeding states not producing as much
wool Us the state Of Ohio alone, il can be
seen that not only during the war, but at its
close, when the million of men in the amy
return to their former employments, discard
their military clothing and dress as they
were wont, in broadcloihs and doeskins, the
price of wool must be above the average
price OF the last FIVE years. In time of war,
the quality Of woolsis mait,r Of no small
consequence. Vermont las limited itself
to the production of the finest woods; but
the wool most in demand now, aud bringing
the highest price, is coarser grade. The
query may well be made whether it will
not be equally profitable for US to turn our
attention to the production of somewhat
c,arser staple, and at the same time furnish
richer and higher priced mutton for the
market.


The number Of horses in Vermont be-
fore the breaking out of the rebellion, was
about ffty-five thousand; since which time,
it Is calculated that nearly ten thousand
have been carried from the State for army
purposes. his immense levy for horses
has been made throughout h entire countr' :.
When it is considered that comparatively
few of these horses will find their ay back I:
that the number that will die of dis, ase o
become unfit for service is twenty times
as great as it would be were they used in
other kinds of business that to meet this
great want of the government, large pro-
portion Of the business horses in our large
cities, which have been thrown out of SER
vice by general prostration, have been
bought up; it treadiy appears, that even du-
ring the war, horses must advance in price
and at its close, when business shall revive
ard trade resume its former channels, the
demand for good horses must exceed the
supply. Reasoning from these premises,
no more profitable labor can be engaged in.
than the production of business horses.


In no department of our annual exbibi-
tions, is there SO great barrenness as in the
display of fruit. IT is evident, however,
from the success of the few in our State,
who have given attention to fruit growing,
that, not only can good apples be raised in
most sections of the State, but, that they
can be raised to much profit. 1t might he
well with the view of stimulating increased
interest in this department, to offer larger
premiums upon nurseries and fruit and
also premiums for essays containing the ex-
periences of the writers in fruit cultivation
1t cannot be anything but inattention TO this
great subject, that has prevented our State
from raising at least a sufficient supply of
apples TO meet the demand of our domestic
market.


This opportunity is improved, to repeat
a suggestion made in my last annual re-
port That this State Society, in order
that its influence may be felt as State or
ganization, should publish occasionally ag-
ricultural matter, embracing statistics and
facts, gathered from the observing and
thinking practical farmers of the State. As
yet, We scarcely begin to realize the high |
expectations which State organization
justiies. That our progress would be slow
er than that of many similar State Socie-
ties, the founders of the Society had reason
to anticipate from the outset, and the fact
should be no marvel to us.


The Vermont State Agricultural Society
has fought its own way, manfully and alone.
1t has never asked favor from the State
nor has it received State patronage TO the
amount of single dollar. Whatever of
reputation it has given to the State, what
ever prominence il has given its agricultu-
al industry whatever improvement it has
excited by its premiums whatever market /
1t has created, by inducing strangers from
distant States, to visit its annual Fairs and |
witness our focks of sheep unsurpassed and /
orr valuable breeds of horses, is due, not to
State patronage, but 10 the infexible enter
prise of few sagacious and generous heart
ed men, who some eleven years ago, put their
to the wheel and their hands in
their pockets, and as IFS frs, board of direc-
tors, pledged themselves each to the other,
that come success or cnme defeat, the premi-
nms offered by the Society, should all be paid,
If every cent thereof was taken from their
own private purses. This having been The
origin and history of our Association, it is
not matter of surprise that we have been
unable, ike many other State Societies, 10
give TO the public annually or biennially, a
volume of rich and valuable agricultural
natter. But our Society has had growth
md development and it may well be con-
'idered whether we have not now attained