1876.] 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



173 



f 



OUR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. 



Proceedings of the Lancaster County Agri- 

 cultural and Horticultural Society. 

 The Novomlicr moelinc: of the Laneiister pounty 

 Agriciilturnl iiiui Ilortimiltiiral Society Was helil in 

 the Alhemeum rooms, ou Monday Nov. 6lli, at "J 

 o'clock, p. m. 



Mcmlicrs present : SIcsprs. Martin D. Koiidis, 

 Henry M. luiyie, .Tacoh H. (iarber, Levi S. Kciet, 

 Casper Hiller, .laeol) Hollinirer, Jolms-on Miller, Levi 

 W.Grofl', 1'. Frank Lnudis, Welisler Hershey, Reuben 

 Weaver, John ]?. Erl), .Icilin M. .Slelinian, Daniel Sny- 

 der, Simon \'. Kaby, Henry Krli, Elias Itomberirer, 

 Simon A. Ilersbey, <. S. Kalhvon, VVni. .MeComsey, 

 Peter S. Ueist. and" Henry K. Hosletter. 



The committee on by-laws were not prepared to 

 report as tliey desired, and asked to bejrranled either 

 more time or be diseliarjied. 

 On motion the committee was continned. 

 Levi S. Ukist, who attended the pomolofrical dis- 

 play at the Centennial, read a paper on the same. 



Mil. ENdi.E reported on tlie condition of the crops 

 that they did not dilfer miieli from tlie last report. 

 There lias lieen a lot of late seeil sown, but it is re- 

 markable how well it looks. Tlie corn is an average 

 crop. Good Keeping winter apples are not as abund- 

 ant as wac expected. Tlie early sowing does not 

 look as well as it did two wc^eks ago. 



Mr. (iitOFF reported lliat the crops look well in 

 the section that he lives. 



Mr. Mii.i.er agreed with the report of .VIr. Engle. 

 Mr. Euh, of theCoinmillee of the Centennial fruit 

 display, reported that fruit had been sent, but he had 

 not heard anything from it. 



The rain fall for the last month was reported at 

 2.oOand 3.:!1. 



Mr. Hersiiet reported that he finds the late sow- 

 ing better than the early sowing. 



The nuestion : "In what way can we dispose of our 

 corn crop to the best advantage," was then dis- 

 cussed. 



Mr. Reist would convert the corn into pork and 

 beef. 



Mr. Bollinger said, it is a question we should 

 know something about, as farmers. He encourages 

 his men to feed it into stock. It should be turned 

 back again on the farm. It is his theory and his only 

 one. He did not know whether it is the best Hnaii- 

 cial view or not; lie has been quite successful. 

 Every farmer that looks to the interest of his farm 

 should convert it into manure. He encourages stall 

 feeding cattle. 



Mr. Enule said the general practice of Lancaster 

 county was to feed it into stock. This is important 

 to keep up tlie fertility of the soil. The corn can be 

 turned to better account, as far as dollars and cents 

 are concerned, by feeding it to milk cows. It would 

 return more on an average than feeding oxen or 

 steers. The demand for cheese and butter has never 

 been met. We need not have any fear that choice 

 butter would be overstocked. You would make a 

 good sum on butter ami manure at the same time. 



Mr. Bollinger said he keeps two cows, and that 

 he has kept an account of what they eat in a year. 

 They have eaten 80S worth of rough feed. He has 

 realized in one year ?ilO-i, besides supplying the fam- 

 ily. Thinks he has as good butter as any iu the 

 county, and yet he does not get more for it than those 

 who have bad butter. The storekeepers make no 

 distinction. After we have paid hire for butter, 

 there is nothing in it. 



Mr. Engi.e thought that there is an opening for 

 good butter somewhere. In other counties they get 

 their prices for good butter, and why can they not 

 be had in this county ? 



Mr. Miller thought that corn is not the proper 

 food for milk cows. More can be realized by feeding 

 it to the cattle. He also advocated the feeding of 

 some bran. 



Mk. Engle thought we feed poor cows to too 

 great an extent. Those who realize money select 

 good cows. 



Mr. E.iBV remarked that the difficulty just stated 

 is a fact not only among butter makers, but among 

 farmers. You will lind that persons in the Lancaster 

 market have their customers, and get :i or 4 cents 

 per pound more than others for good butter. In 

 Bomc places the way to improve the land is to pasture 

 It with sheep. He thought there was a great deal of 

 a bad quality that comes to market that should not. 

 It may result from ignorance or inexperience. 



Mr. Reist agreed with Mr. Eaby in regard to 

 feeding sheep, and with the gentleman who advocated 

 the feeding of bran. • 



Mr. Hershev thought the corn crop is the most 

 important we can raise. lie has found that those 

 who have attended market have not as fertile farms 

 as those who have fed steers. To feed corn into 

 cattle is the most lucrative ; you may raise good 

 butter but you cannot get the market for it. 



Mr. McComsey did not believe it probable or pro- 

 fitable to convert half of the corn crop of Lancaster 

 county into butter. He believed in feeding it to the 

 stock on the farm, and if you do not realize directly 

 more than one half, you w ill realize more than half 

 indirectly. A friend of his, a few years ago, bought 

 an impoverished farm that did not support him. He 



got in debt. After much relle.etioii as to how to get 

 out of the dilHculty, he made up his mind to increase 

 his debt in improvoments. lime, etc. As soon as he 

 was aide to provide corn for cattle he bouglit them, 

 and in a few years more than doubled the price of 

 the farm, anil was free from ilebt. Other of his 

 neighbors did the same thing with much success. 



Mr. Hiller tbouglit that this matter of keeping 

 stock is not profitable. He would not kec]) more 

 stock than is absolutely necessary, if he were fanning. 

 Sell all your grain anil buy your manuie. To sell 

 one-fourth of vour grain, and convert three-fourths 

 into manure, is rather expensive. We spend entirely 

 too much money on our stock. 



.Mr. MfCoMSKV said the gentleman seems to count 

 that that feil into stock is entirely lost, except that 

 Inriied to manure. The sale of the beef is where the 

 profit, lies. 



.Vlii. Miller said that plowing down the clover 

 would improve our farms. Our farmers have entirely 

 too much stock running about. His opinion would 

 be that stock raising in this county will not pay. 

 Keep as little stock as possible. 



The president thought that it was pretty well de- 

 cided not to keep the corn on the farm. He had 

 tried Hie cattle in the fall, and fed them, but it hardly 

 ever iiaid liiin. Had trieil cows and it was not satis- 

 factory. He had tried a coarse breed of pigs, and 

 they d"id very well. He got a better breed, and he 

 was satisfied with the result. He believes in turning 

 it into pork. You (mglit to realize thirteen or four- 

 teen pounds to the bushel. 



At this stage a random discussion took place, 

 which culminated in a controversy as to whether an- 

 imal or vegetable food was the more healthy. 



On motion, Mr. Engle was chosen to prepare an 

 essay on " Vegetable vs. Animal Food." 



Mu. McComsey, of the committee of the Pomologi- 

 cal exhibition, reported, that your committee appoint- 

 ed at the last meeting to receive, pack and forward 

 to the Pomological Exhibition, on the Centennial 

 grounds, such fruit as might be presented for the 

 purpose, respectfully report that a large number of 

 very line samples of most of the best varieties of 

 apples now cultivated in our county were presented, 

 which were carefully packed and forwarded as di- 

 rected. 



A bill of expenses for shipping the same, amount- 

 ing to ?2.10 was ordered to be paid ; also the services 

 of the janitor. 



The fruit sent to the Pomological Exposition at 

 Philadelphia from this county and by whom was as 

 follows : Daniel Sclimeych exhibited the following 

 variety of apples : Northern Sjiy, Newtown Pijipiii, 

 Pippin, Green Pippin, Maiden Blush, .Juie Rite, 

 Jetl'ries, Smokehouse, Bellellcur, Red Streak, (two 

 varieties) Swarr, Pcnnock, Pound, ]5ald\viii, Ger- 

 man Sweet, Summer Rambo, Rambo, Pennsylvania 

 Red Streak, Northern Spy, Romanite (two varieties,) 

 and two varieties not named. The same gentleman 

 exhibited pears as follows : Pound Pear, Vicar of 

 Waketield (four varieties,) Holland, Duchess, Hen- 

 derson, and ten other varieties. 



M. D. Kendig sent the York Imperial, Baldwin, 

 Rhode Island Greening, Golden Russet, Pennoek's 

 Red Winter, Spitzeuberg, Smokehouse, President, 

 Bellelleur, tiolden Pippin, Red Streak, Fallowater, 

 White Vandever and Wine Sap. 



E. S. Hoover sent the Smokehouse, P,ed Streak, 

 Fall Pippin, Belletieur, Fallowater, lianibo, Pcnnock 

 and another variety not named. 



Henry Erb sent the Pound, Sweet Fallowater, 

 Spitzeuberg, Romanite, Golden Russet, Winter 

 Smokehouse, Fall Smokehouse, Striped Smokeliouse, 

 Sweet Habecker, Swiss Pippin, Wine Sap, I{ambo, 

 Sweet Rambo, and another variety not niamed. 



But the committee has not yet been ollieially in- 

 formed, how it was received, what (lisjiosil ion was 

 made of it, or what degree of merit was accorded to 

 it. 



The display of apples on the tables on this occa- 

 sion was perhaps the finest that had ever di.stinguished 

 an ordinary meeting of the society. Mr. Casper 

 Hiller had the Belmonte, Ben. Davis, and others. Mr. 

 H. .M. Engle had also some tine varieties. There 

 were also other exhibitors, but somehow tlieir names 

 and also the names of their apples either did not 

 come into the possession of the reporters, or were 

 mislaid. 



Mr. Jacob Bollinger had some very fine apples 

 on exhibition at this meeting, and Mr. L. S. Reist 

 also had on exhibition seven varieties of his own Iruit, 

 as well as about twenty-live varieties of Canada aji- 

 ples, and a few from North Carolina, whieli he re- 

 ceived through the kindness of Mr. John Freed, of 

 Ontario, and Mr. Nathaniel Atkins, of .Xshville, N. 

 C, to whom the society aecordeil a unanimous vote 

 of thanks. Among those from Canada were the 2(1- 

 ounee Piiipin, Cayuga, Redstreak, Alexander, Gra- 

 venstein, Swarr, Spitzbergen, Rhode Island Greening, 

 Cat-head, Hawthorn, Robertson, Sweet-Pippin, -d- 

 ounce apple, and otlier varieties of note. Among 

 those from North Carolina were a 13-ouiiee apple, 

 called the Huber, a very black variety, a large red 

 apple, and a sweet Pijipin of very peculiar quality 

 outside, just as if sugar was oozing out through its 

 skin. These apples were a part of those which Messrs. 

 Freed & Atkins had ou exhibition at the Centenuial 



Pomological show at I'liiladelphia, and were very in- 

 teresting as an illustration of the difference between 

 apples of the same varieties grown iu different locali- 

 ties of our country. 



.Mr. Engle read the act of Assembly relating to a 

 Slate .\!;ricullural Board, and it was moved to ap- 

 lioinl a tlelegate to the same. 



On motion, it was agreed to designate by ballot 

 who shall be the ajipointed by the chair. 



Messrs. H. M. EnL'le, Johnson Miller, and Jacob 

 Bollinger were placed in nomination. Mr. Engle re- 

 ceived six votes, Mr. Bollinger four, anil Mr. .Miller 

 two. 



Mr. E.noIjE was therefore ap[)0intcd by the chair 

 as the delci^ate. 



Mil. H. F. IlosTETTER, of Oresron, was pro|K)6ed 

 as a member of the society, and after signing the con- 

 stitution became a member. 



Mr. Eahv reported that H. M. Engle, Jacob M. 

 Staull'er and Israel Landis, have contriliuted a sufB- 

 cient niMiiber of books, amounting to $10 in value, to 

 entitle them to life membership of the society. 



On motion, the society then adjourned. 



The Bee Keepers' Society 



This association met statedly Monday afternoon 

 Nov. Pi, in the Atliena-nni, Vice President J. F. 

 Hershev, in the chair : 



President: A. H. Shock, W. B. Detweiler, D. 

 Lintner, John Kepperiing, .S. Garber, L. .S. Flecken- 

 Btein, J. F. Hershey, II. It. Myers, P. S. Reist, 

 President. 



An oriler of business was then adopted as reported 

 by the committee. 



J. F. Hehsiiev and L. S. Fleckcnstein discussed 

 the qui'stion of the best mode of hiving a nutural 

 swarm and prevent them from leaving after the 

 swarming, and both thought that it could best be 

 done by contracting the entrance so as to allow the 

 workers to get out. 



Mr. .Myers thought tllat if the queen was an old 

 one it would also get out and had kept an old queen 

 of his in a wire bag. 



Mr. Hershev though tliebest way to make worker 

 combs was to take out the capped or brood combs. 



Mr. Detwiler found that it made no ditferencc 

 whether the queen was an old or young one. 



.\Iu. .Myers' experience coincided with that of 

 other speakers, but all bough this is done there will, 

 nevertheless, be some drone combs. 



Mr. Detwiler said he had found that the bees 

 would gnaw olf some of the worker eonibs and build 

 di'one combs. "Can bees be wintered with success, 

 without pollen," was disenssed allirmatively by W. 

 B. Detwiler and J. F. Hersey, who said that the old 

 bees did not need the pollen, but feed it to the young 

 bees. 



.Mk. Heksiiey thought that too much sun in winter 

 time warms the bees" and if they go out in snowy 

 seasons they may get lost. Every few days he found 

 it advisable to warm up the bees. 



Mr. Detw«i»kr said that he had noticed that, iu 

 old fashioned hives which the sun striiek all the day 

 round, the bees generally wintered lirst-class. He 

 intended to experiment this winter with an eastern 

 exposure. 



Mr. Fleckenstine said that he had his hives 

 shaded last winter and did not allow the sun to warm 

 them up until the temperature of the air was warm 

 enough in the shade to tempt the bees out. 



"Should bees be wintered in the Middle States as in 

 the western or northwestern States," elicited discus- 

 sion liy Messrs. Hersey, Myers and Detwiler, who 

 concluded that our bees do not need the protection 

 of the cellar or burial as is done in the western and 

 nortliern cold and windy reixion. If the hives arc 

 put in the cellar they will mould. 



P. S. Reist stated" that he was very unsuccessful 

 in "cellaring" his bees over winter, but he had much 

 better success when his bees were surrounded with 

 ice. 



Mr. L. S. Fleckenstein detailed a failure he had 

 experienced in buying bees. 



H. H. MvERS said that he had fed his bees with 

 an inverted bee feeder, and put grass and hay in front 

 of the entrance and was unable to prevent bee rob- 

 bing. He had linally turned his hive around and 

 thus prevented it, the robbers missing the entrance 

 at the usual place. 



Mr. Detwiler had thrown hay in front of the en- 

 trance, and the robbers had to crawl in and were at- 

 tacked by the swarms and kept olV. If a swarm 

 becomes cowardly and will not light he thought 

 nothing could be done. He had experimented with 

 one of these peaceable swarms by thus taking off a 

 mile or so for a couple of days. Anointing the 

 entrance with coal oil bad often been used success- 

 fully. He believed that simply confining the robbers 

 in H ith the swarm was not a gooii way. 



Mr. Fi.egkenstein thought that careless feeding 

 was often the occasion of rolibing. 



Messrs. Hehsiiev, .Myers and Detwiler, argued 

 against the contraction of the entrance and believed 

 in letting them fight it out. Otherwise the closed 

 entrance will make them hot and excite them in 

 their endeavor to escape from the hive. 



In the discussion of the question, " Can we easily 



