Mr. Mudgett Does location have anything to do with this disease in the animal? In Cambridge we have no such thing among the cows as milk fever, and it is a large dairying town.

Mr. Gilbert-We have no proof that location makes any difference; the disease arises from a strain on the organs at the time just before parturition.

Judge Harvey-Have you known of any such difficulty where cows have not been allowed to go dry, where they have been constantly milked?

Mr. Gilbert-If milk is present in the udder of the cow, then it must be taken out. I think the cow should go dry part of the time; there should be a rest from part of the active work, and during that rest she gains in vitality, power and strength of endurance.

Mr. Fassett Is there any difference in milk fever and puerperal fever, and what is termed "black leg?"

Mr. Gilbert-I am not a veterinarian, but I understand that there is a difference; I cannot state what it is.

Mr. Fassett-The results are the same?

Mr. Gilbert-Yes, sir.

Mr. Little-I know many who allow their cows to go dry, and commence milking them a short time before coming in, to avoid or prevent milk fever. Do you think there is any benefit in that practice?

Mr. Gilbert-If there is milk in the udder I should have it taken away; I can't say as to its effect on milk fever.

Mr. Ashburn-I think you are a little inclined in Vermont to cultivate the milk producing faculty at the expense of the animal's vitality. What do you think of that?

Mr. Gilbert-Vermont dairymen don't need to get scared at all about tuberculosis. It has been with us ever since we have had cattle, though we have not known it by that name. I think it comes where the animals are surrounded by luxurious places and confined in too close quarters; in no instance have we found the disease where there was an absence of this luxury. When the disease is found to exist, we must do the best we can to curb it; we cannot eradicate it.

The matter of sending a delegate to the proposed forth-coming national convention of dairymen was then discussed, and in connection with it the means of defraying the expenses of such a delegate; it was generally considered that the funds of the Association could not be applied to such a purpose. The matter was thereupon dropped.

A recess was then taken until evening.

THURSDAY EVENING SESSION.

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 by President Arms, who said:

The first business in order is the reading of the report of the committee on Resolutions, by the Hon. Victor I. Spear.

Report of Committee on Resolutions.

The Vermont Dairymen's Association, appreciating the many favors and courtesies extended to them from various sources, all of which have largely increased the pleasure and usefulness of this, its 24th annual meeting, it is hereby

RESOLVED, That the thanks of the Association are tendered to the citizens of Burlington, who have generously provided this hall for their use, rooms for the exhibition of Machinery and Exhibits, and the inspiring music which has 80 greatly added to the exercises:

To the students of the Agricultural College, who so tastefully and thoughtfully arranged the decoration of this hall:

To the ladies of Burlington, for their assistance in the literary exercises: To the hotels of Burlington for favors and concessions granted:

To the railroad corporations of the state for reduced rates of fare over their line; and the representatives of the dairy interest in other states, who have assisted by their presence and voice in making this one of the most successful meetings in the history of the Association.

RESOLVED. That in the death of Hon. M. W. Davis of Westminister, the Association loses one of its earnest members, and a faithful co-worker and friend, whose devotion to the agricultural and dairy interest of Vermont never failed, and whose record of usefulness will be long remembered, and this Association desires to extend to the family of the deceased their deepest sympathy.

V. I. SPEAR
WM. STEWART.
L. K. OSGOOD.

On motion of Mr. Cassius Peck the report of the committee was accepted and adopted.

The committee to award the prize offered by the Sharpless Separator Company for the best essay then reported through Judge Harvey, its chairman. It was decided that the prize of $25 should go to J. W. Newton of Stowe, Vt., for the following essay:

The Advantages of Dairying Over Other
Branches of Farming.

In this essay butter making will be mainly considered, though many of the points made will apply equally well to the making of cheese.

1. The first advantage of dairying is that it takes less fertility from the soil than other branches of farming, sugar making alone excepted. Authorities differ, but the following figures are approximately correct, round numbers being given. A ton of each product mentioned below takes fertilizing material from the soil as indicated by the figures: Corn, $6; oats, $7.50; hay, $6; clover, $9; potatoes, $2; fat oxen, $12; milk, $2.50; cheese, $21; butter, 50 cents.

A ton of wheat takes $7 out of the farm and sells for less than $20. A ton of butter takes 50 cents' worth of plant food from the farm and sells for from $400 to $600. Comment is needless.

2. Butter is a condensed product. Nothing can be made or grown on the farm which brings so much per pound. Farms remote from market, and communities far from railroads can send butter from the farm or the creamery with the least possible expense. Hardly any other farm product can be loaded, a hundred to a thousand dollars' worth at a time, upon a wagon and drawn to a shipping point so readily as can butter or cheese. The dairyman can condense tons of fodder and crops grown on the farm into dairy products and send them to market in compact and portable form.

3. Butter and cheese are finished products. They are made ready for the consumer either in the private dairy or local cheese factory or creamery. The only exception is where cream is sent long distances to a central station from skimming stations scattered over a large section of country. But this exception only proves the rule. Much that is produced on the farm is raw material, and must be manufactured or otherwise prepared for use after leaving the farm.

4. Dairying brings in a constant income. The man who sells crops of any kind has to wait until he can market his products once a year. There is little satisfaction in this. It is unbusiness like to go without cash 51 weeks and then have a lot of money come in at one time. The dairyman has an income nearly or quite 52 weeks in a year.

5. Dairying gives constant remunerative employment. The grain or potato grower must spend a large part of the year in enforced and demoralizing idleness, but the dairyman finds profitable work through the year, and his work is most profitable in the winter time.

6. On the dairy farm the work is better divided. The grain harvest comes so close to haying that it often gets mixed up with it to the detriment of both; but where corn is grown and put into the silo for dairy feed, and not so much or no grain raised, the harvests are several weeks apart. Then in winter dairying, there is a let-up in the dairy work at the busiest season of the year on the farm, while the dairy needs the most work when other farm work is lightest.

7. Skill and brain work get better pay in dairying than in any other branch of farming. To produce fine dairy products requires something besides hard work. The dairyman must have knowledge and

skill and exercise great care. These are required in breeding and feeding dairy cows, and in handling dairy products. And the care bestowed and the skill exercised get pay in hard cash as they do in no other branch of farming.

8. There is more room at the top, greater opportunity to improve, than in any other farm work. Cows produce from 150 to 500 pounds of butter per year, and butter sells from 10 cents to $1 per pound. No other branch of agriculture shows anything like this, or gives such a chance to rise.

9 Take the country through, there is no kind of farm work so well suited to women as dairying.

10. Dairying leads to thoughtfulness for the comfort of animals. and thus tends to morality. There is something demoralizing about horses. Men who work in horse stables are rough, as a rule, but cows have an opposite influence. To do her best, the cow must be made as comfortable as possible in every way. She will tolerate no neglect

or cruelty. She is a teacher of gentleness and kindness.

11. Dairying is the most progressive branch of farming. Think of the changes for the better that five years have brought-the Babcock tester, improvements in separators, and the World's Fair tests.

12. Dairying pays better than any other branch of farming, both actually and prospectively. Look at the prices of farm products. Take wheat or sheep and wool or horses, and see how prices have dropped. The prospect is poor for many other products, but butter is as high in most markets or but a little lower than it has been for several years.

There is no business which holds out more inducements to the

young people on the farm. It is adapted to a wider area of country than any other agricultural pursuit. Noxious insects and fungous diseases cause less injury to grass, clover and corn than to any other farm crops, and these three are the great dairy foods. In the making of fancy cheese a new line is opened up to the enterprising dairyman. The future to the skillful dairyman is full of promise and hope.

Secretary Pierce then brought up again the matter of sending a delegate to represent Vermont at the forthcoming conference to organize a National Dairymen's Association. He said that after the adjournment of the afternoon session several members who were in hearty sympathy with the movement had signed a subscription list and raised an amount of money to defray the expenses of sending a delegate thereto.

Mr. Drew of Burlington said, "I now nominate Mr. Arms to serve us as such delegate." This motion being seconded, was put to the Association by first vice president, Judge Harvey, and was unanimously carried. Mr. Arms briefly returned his thanks for the addi

tional honor conferred upon him by this renewed expression of confidence. Mr. Ashburn of Nebraska said that on behalf of the dairymen of his state, and he knew he was safe in saying others of the western states, he wished to return thanks to the Dairymen's Association and the individual members for taking this course. It would have been a bad set-back in endeavoring to organize the proposed association, not to have Vermont represented-the oldest dairy association in the United States.

The college quartette then gave a selection.

President Arms-It is my great pleasure to present to you now a gentleman who needs no introduction at my hands. Although a citizen of Burlington he belongs to the entire state, President Buckham of the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College.

ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT BUCKHAM.

Mr. President:

I beg leave to correct a slight misstatement in your opening address. I am sure you will allow me to do it, in order to get a text on which to start. I think you said that until four or five years ago the Association had no aid from the Legislature of the State. If I remember rightly, 12 or 15 years ago, the Association held a session in Montpelier, in order to make a demonstration upon the Legislature and get a small appropriation for the purpose of publishing their proceedings. I remember it, Sir, because I was called upon to aid in the process, if I may so describe it, of inducing the Legislature to "give down its milk," and we succeeded.

The reason that I allude to this is that in the course of my remarks, I turned to the then President of the Association and asked him how large a proportion of the butter made in Vermont was firstclass butter. He replied "Not ten per cent." That was my text on that occasion for appealing to the farmers of Vermont to raise the record of their butter production, and for appealing to the Legislature of Vermont to give them the means of doing so, in so far as this kind of publication would contribute to that result.

Some 12 or 15 years have passed since I got that answer from the then President of the Dairymen's Association. I now turn to you, Sir, and put to you the same question: "What proportion of the butter now made in Vermont can you honestly say is good butter?" I do not ask about double extra butter, which, for special reasons, brings fancy prices; but what proportion is good, first-quality butter?

President Arms-After being found guilty of one misstatement it is a question with me whether it is safe to state my opinion; but being pressed for an honest opinion, I will say I think and believe, when you speak of good, useful, table butter, that at least 90 per