1875.] 



THE LANCASTER FARMER 



i07 



4. It is a iiiiKtukc imt to oulliviitr corn or potatoes 

 ill dry wcatliiT ; tlii'iiiorc llie soil i» cilltivaliil tlif 

 jjrt-atcr ainoiiiit of aiiinionia, tVr.,it at)M>rt>H I'roiii tlie 

 air; tlic atiiiiisiilicrc' is full of fcrlilizi'rK. 



r.. If you wisli to l<((|i clear of |Hilato l)Uj;i< "nil 

 bourns w'atcli pcdillcrn MiliKcriljc forTliK LAN<;A»TiiU 

 Exi'UKSs ami Tiik Kaii.mkk. i>. 



AVi^ Wflcoiiin "Jills and Tittles," and assure 

 our I'on'cspondint li. Hint "not a tittle sliall 

 Ih' stricki'U IVdiu thu law until all isl'uUilli'd," 

 and tliat a nc-iltrt nf moiilxr Jive sulijccts any 

 niMii to " till' iit'ualtv ol'tla' wlioli'." lluw lou}? 

 will lilt' taiincis of Lainastfr i oiuity continue 

 to witliliold tlicir "jots and tittles" — not tiiini 

 us, for we are not liviui.' for ourselves iilone — 

 liiit fioiii their luotlier fanners of our good old 

 coniinouwealtli. M'c nsk lion- hug ? 



Abortive Strawberries. 

 I see Mr. .1. B. K. liail on cxliiliilion at the .Tunc 

 mcotiiii; of your Society an atiortivc Htrawticrry plant. 

 This i(S 8oiiiclliiii^ new to iiie, althoiii^li 1 hatl a iVIcnil 

 last fall to asl\ nie for strawltcrry plants, ami lie 

 wished iiie to i^ivc liiiii the faimlr plants, if I knew 

 tlKMlitl'crcnce. I said I did not. I had always liccn 

 lallt.dit that all plantu trrn: iimh', ti}itl tfutt Uir ntrth 

 ix ffif nwth'f, and that tlii^ reason why sonic wi-re 

 barren was because tlic pollen was not mixed from 

 one (lower to others, and that this was done hy Ijces 

 or other insects, or by the winds. A stalk of corn 

 jjrowiiitf by itself will produce no corn, oris not likely 

 to, because there bciiii^ m» bloom of its kintl cxccjit 

 its own, and its own likely to be blown past the <-ob, 

 intended for the corn, the result will be an abortive 

 ear.— W. .1. P., West VhcsUr. 



The ittiliei/.injj is our own, lieeause the sen- 

 tence involves a ])liilosoiihieal ([uestion of 

 wliieli we may have something to say on a 

 future occiision. — Ed. 



OUR PARIS LETTER. 



Farming on the Continent of Europe. 

 Corresjiondeuce of The Lancastiir Farmkk. 



Paius, .Tune 12, 1S7.5. 



FIlAtTDS IN COMMERCIAL MANUUES AND A UEMKDY. 



Independent of all the facilities that exist for ob- 

 taiiiiin; the aid of analysis, and of the ofHeial warn- 

 iiiiis and imnishnicnts, the frauds in eoniniercial 

 manures were never so rampant as now. They in- 

 crease in jirojiortion to tlie demand for fertilizers. 

 This state of things can only be attriimtcd to the in- 

 ability of farmers to emancipate themselves from 

 dependence on local dealers, so that the ell'orts beinff 

 ailopteil for larininic societies, to collci'tively guaran- 

 tee the purchases of members from responsible 

 niannre atreneies, must have everylMidy'sjxood wisliee. 

 The plan oup;ht to Ije as beneficial as fanners' dubs 

 insuriiic: their own live stock, and their crops a{;aiiist 

 hail storms. Agriculturists are commeneintr to 

 learn that there is no manure veritably complete in 

 itself; even ;ruano must have a complement in the 

 ease of certain soils. Tlic best jilan is for tlie culti- 

 vator to have recourse to various manures ; the wise 

 merchant never puts all his iroods in one ship, nor the 

 market man all his e;,'i;s in the one basket. In the 

 North of France, where nitrate of soda has been eni- 

 * ployed five years in succession, it has (iiiished by ex- 

 ereisini; no inlluence at all on the iiroduction of beet. 

 Anala^aius results are to be witnessed in Vancluse, 

 where the use of oil cake as a nianurc has ceased to 

 be advantaircoiis in the production of the chief crop 

 of tliat repion, namely, madder. When one makes 

 use thus of an unique manure, the food of plants 

 Iiri'scnts Itself no more in that total of immediate 

 principles that vci;ctatioii demands from the soil. 

 Neiifliborjiiir farmers club loirethcr to iiurehasc costly 

 niacliincs; now a very useful machine in coiineelioii 

 with the forejroiuff remarks, has aiipcarcd lately at 

 shows, beini; destined to mix and j;riiid artitieial 

 manures. The farmer buys the raw materials pure, 

 mixes them on his premises, ami in proporlions suit- 

 ed to his land. The machine can be cither worked 

 by the hand, or turned by a eonnectinii strap to a 

 steam en^jine or horse round, and the teethed cylin- 

 ders revolvin:^ in a wooden rcccpt.ai-le can be gradu- 

 ated so as to reduce the niixtnre to a fixed licijrcc of 

 pulverization. Rear in mind that siience and prac- 

 tice rccommeml the presentation of artificial ma- 

 nures in the most iiii|>alpalilc form, in order to pro- 

 duce iinmedintc elfects on a crop. .Many French ai;'- 

 rieultiirists, who contract for stalilc, iVie., manure in 

 the cities, in order to lessen cart iii.c, deposit the loads 

 on the headlands of the fields w here it is intended to 

 Ix- employed; a layer of earth two feet deepis jilaced 

 as a base, and the heap is also coated with the same. 

 The rain is thus excluded and the valuable products 

 of fermentation secured. 



SnEEl- FAHMINl) FOR WOOI. AND MEAT. 



In the question of slieep-farminK, many farmers 

 are inclined to hunt two hares at oiiee ; that is to 

 eay, desire to have both wotd and meal at the same 



tini<\ For France, iinthinf; Is clearer than that the 

 prid'erenee ousrht to be irlveii to the precocious pro- 

 duction of meat. Oltcii llicre Is only Ilobson'.i 

 elioice, as the produi'lion either of wool or meat de- 

 pends on soil and ellinate. For example, slici'p with 

 wool, tine and lull, like .Mi-rinos, do not succeed on 

 |Ktor and huiiild soils ; in all seasons they dcmanil a 

 I^ood supper and a ;.'oott bctl, to nourish am] develop 

 thi'ir licauliful lli'cces. Further, line wool breeds 

 have want of a dietary more succulent and choice 

 than those intended ostensibly for the butcher, the 

 hitler (lossessini; siiiipU' habits, and a facility for 

 lieiii;; reared. M. Mayrc, an eminent sheep farmer, 

 contrasts the profits of rearing- merinos for their 

 wool, and soutliiiowns and their crosslnijs for their 

 Nesh. Taking: one of the fornicr, he shows that iliir- 

 ini^ four years, at the end of which it will he slaiiLrh- 

 tered, the lu't value of the wool for that period is 

 7-1 francs, ami the meat and <»lfal, 102 francs, or a 

 total of 17() francs. In tlu' case of the Southdown, 

 sold to the butcher at two years, the total wool pro- 

 duced is 17 francs, and the meat, <.V:e., 1 IK francs, 

 making a total of K'.*) francs, or for four years, with 

 two Southdowns, 270 francs; showinir a ditferenee, 

 as compared with the Merinos' net value (17t» francs) 

 of il4 francs. Thus, lakiiifj a base of four years, the 

 profit is ill favor of reariiif: and fatleninir two .South- 

 downs durini; that jicriod, ralher than one of the best 

 fleeced Merinos. Then, as meal sells at nearly the 

 same price as wool, profits are more promptly real- 

 ized. 



FOKAGE-PLANTS — nllCKWUEAT— nUXdAIlIAN MOM A 

 — ITS CULTIVATION. 



The dry sprinij and the present continued drouffht, 

 have seriously affected the yield of forai^e plants. As 

 last season, there will he a threat scarcity of fodder, 

 but farmers are now resort inir, before it is too late, 

 to sowing substitutes. The short su|iply of fooil 

 comes, unhappily, after a winter where most ani- 

 mals, ''to be saved," had to be jtut on short eoin- 

 nioiis, the owners ealenhitiiifj on sprinfj for a supply 

 of succulent Ibod. Buckwheat is a favorite. It can 

 be sown up to the early days of .July, and thrives on 

 IKior soils, only partially manured. The earlier 

 Imckwheat is sown, the better will be the straw for 

 foraffe. Weight for weii;ht, the srrain has double 

 the nutrilivc value of hay. Hunirarian moha has 

 many admirers; it belonj^s to the i^rass tribe of 

 plants, vcirctates with i^rcat rapidity, and victoriously 

 suiiportsdrouijht. In two months, when not intended 

 for seed, it can be cut. It suits average soils — if 

 sandy or calcareous, so muidi the better, and a sli(;ht 

 dustinR of a commercial manure will work wonders. 

 Horses and cattle relish it, but its stems are toohanl 

 lor sheep. If cut before flowerinir, it will push forth 

 a vieonms aftermath, niakin;; excellent pasluraire. 

 It can be sown as late as the middle of July, and 

 later, even, if intcialcd to be consumed i;reen. The 

 seed is very fine and li^rht, and requires to be mixed 

 with ten or fifteen times its volume of lini? sand before 

 sowing;. Three ponndsof seed aresuflicient jicracre, 

 and many sow double the quantity. The soil bcini; 

 well pulverized, and the ^iiano, iVc, scattered, the 

 seed is then sown and harrowed in by means of a 

 thorn-bush harrow. Poultry like the seed, and 

 horses the stems after beiiif; threshed. In France 

 moha succeeds best when near the sea. Hnekwheat, 

 when intended as forage for horses, is f^encrally sown 

 mixed with oats and barley — the former above all — 

 and with wiiite mustard when intended for cattle. 

 Given abundantly to sheep, buckw heat atllicts them 

 with i,nddiiiess, thi'ir ears and head become swollen, 

 and they cannot bear the rays of tlie sun. 



UTILIZINli DAMAliED FODDER. 



These intereulary or stolen crops do not supersede 

 ■^lie culture of maize, where eireumstauecs suit, of 

 its consumption and preservation in [ills in a green 

 state for winter and sprints fecdins;. Nor should it 

 be Ibrijottcn, that in the case of damaged fodder, of 

 hard or lar;ce stems, of potatoes, licet, turnips, Jeru- 

 salem artichokes, cut and mixed with chaff, colza- 

 IkmIs, choppi'ii straw, watered with a solution of salt 

 or oil cake, and allowed to fernieiit '.M hours in sum- 

 mer, and ■U'l in winter, form a mash that live stock 

 will eat with avidity, in the east of France the tiest 

 airriculturists larircly cultivate .Icrusalcm artichokes. 

 The stems are as luueli appreciated as the roots, and 

 horses receive as many as twenty pounds of the latter 

 daily. 



I.MPORTANCE OF OOOD FEEDING. 



In the fecdine: of cattle, as a (general remark, It is 

 well to bear in mind tliat under-fcediiii:' is a mistake. 

 Animals ought to be considered as machines, w hieli 

 translbrm into divers products the allnieiits they eoii- 

 sunie ; their keep will be most lucrative, in projmr- 

 tion as I hey best utilize. at least expense, the mafti-rs 

 given them to transform, either into meat or milk, 

 (lood feeding is essential in tlie ease of well-bred 

 animals, to maintain their vigor, precocity, and six'- 

 cial aptitudes, otherwise they will lie only so many 

 costly machines for jiroducing nianurc. 



THE .VANCFACTIKE OK DlTl U CHEESE. 



France imports largely Dutch cheese, familiarly 

 called " .MiKirs" heads ;" these alone resist long voy- 

 ages on sea and In warm climates. Kxpcriments are 

 now being eonilucted to jircpare this kind of cheese 

 in Auvergne, which in jioint of inilk-priMluec, very 



much resemhles Holland. The fatly matter which 

 cheese contains, and that imparts to It its fine and 

 savoury taste, is at the same time tlie most aetlvo 

 cause of its decomposition. In Holland the milk is 

 partly skininn-d, more of the fatty matter csea|Hs In 

 the breaking and drainage of the curd, and the rest 

 exudes during the pressure. To cliniinale all cream 

 Is the si'crct in the [ireparatioii of Dutch cheese ; anil 

 the salting of it during ten or twelve days, the use of 

 liiki' warm brine baths, coating It wilii linseed oil 

 ami a color, to give It a crust, anil well drying it in 

 airy rooms, eoniplete the preparation. Acconling to 

 the learned M. Pasteur and other chemists, milk 

 coagulati'K from the presence in grand quantity of 

 inieruscopic beings. 



CAISE OF THE I.AyiNd OP COIIN. 



The laying of corn from natural causes Is attrihiiletl 

 to a bad organization of the the woiHly llbre, which in- 

 duces a weakness in the stem. The ex|HTimciit6 of 

 Koch conlirni tills view; he has sliowii, that the ttt>- 

 scuec of light priHluccs a Icngtiieiiing of the stem 

 and its cells, at the expense of their thiekness. Such 

 was what he dctceted when rye stems were covered 

 either in whole or in jiart by earthen tiilics, and this 

 weakness was most iM-rccptihli-, about the lower part 

 of the second knot in flic stem. The absence then, 

 or feeble |ircBcncc of silica in tlic stem is not to las 

 considered as the cause of tlie weakness; too rich 

 manuring |iroduccs the same effect as shade by aug- 

 menting prccociinisly the foliage and thusshad'e; and 

 similarly may be explained tli* feebleness of stems, 

 in the case of tliick sowing — they exclude the light. 



THE Cl RE FOR THE VINE UfG. 



The cure for the vine ling has not yet licen found, 

 but it would be wrong to assert no progress has been 

 made. The whole matter-is in a stale of conllniied 

 experiment. The siilplio-carbonate of potassium, as 

 reconinicndcd by the celebrated chemist, Dumas, to 

 be applied in a state of solution, could not be carried 

 into practice, the ipiantity of water required being loo 

 grot. Dumas now suggests the employment of three 

 parts of Peruvian guano, one of well burnt gy|isiini, 

 and one of t+ie sulpho-carbonate, mixing the first two 

 well, before .adding them to the latter; the paste 

 which is formed can fie pulverized readily after tfie 

 lapse of 21 hours. T"wo cwts., of the niixtun' will lio 

 enough for an acre, and ttie iKirlloii for each vino 

 ought lo be placed at thediplh of seven inches ill the 

 soil, selecting moist or threatening weather for the 

 jiurixise. All this has yet to be testeil on the large 

 scale. 



THE CLOVER AND LtlCERN PESTS. 



In the south of France, and in Spain, clover aiKl 

 lucern are severely attacked by a small black insect, 

 called fo/an/"'. which cats the leaves. In the early 

 morning a trough moving on wheels, and putting in 

 motion a iight thin board, by means of a connecting 

 belt, is pushed over the field. In its passage this 

 board or fan gently shakes, without bn'aking them, 

 the leaves and stems, jiothaf the bugs fall into the 

 trough, out of which ttiey are taken and bunicd, or 

 killed with boiling wafer. To ilcstroy that ti'rrihlc 

 weed, meadow saffron, eradication, plant by plant Is 

 the only remedy. 



OUR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. 



Proceedings of the Lancaster County Agri- 

 cultural and Horticultural Society. 

 The time for the regular monthly niecting of this 

 Society having fallen on thi- day hir celebrating the 

 ninety-ninth anniversary of our National lndi'|K'nd- 

 ence, there was not a quorum of members in attend- 

 ance, and consequently no meethig was held. \Vc 

 however occupy the space usually allotted to their 

 proceedings with the excellent adrlrcss delivereil by 

 Simon P. Kby, F.sq., at the June niecting, on the 

 Charaetcristics of Fanners and Farming, and the evil 

 arising from the general desire on the part of young 

 men to avoid this iionoralile and indciH'ndcnt position 

 in life. This address contains many excellent sug- 

 gestions of a practical nature, and we euminend lis 

 careful jKrusal to our readers. 



Farmers and Farming, and Farmers Sons. 



Jfr. Pri:i'i(lciil and <!f»tUtncn of On- Anntciation : 

 Four years ago I had the privilege of addressing you 

 on a suliject not strii'fly horticultural. It cami>, how- 

 ever, at an opiKirtune moment, as flic eonimunity 

 seemed to be ri|H' for its reception. .\ml the faint 

 note then uttered found a ready rcs|ifinse. A nnmlK'r 

 of our most liiimane citizi'iis formed an association, 

 which has since relieved a great deal of siilfering 

 and prevented niueh abuse of oiirtlomestie animals. 



The siilijeet lo which I ilcsire to call your atteiilioii 

 to-ilay relates more directly lo the agricultural and 

 hortieiiltural welfare of our counly, and if I succeed 

 in awakening half file interest I iliil on the former 

 occasion, 1 shall consider myself fortunate. 



I refer to the growing tendency of young men, 

 particularly farmer's sons, lo leaving their homes 

 and farms in the country to engage iu the already 

 crowded oi-cupations in the towns and cities. This 

 tendency I believe to be the result of a mistaken idea 

 that farming has become less rcsjiectable than other 

 business pursuits; a distaste for manual lalxir, and, 



