188 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[December, 



need for uiiderstanilinu facts connected witli tiis busi- 

 ness, trade, or profession than the farmer ? The very 

 life of his success (as a farmer) in producing luxuri- 

 ant and successive j'ields, is in the scieutitic Ivnow- 

 led<re lie possesses of what he is doing. It is t Jue that 

 this knowledge may be partially handed down by 

 practical acquirements, from father to son, for ages, 

 with considerable success, as in England, France and 

 Germany: but in the knowledge thus acquired, little 

 progress is attained, and that at a very slow rate. 

 America is, or ought to be, the agricultural country 

 of the world; and, since so vast an area is constantly 

 being opencil up to us, both South and West, it will 

 be our own fault if we do not become opulent through 

 our agricultural wealth alone. But to arrive at the 

 acme of perfection in this branch of industry, we 

 must understand the business we undertake, or the 

 productions of our handiwork will take but a second 

 place in the markets of the nations. 



A farmer is both a manufacturer and a merchant, 

 in every sense of the word; but if he does not turnout 

 a good article, his merchandise will remain on his 

 hands, or be sold at such a price as will not ))ay him 

 for the production and exportation. Why does he 

 fail in this ? Why, simply because he thinks that 

 farming is not a science, whc^ it is as much so as 

 chemistry. How, then, shall we make every farmer 

 a scientilic man ? Why, 



WE MUST BE TAUGHT TO LOOK FOB FACTS, 



and to analyze them understandingly, and then 

 draw such unerring conclusions from them, as 

 docs the scientific man of any other profession, that 

 he may profit by them in his mamifactiire of the soil, 

 and in raising the produce therefrom. 



Whilst the chief talent, intellect and energies of 

 most of the nations of the old world are exercised in 

 tlie invention and production of the implements and 

 munitions of warfare, Ijy which they may be enaljled 

 to defend themselves from the attacks of their neigli-' 

 bors, or obtain a conquest over them, it is tlie destiny 

 of our nation to prove that "peace may reign, and 

 the sword lie turned into the plough-share and reap- 

 er — depending on the justice of our cause and the 

 strong arms and stout hearts of our yeomen to re- 

 pulse all invaders of our tranquillity." 



Thus positioned, it is our duty to profit by these 

 blessings and show ourselves grateful for them in 

 turning to account the wisdom given to us by the 

 Creator, and the bounteous proffers by nature to aid 

 us in the good work. To obtain good gold, silver, 

 steel or iron, the scientist and essayist employ their 

 utmost ingenuity in searching for first causes, and 



SEPARATING THE TRUE METAL FKOM THE DKOSS ; 



for by amalgamation they produce a superior metal to 

 that m.ade from the raw ore. Every plant, too, is a 

 dumb chemist, analyzing the earth and taking from it 

 what it needs for its nurture, color and growth. Will 

 not our farmers, then, aid these little genii, each of 

 which contains within it the germ of an Eldorado^ — 

 brought to his own threshold '! There is no reason why 

 farming and stock-raising should not be made as much 

 a scientific study as any other business, and it only 

 needs that those who undertake this healthy, inde- 

 pendent occupation, should be impressed with the ne- 

 cessity of such acquirements as will enable them to 

 produce any desired landscape of luxuriant growth, 

 as does the painter his copy — liy a knowledge and 

 selection of liis varied coloi-s and the perspective. To 

 enable the farmer to do this, it is but necessary that 

 he should know the chemical components of each 

 plant or vegetable ; to know on what it feeds most 

 voraciously, and wliat it rejects, so 



THAT HE MAY GIVE IT THE SUSTENANCE IT NEEDS, 



and keep from it that which tends to injure its growth 

 and make it sickly. Not to do this to our children 

 would insure for us the name of simpleton — if not a 

 worse one. To expect the earth to supply, without our 

 aid, a continuous crop of one cereal, is as wise as it 

 would be to set a second and third person down to the 

 same dish, from which the first has eaten all the pro- 

 visions, and expect them to retire full and satisfied. If 

 you would not cxjiect these customs to pay you, do not 

 expect remuneration from the earth, from which you 

 withhold the rci|uircd nutriment. Seek then to know 

 what your plant requires ; give that with a bounteous 

 hand , " put your hand to the plow and turn not 

 back," and your reward will be a golden garner. 



There is yet one thing more that I would allude to, 

 which is the 



BENEFICIAL EFFECTS FROM THE CHANGE OP SEED 



in agricultural operations, and the interchange of 

 connection in stock raising. Growing the same crop 

 in one locality, from the same seed, year after year, 

 and raising cattle, Arc, from the same family, with- 

 out intermixlurc, often tends to deterioration." So far 

 as seed is concerned, it needs no further proof than 

 the fact that Canadian seed, when sown in our Mid- 

 dle or Western States, uniformly turns out heavier 

 and a greater per centage per acre from the change. 

 Mr. Engle said it would be well to follow the ad- 

 vice contained in the essay, as it contained many facts 

 and good hints. The society should deal more with 

 facts, and drop the use of o]iinions. He believed with 

 the writer that there should be as much science in 

 farming as in any other branch of business. Those 

 who belong to the society, do not seem to take hold 



of it in this light. The masses of agriculturists seem 

 to ignore this point. They seem merely to be follow- 

 ing the footsteps of our fathers and forefathers, and 

 ai'c doing nothing to advance our cause in the least. 

 Mr. Hoover said that the essay contained a sug- 

 gestion which strnck him very forcibly, and that was 

 in regard to seed — such as wheat and corn. He be- 

 lieved that 



A CHANGE OP SEEDS SHOULD BE MADE EVERT FEW 

 YEARS. 



Seeds that grow on limestone land should be changed 

 every few years for those which grow on barren 

 or gravel land, and vice verxa. Such an exchange, 

 in ids experience, always proved satisfactory. By 

 continuing to sow one kind of seed all the time, 

 the crop through time will become inferior in quality. 

 In regard to live stock it is the same. The Chester 

 county stock is good, but run it awhile and it will be- 

 come inferior. We should cross and recross our 

 breeds. He believed in it, practiced it, and was bene- 

 fited. He thought that agriculture should become a 

 study, as the farmers know too little about their soils. 

 Hardly fifty of the farmers of this county know how 

 to treat their soils. They know very little about sci- 

 ence. The farmer should not be satisfied by merely 

 looking on and doing what others did. He should 

 read more, anil make his occupation a study. If the 

 doctor and lawyer would not read and study, so as to 

 be posted up, they would soon be out of the age en- 

 tirely. This is the same with the farmer. He Is the 

 person who can't know too much as regards his busi- 

 ness. He should be constantly booking himself up 

 on subjects relating to himself and work, and one of 

 the greatest helps in this case is 



THE FARMER, THE ORGAN OF THE SOCIETY, 



which is a source of great information. Every far" 

 mer should take it and make it a study. 



Mr. .Miller agreed with all the gentlemen had 

 said. If farmers would read more, it would doubly 

 repay them. The most intelligent and prosperous 

 farmers in this county are those who make reading a 

 study. He urged the reading of The Lancaster 

 Farmer, as well as three or four other agricultural 

 papers. Nothing gives the progressive farmer more 

 pleasure than to read his paper in the evening after 

 his hard day's work is done. 



The following essay was then read by Mr. Henry 

 M. Engle: 



" Paying too Dear for the \Vhistle." 



Almost every school boy understands the meaning 

 of this common proverb, and it being already a 

 centenarian, the father of the school boy should be 

 able to iirofit by the lesson. It is how ever, not 

 only amusing, but passingly strange that we are 

 so susceptible of being often persuaded against our 

 stronger and better convictions. Is it want of 

 firmness? We can hardly believe that such is the 

 case, as sufficient firmness is exhibited on some oc- 

 casions by every one. Have not many of us a weak- 

 ness of being influenced by something which we can- 

 not describe? Is it magnetism, psychology, persua- 

 sive or flowery language, or what ? But that there is 

 a something we do know, as the sequel will show. 

 From the early ages until the present there had al- 

 ways been exchangeable commodities, consequently 

 some wished to sell, while others were as ready to 

 purchase. Such transactions have always been con- 

 sidered proper, provided the exchanges were fairly 

 and legitimately made, and the custom holds good 

 until this day, and upon such custom we have no 

 criticism to offer. There is, however, another 



TOO PREVALENT CUSTOM, 



which is of both seller and buyer trying to get the 

 advantage of each other, and which is considered 

 sharp by those who are in the habit of dealing in 

 this way ; but has it not an evil tendency ? or, even 

 more, it has an evil effect, as it creates distrust and 

 loss of confidence between man and man, which 

 must to a great extent destroy their mutual and 

 social relations. Where the parties are well matched 

 the iiecuniary advantages or disadvantages are 

 generally pretty evenly balanced ; but the confi- 

 dence between them for integrity is naturally weak- 

 ened. Where the parties dealing are unequally match- 

 ed, the pecuniary advantage invariably accrues to the 

 sharper. 



There are also many instances where men who are 

 generally shrewd and successful in their regular bus- 

 iness get outwitted the moment they step beyond 

 their accustomed routine, and in many cases they do 

 not deserve the sympathy of their neighbor. For in- 

 stance, a wealthy fanner who has his farm or farms 

 clear of encumbrance and may have money and stock 

 besides, but docs not keep himself posted on anything 

 outside of his business, 



DOES NOT EVEN PATRONIZE HIS HOME PAPER 



— an agent or peddler offers him something for 

 sale which he really needs ; the price is fixed, but 

 the seller will let him have it at 30 or 3.5 per 

 cent, below Iiis retail price. The buyer, not beiug 

 posted, in consequence of not reading the news of the 

 day, with advertisements and prices of almost every- 

 thing he may want, makes the purchase, but ,learns 

 afterward that his neighjior purchased the same kind 

 for half the price, or even less. The consequence 



generally is an indiscriminate anatliema on all agents 

 and peddlers in the land, some of whom we admit 

 deserve it, but at the same time a few dollars would 

 have saved him both his money and his curses. Such 

 I would again say deserve no sympathy. 



There is also a class who have an ambition to be ahead 

 of their neighbors, and buy indiscriminately for such 

 purpose, but meet with the same fate as tlie former . 

 A few instances will prove our position. There is 

 scarcely a season but there are agents traveling 

 through this and other counties, ofteriug tosell some- 

 thing new and superior in the line of fruits. Last 

 season parties from a distance sold Foster, and otiicr 

 peach trees, representing that they could not be had 

 in this county, selling them readily at .50 cents each , 

 and some even higher, while at the same time scarce- 

 ly a nurseryman in this and neighboring counties, but 

 would have readily supplied them 



FRESH PROM HIS GROUNDS AT HALF THAT PRICE. 



Samples of grapes are carried about and vines sold 

 (we are told) at 81.50 each, while the same varieties 

 will be furnished by any home nurseryman at .50 cents 

 each. If planters would expend but a trifle toward 

 getting the necessary informatioa, they might avoid 

 paying too dear for many things that don't whistle. • 

 But perhaps it would be all the better in the end to 

 encourage such agents, as it might bring people soon- 

 er to think, than by urging them to subscribe for 

 their home papers. We do not envy either the seller 

 or the buyer in such cases. A word to the wise is 

 sufficient, and we all claim to be such in our own 

 way. Subscribe for the home journal. 



Mr. Erb said that the essay contained a great 

 many good hints, but he was afraid it would never 

 reach the majority of the people, for the simple rea- 

 son that they do not get The Farmer or any other 

 paper. In his neighborhood they have been troubled 

 very much with tree peddlers, who always 



CHARGE ABOUT THREE PRICES FOR THEIR TREES. 



Those who do buy from these agents generally lose all 

 of the trees, which die before they bring forth fruit. He 

 could not understand why they did not buy their trees 

 from home nurserymen. Then they would get them 

 fresh from the ground, and if they should happen to 

 be planted a little carelessly, they would thrive and 

 grow anyway. The best plan to do with these travel- 

 ing agents is to shut down on them. They always 

 hold out great inducements. They have jars 

 of the finest fruit, which is purchased at our best 

 markets, and which they show to parties who are not 

 posted, saying that it is a sample of the fruit which 

 is borne by the trees they are selling. This he regarded 

 as a 



GREAT IMPOSITION ON THE PUBLIC, 



and thought that the matter should be published, so 

 as to expose the great rascality. 



Mr. Esiileman was very much pleased with the 

 essay. He said that he was much annoyed by 

 traveling agents, and he was surprised to see how 

 many people would buy trees from them. To 

 some of them it was of no use to talk, for as soon as 

 they were humbugged they would turn around and 

 buy again from the next agent that would come along. 



Mr. Cooper, in referring to the matter, said that 

 it looked very much as if the nurserymen had an ax 

 to grind. As regards the agents, he did not blame 

 them. Let them sell all the trees they can. In the 

 end it would help the nurscrym-n, instancing that 

 when the Ohio men overrun our county a few years 

 ago, selling thousands of dollars worth of trees, they 

 mostly all died, and the home nurserymen had a 

 good thing of it in fllling up the old holes. 



Mr. Erk though* it was the iluty of this society to 

 remove this blindness, and not let the public be hum- 

 bugged in this manner. 



if they would take THE LANCASTER FARMER, 



said Mr. Cooper, and papers of its class, they could 

 avoid being liumbugged in this .way. In another 

 sense, be believed that if a person paid well to learu 

 a thing it would be best in the end. 



Mr. Engle said that such was not always the case. 

 When a person gets bit once it does not always cure. 

 These agents are not always to blame. They show 

 you boxes of grapes, etc., in glass boxes, represent- 

 ing the fruits of the tree they offer to sell you. They 

 all look very nice, but you don't ask if they will thrive 

 and grow in this climate. In some eases they grow, 

 in others they do not. The agents also show fine 

 plates of apples and pears, and they are all right in 

 their place. The B.ildwin for the North is an excel- 

 lent apple, but it is not adapted to this climate. We 

 shouhl know what we plant, and whether it will 

 thriven in our climate, before we make the purchase. 

 We never ask these questions, and therefore the agents 

 are not to blame. 



Mii. Eri! thought they were to blam^, for they 

 generally answered a great many more questions 

 than were asked. 



the FARMERS AGAINST THE EXPRESS MONOPOLY. 



A petition sent by Mr. Vick, to the publishers of 

 The Farmer, with a request to have it signed, was 

 presented to the Society and signed by the members 

 present. This petition, which is being largely signad 

 all over the county reads as follows : 



"Tour petitioners, citizens of the United States, 



