132 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Makch 



For the New England Farmer. 

 SOIL AND CLIMATE IN VERMONT. 



Mr. Editor : — I noticed with interest a com- 

 munication in your late issue from S. R. Hall, 

 on the climate and soil of Orleans County, Vt. It 

 is certainly of importance that the climate and 

 soil of our State, especially its northern portions, 

 should become more generally known by your 

 readers ; and facts, communicated from such a 

 source as the one referred to, will naturally com- 

 mand attention. But one or two points claimed 

 by Mr. Hall need farther attention. He says, 

 "Should the soil ever deteriorate, we have im- 

 mense quantities of the richest variety of sphag- 

 nous muck, much of which lies above shell-marl, 

 in the beds of ancient ponds and barren mead- 

 ows. This marl, when converted into lime, and 

 mixed with muck, makes a manure worth from 

 fifteen to twenty per cent, more than cow dung." 

 Now the point is this, if it be true that lime 

 mixed with muck, which is found in great quan- 

 tities throughout our State, and even New Eng- 

 land, forms a fertilizer of one-fifth greater value 

 than common stable manure, it ought to be more 

 generally known. Such a fertilizer, the materi- 

 als of which are so abundant, would soon bring 

 about a new era in our agricultural operations. 

 But in this matter we want something definite, 

 and fully established on scientific principles. 

 We do not wish to rely on hasty conjectures 

 based on mere theories. We must have some- 

 thing practical and substantial. It is an undis- 

 puted fact, that lime and muck form a valuable 

 manure, but that it is fifteen or twenty per cent. 

 more valuable than stable manure, is not gener- 

 ally believed. A matter of such importance to 

 the agriculturist should be thoroughly investi- 

 gated and fully understood. 



Again, your correspondent has manifestly fallen 

 into error, where he quotes from "the President 

 of the County Agricultural Society," and states 

 that the stock therein mentioned, viz., four oxen, 

 ten cows and two year olds, two horses, three 

 colts and twelve sheep, is "fully equal to forty 

 cows." This statement seems absurd, for where 

 is the farm in Northern Vermont, of one hundred 

 acres, which produces sufficient in one season to 

 winter forty cows ? The amount of the stock 

 mentioned, is only thirty-one head, while a great 

 part of it would require much less than an equal 

 number of cows. But let us investigate the mat- 

 ter more closely, taking the data published in the 

 same number of the Farmer which contains Mr. 

 H.'s letter. Four large oxen, supposing their 

 weight to be 6000 lbs., (probably a high estimate) 

 will require in six months, (from 1st Nov. to 1st 

 May,) nearly eleven tons of hay ; ten cows 

 and [ten — Ed.] two year olds, supposing their 

 weight to be 8500 lbs., will need about twenty- 

 three tons ; two horses and three colts, say eleven 

 tons ; and twelve sheep, if their average weight 

 be eighty lbs., about three tons more. The whole 

 foo's up in round numbers forty-eight tons. Now 

 forty cows, weighing 850 lbs. each, according to 

 the same data, will require nearly ninety-two 

 tons, sutficientto winter almost double theamount 

 of stock mentioned ; or, reckoning them at an 

 average weight of 700 lbs., they must have sev- 

 enty-five tons. 



Such a statement, so wide of the truth, ought 



not to pass unnoticed, though it come from a 

 source so eminent. We should suppose that Mr. 

 H., who has resided in Orleans County nearly 

 twenty years, and who has, "during that period, 

 been several years engaged in the geological sur- 

 vey of the State," and who has "had a better op- 

 portunity to compare the soil in this, with other 

 portions of New England, and especially other 

 poi'tlons of Vermont, than, perhaps, any other 

 person," would be able to form a more correct 

 opinion of the productiveness of a farm of one 

 hundred acres, and also a more correct estimate 

 of the comparative quantity of fodder required 

 by different kinds of stock. w. 



Brookjield, Vt., Jan., 1859. 



Remarks. — We suppose Mr. Hall intended 

 to convey the idea that the shell-marl was to 

 make a component part of the fertilizer he speaks 

 of. 



THIRD LEGISLATIVE AaRICULTURAI. 

 MEETING. 



[Reported by John C. Moore, for the N. E. Fariub.] 



Subject for Discussion — What breed q 

 stock is best adapted for the purposes of general 

 farming ? 



The Legislative Agricultural Society met in 

 the Representatives' Hall, last Monday evening, 

 for the special discussion of the above subject — 

 Hon. John W. Proctor, of Danvers, in the 

 chair. There was a very full meeting. 



In opening the business of the meeting, the 

 Chairman apologized for his non-preparation to 

 speak on the subject for debate, which was one 

 of much interest, and one on which opinion dif- 

 fered. We had various kinds of imported cattle 

 among us, besides our common red or native 

 stock. Some thought they had better cattle from 

 the imported descriptions ; but it was notorious 

 that the majority of our best cattle were from this 

 native stock. Some upheld that there were no 

 native cattle, as all came from imported stock at 

 some time. As well might it be said that there 

 were no native men. As he understood the ques- 

 tion, it meant what class of cattle would be best 

 for mixed farming ? There were gentlemen pres- 

 ent who had had more enlarged opportunity to 

 give information than he had, consequently he 

 would not dilate on the question, but call on Dr. 

 LORING, of Salem, who had given much atten- 

 tion to the subject. 



Dr. LoRiNG responded. He had come to learn 

 and not to teach, for he was only a tyro himself 

 in the branch of husbandry under discussion. 

 Their practical experience was worth a world of 

 theorizings. What is the breed of cattle, if any, 

 which were best fitted to the dairy and the stall 

 here in Massachusetts? About $15,000,000 in 

 value of cattle was owned in this State ; and the 

 question might arise as to what was the most 

 profitable description to cultivate. The statistics 



