1876.J 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



i57 



b 



was tendered Mr. Sraeych for his creditable display 

 of fruit. 



Mn. McCoMSEV ur(red the importance of a proper 

 representation of our fruits. 



On motion of Mr. Kendig, the chair was requested 

 to appoint a eomniiltee of six to gather specimens of 

 apples, pears and ffrapes, and forward not later tlian 

 Monday next to the Centennial, as the represclitation 

 of Lancaster county. The committee consists of M. 

 D. Kcudie, Manor ; II. M. Ensrle, Marietta ; Casper 

 Hiller, Conestoi;a; Johnson Miller, Warwick ; John 

 C. I-inville, Sadshury , Danii'l Sineych, Lancaster. 



All persons liavini: fruit for this purpose may leave 

 Hie same at the Franklin Ilou.se, North (^ueen street. 

 Seed Wheat and Fruits. 



Several paekajres of winter wheat, Clawson White, 

 were on the tahle for dlstrihution. Johnson Miller's 

 first sowiiii; with the variety was successful, hut the 

 second was a failure. A tlcld in Mr. I.iuvillc's ueish- 

 borhood was this season badly lly-eatcn. Adam M. 

 Ranck agreed to take the packatres for trial. 



I'KOK. Katuvon, of coniraittce on fruits, reported 

 as follows: 



D. Snieych : Grapes of the Crevelimr, Clinton, 

 Ropers No. 'i and lO-ti"., Sonasiiua, Hartlord Frolilic, 

 Black St. Peter's, Syrian, Black Haruburf,', .Maxa- 

 tawny and Martha varieties. 



C. Cooper: Catawba grape and Clyde Beauty 

 apple. . 



M. D. Kendig: Sheldon and Seckel pears. 



Dr. Lamberg : Krauser apple, two apples for name, 

 and two peaches for name. 



John Zimmerman : Late peaches, and H. Sener an 

 apple. . 



Pkof. Katiivon also read a communication from 

 P. K. Freas, in regard to an apple sent to him for 

 name. He called it the Summer pippin. 



On motion, a comiiiittee of three was appointed to 

 receive the fruits and ship them. 



The chair appointed Ephraim Hoover, W. McCom- 

 eev and Henry Erb. 



An informal committee on tasting gathered around 

 the table of grapes, and proceeded to pass judgment 

 on the Rogers, Maxatawny, and Black Hamburg. 

 Prof. Kathvon was chairman. 



Adjourned. 



Proceedings of Tobacco Growers' Association 



On Monday afternoon, Oct. 9, at 2 o'clock there 

 assembled in the rooms of the Linnnsan Society, a 

 very fair number of farmers and others engaged in 

 raising tobacco in the county. The following per- 

 sons were present; John ,VI. Stehnian, Aaron H. 

 Summy, I. L. Landis, Levi Gross, Frederick Nedy- 

 mire, Jacob M. Frantz, J. H. Hershey, Reutjen Gar- 

 ber, Jacob Gatnber, Adam B. Long, John M. Moore, 

 Martin Peiper, Colin Cameron, W. L. Hershey, Mar- 

 tin Miller, Pierce Bard, Peter S. Keist, Harry Reist, 

 and Henrv Erb. 



M.D. Kendig took the eliair, and Andrew Lane 

 was elected temporary secretary. On calling the 

 meeting to order. President Kendig delivered the fol- 

 lowing inaugural address : 



Gentlemen : In taking this uncalled for and un- 

 solicited position, allow me to thank you for the 

 honor conferred, in selecting me among so many 

 more able and competent than myself, to act in the 

 capacity of chairman of this, the Tobacco Growers' 

 Association. But having accepted it, and realizing 

 fully the deepest sense of conviction of the onerous 

 and responsible duties restiug upon me, I would ask 

 your aid and sympathy, assuring yon that my best 

 ctTorts shall be enlisted in whatever may tend to 

 make it a success. I do not intend here to encroach 

 or trespass on your time by boring your patience 

 with an elaborate address, as the object of this asso- 

 ciation was so fully set forth at a former meeting by 

 our friend and co-worker, .Mr. I. L. Landis, that I 

 deemed it unnecessary to say or add much. We do 

 not purpose, as some suppose, to combine our forces 

 In opposition to the middle-men, and thusdestroy our 

 best interests ; but we heartily welcome them all to 

 purchase from us, as well as the manufacturer and 

 shipper. The object of this society more fully is to 

 encourage the grower in raising a better article, and 

 thus not only add to his own interest, but advance 

 the standard of the crop, and place us in every re 

 spect in competition with the heretofore precedence 

 of the Connecticut leaf. We have the climate, soil, 

 situation, and all that is necessary to attain this re- 

 sult ; then why not get it? Simply because wc are 

 overreaehing ourselves— putting out a larger acreage 

 than we can carefully manage. This is one reason of 

 so much inferior tobacco and a depreciated value. It 

 is a deplorable fact that so nuuiy of our farmers fol- 

 low this system, so detrimental to our common in- 

 terests, instead of cultivating and handling five 

 acres well, they make an etlbrt to put out ten, and in 

 consequence fail to get a lirst-class article. .Much 

 might he said on the subject, as also on the liest 

 mode of raising plants, setting them out, cultivating, 

 housing, curing, stripping and assorting, easing, con- 

 structing the best and most convenient curing houses, 

 etc. ; on which I will not dwell here. As stated be- 

 fore, I feel that you will bring them up in good time 

 at your pleasure and discretion. In conclusion, I sin- 

 cerely hope that every member of this society will use 



his best efforts the more etfectually to promote and 

 attain the object sought. 



The president ttien read the constitution and by- 

 laws oll'ercd by the committee appointed for that 

 liurpose. As llnally adopted, the title of the society 

 is fixed as " The Lancaster County Tobacco (irowers' 

 .\ssociation.-'' Its aim is declared to tie the promo- 

 tion of the interests and advantage of the growers of 

 the county: fixing the meeting of the society on the 

 third Moiiday in each month ; establishing the othees 

 of l)residcnt, vice-president, secretary and treasurer; 

 payment of .50 cents as initiation and .50 cents yearly 

 lees being necessary to membership. 



Pkteii S. Heist moved that each member of the 

 society tie called upon for an essay or paper on some 

 subject in connection with tobacco culture. 



Against this it was urged that every member could 

 not do this. Colin Cameron urL'od that if a man 

 would raise a patch of tobacco, he could certainly 

 tell how he raised it. If he can't, he is no better 

 than the horse or mule that works in it with him. 



Jacob Fkantz contemlcd that there were men 

 whom he knew wlio raised as good tobacco as any 

 raised in the county, and could not write a line in- 

 telligently. He instanced that by an illustration of a 

 farmer paying taxes on ?SO,noil, and who never re- 

 ceived or wrote a letter. If we want to get the good 

 farmers here in this association let us sliajie ourselves 

 that we can get them here and keep them here. Be- 

 cause their address is not polished, nor their style 

 graceful, we must not think ourselves better than they 

 are, for we are not. So we must cultivate them so- 

 cially. 



An amendment offered by Colin Cameron passed, 

 authorizing the appointment of a member each month 

 who shall prejiare an essay, which shall be open for 

 general discussion. 



An order of business was then adopted. 

 On motion, the officers of the association were ap- 

 pointed a committee to secure a place to hold the 

 future meetings. 

 A few bills were ordered to be paid. 

 No vice president having been elected at the pre- 

 ceding meeting, Jacob M. Frantz and Jacob H. Her- 

 shey were nominated. Mr. Hershey declining to 

 serve, Mr. Frantz was elected by acclamation. 



Reports being called for, Mr. Landis, from the 

 Centennial committee, reported that ho had for sev- 

 eral years urged the importance of an organization 

 of this character. It now assumes shape. Since 

 spring he had tried to have a display by growers at 

 the Centennial, but had failed. At the last meeting 

 the subject was discus.seil, and he was able to take 

 down to the Exhibition 18 stalks, instead of :'00 as 

 he expected. Bucks county made such adisplaythat 

 they have been enabled to sell their whole crop at 

 highly remunerative prices. What he had taken 

 do'\vn excited very favorable comment, but there was 

 no arrangements made for ifs proper display, and it 

 suffered by comparison with what was there. Mr. 

 Landis then eontinueil with a statement of what the 

 growers of Bucks county had done with tobacco in- 

 ferior to that grown in Lancaster county. He thought 

 that if the movement was made immediately he 

 could no doubt secure space, and make a creditable 

 display even at this late day. 



Mh. Camekon stated that the Bucks county grow- 

 ers had built their own warehouses, and had been 

 keeping their tobacco out of second hands. 



Mr. Summy stated that the Virginia planters had 

 the same arrangement, and sold their tobacco at auc- 

 tion by sample. 



Mr. LandIs would like to know if there was any 

 desire to make a show, and in response Mr. Cameron 

 said that all the members wanted to know was how 

 much was wanted from each one ; he would answer 

 for them that the amount desired would be collected. 

 A motion of Mr. Cameron that Mr. Landis be 

 authorized to purchase a case with a sign over it for 

 the proper exhibition of Lancaster county tobacco 

 elicited considerable discussion, which developed the 

 fact that most of the tobacco was cured, and it would 

 be extremely dilhcult to handle. 



.Mr. Frantz thought the intention of the organi- 

 zation was to teach its members how to produce a 

 larger and better crop. For twenty years we liad 

 groped in the dark. After we have learned to raise 

 this better tobacco, let us go to expense to exhibit it. 

 Mr. Cameron argued that the best way to do was 

 for each one to send the tobacco down, and if enough 

 goes there then let Mr. Landis buy the case to show- 

 it in. 



The motion was then withdrawn, and the members 

 given until Monday to determine whether any of the 

 tobacco will be in proper condition to hand over to 

 Mr. Landis. 



Peteu S. Reist was appointed essayist for the 

 next meeting. 

 On motion, adjourned. 



AGRICULTURAL MISCELLANY. 



Kentucky Blue Grass. 

 There are doulitlcss many farmers who think what 

 is termed Kcnlueky blue grass thrives only in the 

 Slate from whiih it receives one of Its common 

 names. But the lactsare that it thrives in the North- 

 ern and Middle States, and we have no doulit, as the 

 following would seem to show, that ere long some of 

 our western prairies may be transformed into grand 

 blue grass pasture. 



The licst farmers in the blue grass region of Ken- 

 tucky generally regard an acre of this grass equal 

 in value to an acre *)f corn. 



When we take into consideration the cost or value 

 of the laljor in raising an acre of corn, the value of 

 the blue grass will be more fully appreciated. 



The intelligent farmer will make his blue grass pas- 

 ture sustain a larger number of stock the year round 

 in better order than the same number of acres of 

 corn. 



There is no crop which requires more intelligent 

 management for profit than this grass. As it remains 

 green and nutritious during the winter, there Is no 

 nei-essity for cutting and curing, and it is almost _ 

 valueless lor hay. To insure a good sward it never 

 should be mown, and as it heads several times during 

 the year one acre well set and allowed to seeil will be 

 sullieient to set a large pasture in a single season by 

 allowing stock to graze U|)On it when the seed is ripe, 

 and have access to shade woodland and water ad- 

 joining. 



The writer of this lived in the blue grass region of 

 Kentucky from 1W17 to 1H4!», and during that time 

 carefully observed the management of those pas- 

 tures which gave to Kentucky a world-renowned re- 

 putation. 



The success of the Alexanders, Van Meters, Vileys, 

 Williams and other renowned stock raisers of Ken- 

 tucky depcuded largely upon this important grass. 



Oiie of the Van Meterij, of Bourbon county, pur- 

 chased a farm at ?100 per acre. There was not quite 

 one-fourth of tlie farm in blue grass. The balance 

 had been cultivated in hemp and corn. The wood- 

 land, as is usual there, was well set in blue grass, and 

 afforded the winter food for the stock usually kept on 

 the farm. 



Van Meter raised no grain upon this farm, and by 

 allowing his Durham cattle to graze upon the seeded 

 blue grass and roam at will over the adjoining fields, 

 the whole place was in an incredibly short time 

 well set in grass; liy confining the cattle to one pasture 

 at a time, leaving "the others to seed and form a mass 

 of succulent, juicy rich food, a foot deep, literally a 

 mass, a mat for fall and winter use, a larger numl)er 

 of cattle were kept fat the year round tnan was for- 

 merly kept by the old process of raising corn on a 

 part. 



.Moving to Western Missouri in 1849, 1 found many 

 of these, blue grass farmers and their sons in Ray, 

 Clay, Lafayette and Jackson counties. Clinton 

 county, north of Clay, was a prairie sparsely settled, 

 and little, if «nv, blue grass in the county. 



The farmers "of Clay and Kay, where blue grass 

 was seen growing in patches on the roadside, and 

 years after spreading over thousands of acres of un- 

 improved prairie land, that was supposed to be un- 

 suited to the growth of this most valuable of all 

 grasses. 



Two years after I visited Topeka and other portions 

 of Kansas, where repeated efforts were made to start 

 blue grass, and all seemed discouraged and disap 

 j>ointed. 



Now, June, 1876, this grass is found in nearly all 

 the lawns about the residences, and, unfortunately, 

 before it is sutlieiently set to form a heavy and rich 

 sward, is being mown and the seed carried off in in- 

 different hay. 



From the foregoing it will be readily seen that I 

 regard as the most successful, and about the only 

 successful way to seed blue grass pastures is to start 

 a patch with care, then by grazing stock upon it and 

 allowing them to roam over the pasture, scatter the 

 seed and thicken up the sward. 



Blue grass is especially valuable for winter grazing 

 and where the prairie is" fenced up it is important to 

 have two blue-grass pastures, keeping one exclu- 

 sively for winter use, alternating each year. By in- 

 dustriously and persistently pursuing this plan for a 

 few years, Kansas will become celebrated as the blue 

 grass region of the West. — Cor. Ritral New Yorker. 



Centennial Biscuits. 

 Make good corn mush, ju.st as if you were going to 

 eat it with milk. When it is lukewarm take a quart 

 of it and work in Hour enough to make a stiff dough ; 

 make into biscuits, put in your bakc-pan and set in a 

 warm place over night ; bake in a very hot oven, and 

 you have the best and sweetest biscuits you ever ate. 

 Eat while hot for breakfast. 



Real Value of Natural Grass Land. 



When it is so repeatedly slated that England is more 

 than half in permanent grass, that within a few years 

 a great deal more has been taken from the plowed 

 portion never to he cultivated by llie plow or turned 

 over again, it ought to be convincing as to the profit 

 from grass being more than from grain, and if a small 

 island so over-populated as to require an immense 

 imixirtation of human food can increase her area of 

 perpetual grass, there must be a vast advantage in 

 leaving undisturbed by cultivation all the best land. 

 Yet, here in America, all the fine tracts of the blue 

 and other native grasses, which are well known to 

 fatten cattle and sheep, or, in fact, every grass-eating 

 animal, are broken up and plowed for the purpose of 



