1876.] 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



99 



llaviiiff thus imid due trilmte to the day, let me now 

 ask you to turn your eyes iji quite anotlier direction. 

 Wars, battles, lieniie exploits, advenluus, political 

 measures, the sayini^s and doinjjs of the prominent 

 actors (in the world's stai;e, arc not the sole staple of 

 history, as many seem to Imagine. Important and 

 attraeti\T> as they may he, they are only means to an 

 cud— of value only lis they atlect the welfare and 

 mould the ehara<ler of lUe lunsx vf Ihc jicvjUi , or as 

 they serve to illustrate their character. And other 

 factors of equal or even f:rcatc-r importance and not 

 to be Itrnorcd, enter intu the account. From this 

 point of view, the real, distinctive history of Lancas- 

 ter county for the past hundred years lies nniinly 

 with the rural population as a whole. Wluit they 

 are and the causes and eircunistanees which have 

 combined to make them what they are, what they 

 have accomplished, the modifyinf; inlluenccs at work 

 amonirst them and their outlook for the future, are 

 tojHCS of a most interestinf; chapter from the pen of 

 an able writer. They occupy the central position, 

 and another thincs should be studied iu their rela- 

 tion to and bcarinic upon them. 



If an intcUiircnt traveler, who has landed on our 

 shores durins tins year of juliilce, should visit the 

 county, and journey 't-hr(ni;;h it from border to border, 

 with full leisure and opiiortunity lor the best use of 

 hiB powers of observation, he would behold a cen- 

 tennial exhibition, which, if rii;htly apprehended, 

 though widely dilfcrcnt, is i,'randcr than that in Fau- 

 ipount Tark. lie would l)ehold a body of people, tlie 

 like of whom are not to be found anywheri! else on the 

 face of the i;lobe, except iu the neii;liborinq: counties 

 of eastern I'cnnnsylvania— a vast body of Independ- 

 ent farmers, who are not peasant 3 or serfs or ignorant 

 hirelings, hut fi-ce-bom owners of the soil which they 

 cultivate, as their fathers did before them, by their 

 own toil, and with the rarest skill and success. He 

 would note the capacious barns, the substantial 

 homesteads, the trim gardens not devoid of llowers, 

 the broad Acres covered with waving harvests, the 

 stout, well-fed horses and cattle, the excellent i-oade, 

 the abundant signs of industry, thrift, frugality and 

 economy everywhere visible, and of wealth and com- 

 fort not coutined to a few indviduals, but generally 

 difl'used. On closer iufiuiry he would discover a peo- 

 ple jjlain iu their habits and speech, honest in their 

 dealings, quiet, contented, loyal — good neighbors aud 

 good citizens— faithful to their customs and tradi- 

 tions, and yet wise enough to advance with the pro- 

 gress of the age — supporters of the church and 

 school, and well-luformed in public affairs. He 

 would be struck by the absence of social Inequality 

 and the rarity of poverty and criuie. In a word, lie 

 would heboid that which would compel him to ex- 

 claim : " Happy is the Republic that can produce 

 children like these !" 



This result of the peaceful working of one hun- 

 dred years was beautifully and prophetically symbol- 

 ized in the coat-of-arms adopted by the State. Above, 

 is seen the national eagle with (uitstretched wings 

 over a ship under full sail, in the centre, occupying 

 the place of honor, the plough — lower down, three 

 sheaves of wheat, on each side, a horse rampant, 

 and beneath, the sterling motto, Viutue, Libekty, 



iNOKPENUENrE. 



In conclusion. Dr. Torter remarked that, while 

 Lancaster county must be awarded a first place in 

 agriculture, it would not do to disparage other pur- 

 suits. She occupies an enviable position in mining 

 and manufacturing pursuits, and a pleasant feature 

 is, that unlike many other counties, there is no an- 

 tagonism between city aud county. All feel a com- 

 mon interest, and work for a common cause. The 

 learned speaker closed with a glowing tribute to our 

 public schools aud advancement in all material and 

 intellectual things, and was rapturously applauded. 



During the delivery he was frequently Interrupted 

 with applause, aud alxiut ton minutes before the close 

 the canvas above him was blown off by a heavy gust 

 of wind, and he .stood under the unrelenting rays of 

 the noon-day sun. All attempts to replace the can- 

 vas were in vain, and the Doctor resumed, remark- 

 ing, " I'll light It out in the sun." [Loud and pro- 

 longed applause.] 



The Centennial Oration 

 "Was delivered by Markiott Brosius, Esq., 

 who h;id been coiiiplinieiited witli the honor 

 of the position of ortitor of the day. It wa.s 

 a tnaslerly production, wnithy tlie head and 

 heart t)f this ri.sini; youny; lawyer and orator, 

 and wc regret that its i,'reat length prevents 

 us from giving it a place in tlie cohnnns of 

 The Faiimei!. It was piihlislied in full in 

 the daily and weekly Exinrss. 



SAVING SEEDS. 



In the article on "(;ahbaRes," in onr June 

 nnmber, alhision was made to "savingseeds,'' 

 and in a foot-note we staled that in a " timely 

 subseipient ninnber " we wotdd publish a pa- 

 per, from the same .source, on litis important 

 suljject, and as we think that timi^ has now 

 arrived, we will proceed to redeem that prom- 



ise, especially since it is becoming more ai>- 

 jiarent every year, that if the farmer and 

 gardener expect to secure good crops, next 

 after the proper cultiviitiou of the .soil, iu iin- 

 porlauc.e, is the seleclinn of good seeds. Of 

 course, in the begiiuiiiiLr of their labors, they 

 uuisl apply to some neighbor or well-known 

 seedsman ; but, siil)sequeutly, Ihey sliould en- 

 deavor to supply themselves, with some few 

 exceptions, from their own premi.ses. 



It is a wi',11 attested fact, that if two dill'er- 

 ent varieties of ;i vegetable iire permitted lo 

 blosMom at the same lime, within a short <lis- 

 tance of (sich other, they intermix, iuid pro- 

 duce ii hybrid, partaking of the cliaraeler of 

 both |);ireuts. The fertilizing dust of stamens 

 in the llowers of one plant is conveyed, by the 

 wind or insects, to the pistils in the llowers of 

 the other. Tlie di.stitictive features of each 

 are thereby lost, while the new variety may 

 pos.sess not a single point to make it woithy 

 of cultivation. It is seldom tlitit such a 

 chance hybrid i>rovcs of much retil valu^^ The 

 originati(]ii in this way of any (■bnic(! e.stailcul 

 is almost ever the result of study aud long ex- 

 periment. 



A knowledge of this fact is of peculiar im- 

 portiince to the gardener, whose object is to 

 raise sevenil different vari(!ties of the same 

 vegetable upon a small piece of ground. It is 

 by this only that he can satisfactorily account 

 for the rapid delerioratiou of the choicest 

 sorts. Where, for example, he cultivates the 

 melon, the cnciunber and the pumpkin in close 

 companionship, but a few seasons will elapse 

 before he liiids the juiciness, pcrfumo aud 

 delicate flavor of the lirst named exchanged 

 for the coarse ilesli of the last ; and the cele- 

 brated Brasska tribe, among which are our 

 cabbage, caulitlower, etc., are suppcsed to 

 number several hundreds, produced by inten- 

 tional or chance intermixture. We therefore 

 consider it as dangerous to allow plants of a 

 particular family to run to seed iu the vicinity 

 of each other as to turn a rough, scrubliy, 

 " native " bull among a herd of thoroughbred 

 Durhams. 



You will now very natiu'ally inquire, good 

 reader, how you are to raise seed, and yet jtre- 

 serve the several varieties distinct. We lirst 

 answer, that you ought to reduce the number 

 of varieties to the very choicest — such its arc 

 desirable for being early or late, or of unusutil 

 size, or having a fine flavor, or distinguished 

 for great productiveness^instead of keciiinga 

 selection large enough for a seedsman. They 

 are in re<ility very few, for the majority of the 

 flne-souiuling names in catalogues are given to 

 plants of an inferior character. 



.Such as you select for settling should be lo- 

 cated as far apart as the extent of your terri- 

 tory will admit, so as to lessen the chiinces of 

 intermixture ; and where the vitality of tlie 

 seed will remain unimi)aired for two or three 

 yciirs, yon may allow only a part of th(! varie- 

 ties to blossom in each year. Thus, by refer- 

 ence to the table at the end of tliis article, it 

 will aiipear that cabbage seed preserves its 

 germinating power for foiu' years, and by per- 

 mitting only one kind to perfect itself in a 

 season, you may have four distinct kinds iu 

 perfect jun-ity. This rule is good tis far as it 

 goes, but you will perceive that it is not of 

 genenil ;ipplicati(m. Where you are obliged 

 to have two or more kinds iu llower at the 

 same tinii^, as with membei-s of the cucumber 

 family, place them as far astmder as possible. 

 Wc think it lietter to raise only one valuillile 

 sort of seed, iind deiiend upon a responsible 

 seedsmen tor the balance, than to run the ri.sk 

 of getting mongrels. 



Of such varieties a.s yon .select for seeding, 

 choose the best plants only— those which iire 

 healthy, and liavt^ their peculiar character- 

 istics most perfectly developed. To insme 

 carline.ss, only the most forward plants should 

 be ttiken. Let the soil be rich aud well culti- 

 vated, allowing plenty of room to the roots. 

 Attend carefully to the sid)sei)uent growth, 

 for the leaves and shoots are very apt to be 

 injured by insects, ;uid are veiy often choked 

 by rank weeds. It will be the best policy to 

 look at the plants at leiist oucc ;i week, aud, 



when the weiither gets very dry, it becomes 

 advisable to apply water in moderate (pianli- 

 ties. The seed sUilks will be thrown up in the 

 early part of summer ; being high, and hav- 

 ing intmy branches, thijy are liable to be broken, 

 down by heavy rains or strong winds. Tho 

 labor of tying them up to stakes is trilling, 

 and ought on no account lo Im! neglected. 



Whin the seeils are ripe gather them with- 

 out nmiec^Hsary delay; otherwise the jiods 

 will split open, and their contents bo siuitlcred 

 upon the grcjund. Do not gather indi.scriiui- 

 nali'lv, but take only the linest looking heads. 

 15y this selection of the best plaids and the 

 best seed, good varieties may be e.veii im- 

 luoved, and they certainly will not deteriorate. 

 In this way many of our choice vegetables 

 have been obtauied. The iiractical stock- 

 breeder's motto Ls, that "like produces like," 

 aud he Ineeds from tho.se animals only which 

 pos.se,ss the points he wishes periietualed. 

 Thus, if you selicl the curliest peas from the 

 earliest vines, fora number of setusons, you tau 

 olitain ii variety riiieuiiig several days earlier 

 than thtit witli which you commencej. It has 

 been done once, and may be done again. 



I'Licu the seed vessels, an soon as gathered, 

 upon a cloth iu the shade, so that tluy may 

 become perfectly dry, at which lime thresh 

 out the s*;ed by mwins of a small slick. Win- 

 now out the chair and small or defective sged, 

 and \>ut the remainder in diawers or .small pa- 

 per bags. Every kiud should be Libeled with 

 its Uitaiie and the year when rai.sed— in tliis 

 manner: ^-JlJarl!/ Sulmon liadish,l>i'A).'' This 

 williirevi-nt all possibility of the inexperienced 

 cultivator mistaking beta for cabbage seed, or 

 sowing thill which by the lapse of time lias 

 lost its power of germiiiiilion. Keep these 

 drawers or bags in a cool, dry apartment, 

 where no injury may be ;ipi)rehended from 

 moisture or the attacks of mice. With care, 

 seeds may be preserved for several years, ac- 

 cording to the annexed table. 



The vitality of seeds, under favorable 

 circumstances, can be depended upon for the 

 following periods : 



I'arsnip, Rhubarb, and other thin, 6caly 

 seeds, for mw year. 



lialm, Basil, Beans, Cardoon Carrot, Cr&ss, 

 Indian Cress, Lavender, Leek, (Jki-a, Onion, 

 Peas, Pepper, llampion. Sage, Stivory, St:or- 

 /.ouera. Thyme, Tomato, Wormwootl, and 

 small herbs generally, for two i/cuv.s. 



Artichoke, Asparagus, Corn .Salad. Egg- 

 plant, Kiidive, Indian Corn, Lettuce, Miiri- 

 gold, Mtirjoram, JMustard, Parsley, liose- 

 mary, Rue, Skirret, Spinach, and Taiisey, for 

 three i/acrg. 



Borage, Borecole, Broccoli, Brtissels Sprouts, 

 Cabbage, Canliliower, Kadish, S'a-K;ile, Tar- 

 ragon and Turniii, for four i/eurs. 



Beet, Btiruel, Celery, Chervil, Cucumlwr, 

 Dill, Fennel, Hyssop, Melon, Pumpkin, .Sor- 

 rel and S(iu;isli, from Jhx lo eight or ten years. 

 — Garile^iers' 'I'ext Book. 



'OUR FARMERS IN COUNCIL." 



Agricultural and Horticultural Society. 



The farmers and fruit-growei-sof onr comity 

 thought it more wise, tin' luvsetil month, to 

 hold Ihuir councils in the hay and wheat lieUls 

 than to come to town anil spend their preciou."* 

 time in a city meeting. There is "a time to 

 talk and aliine to work," tinil when the wheat 

 harvest comes so close iiiioii the heels of the 

 hay harvest, the time for talk ha.s passed, and 

 stern necessity suggests that the time to work 

 has ccnne. We wended our way to the coun- 

 cil chandler but found it vacant. The secre- 

 tary had just retired and announced '"no 

 <iui")ruin." Even if the foregoing had notlieen 

 the ea.sc, we c<iuld hardly expe<t the farmers 

 of Lancaster connty to come into I-iiniiuster 

 city «m the ;id, 4lh or ."ith of .Inly, and subject 

 themselves to the noise, confusion and dan- 

 gers of the "Clorions Fourth," especially 

 when the reserved patroilism of a hundred 

 years wa.s likely to have a noisy ;md boister- 

 ous manifesUition on those days. Patrioti.sm 

 would not have the physical cucrgy to ultimate 



