1877.] 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



155 



by tlie proccSB of dlffcstion, while in tlic summer wc 

 should Bclec'l. suoli articlPB of diet us are not eou- 

 vertible into fat." Dr. Vail adds, "that veffetablcs, 

 the edible parts of which ripen under ffround, sueh 

 as potatoes, carrots and parsnip's, are heat-prodiic- 

 ing, while those that rijicn aliovo sround are eoolini;. 

 The latter, indudini; especially aspara','us, lettuce, 

 jieas, beans, tomatoes, corn and all fruits, should bo 

 freely eaten. Meat should not be eaten ofteiier than 

 twice a day, and lean is preferable." He particu- 

 larly reconinicnd.'i tomatoes. Assuming' from the 

 facts set forth, by such authority, that my hearers 

 are prepared to grant the wliolesomeness of fruits, 

 in health, I will turn to a brief consideration of their 

 uses in diseases. 



There is scarcely a di.sease to which the human 

 family is heir, but the suflcrings therefrom would be 

 greatly relieved by the use of the very fruits which 

 are now so strictly forbidden. Kurtlier, many of 

 these diseases would be eondiu-ted to a safe termina- 

 tion under the free use of fruits, because of the acids 

 they contain. When our troops were lighting the 

 Seminoles in Florida, many siek with diarrluea and 

 dysentery cured these diseases by stealing from the 

 hospital into the liclds and eating fruits, blackberries 

 especially. Since our very pleasant and profit'ible 

 excursion of last month, I have sent several children, 

 suffering with cholera infantum and with dysentery, 

 to the i)cach orchards, with most gratifying results ; 

 and where they could not be carried to the orchards 

 to pick and cat the fruits fresh from the trees, I have 

 had the little sufi'erers fed with sound fruit, with 

 equally good results. Typhoid fever, in the treat- 

 ment of which such extraordinary care is enjoined 

 as regards diet, here fruits are not only highly grate- 

 ful to the patient, but even work very favorable 

 results. A physician who had been sick some weeks 

 with typhoid fever, says his diarrhcea was cured by 

 poaches. Says he, "1 tirst ate half of a large peach, 

 and feeling no ill ellccts I ate the other half, then one 

 or two more, and the next day as many as Idcsircd." 

 He adds, ".My bowels got l)etter at once, and ray 

 recovery was rapid." Since our last meeting, a 

 typhoid fever patient, who had been about three 

 weeks sick, and though improving, was allowed no 

 diet but beef tea or milk punch, came under my care 

 fora few days. I immediately ordered the free use 

 of peaches and grapes, and tho diarrhcea at once 

 ceased; and at the end of live days, when I relin- 

 <|uished the care of her, she was convalescent. My 

 impression is, the disease runs a shorter course under 

 the free use of fruits than under the usual method of 

 treatment, and I think the use of stimulants rarely 

 required when fruits are freely used. In the treat- 

 ment of scarlet fever and diphtheria our summer 

 fruits and many of the vegetables are most uscfid, 

 and to the list may be added some or in fact any 

 foreign fruits. There is scarcely a disease, accom- 

 panied witli fever, but grapes and bananas can be 

 freely given to the jiatieut. In the treatment of 

 dysentery I would greatly prefer ripe, sound fruits, 

 peaches especially, to any medicine that can be sug- 

 gested. And thus. Air. President, I could go on in 

 this crude manner, which is intended to be sugges- 

 tive merely, and occupy the time of the Association. 

 This is not the time or place for an exhaustive article, 

 and my desire is to invite the si^irit of investigation, 

 and relieve the unnecessary sufl'erings of the sick. 

 If you ask for the philosophy of the use of the 

 articles in sickness or in health, I again invite your 

 careful perusal of Dr. Vail's article above, and the 

 admirable essay, read at our last meeting, to which 

 I could add nothing; and if I shall have turned one 

 face in the right direction, or lifted one individual 

 above the fence of prejudice with which he is hedged, 

 my work is done. — O. F. Necdham, Washiuglon, D. 

 C. 



♦ 



OUR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. 



Proceedings of the Lancaster County Agricul- 

 tural and Horticultural Society. 



A stated meeting of the Lancaster County Agricid- 

 tural and Horticuilural Society was held on Moudtiy, 

 Oct. 1st. 



The following members and visitors were present : 

 Calvin Cooper, president. East Lampeter; Johnson 

 Miller, secretary, Warwick; Levi W. Grotl', West 

 Earl; Ilcory M. Engic, Marietta; Casper lliller, 

 Conestoga; D. M. Kendig, Manor; Daniel Smeych, 

 city; Henry Kurtz, Mount Joy; Dr. P. J. Itoebuck, 

 Warwick; I. L. Landis, Manheim; Kobcrt Dysart, 

 city; W. J. Kafroth, West Earl; Levi S. Keist, Man- 

 heim; Prof. J. StaulVer, city; Wm. .McComsey, city; 

 Henry Erb, Warwick; B. Frank Landis, East Lam- 

 peter; John II. Landis, Manor; .Mr. Martin, East 

 Lampeter; John Huber, Warwick; Henry Erb, Man- 

 heim; Aaron H. Summy, Manheim; Henry Wolf, 

 Warwick; Joseph Witmer, Paradise; Wm. H. Bro- 

 sius, Drumore; Ellwood Griest,city; EliK. Ilershey, 

 Manor; F. U. Gantz, East Donegal; Simon P. Eby, 

 city; John Miller, Manheim; John Gingrich, East 

 Hemplield; J. Hartmau Hcrshey, East Hcmpfield. 



The minutes were read and adopted. 



American Pomological Society. 



Martin D. Kendig, one of the delegates from 

 this society to the American Pomological Convention, 



lately held in Baltimore, made a report from which 

 it appeared that II. M. Eugle and Levi 8. Keist (who 

 were also delegates,) wore exhibitors of soino line 

 jiears; that the society numbered ^W'S members, in 

 the sineral States and Territories, of whom 11)0 were 

 ]ircsent ; that there arc 4, .MM), (1(10 acres of land in the 

 United States planted In fruits and the last annual 

 product was ?l:W,'.'l(),170. He said : 



The representatives of this society, appointed atour 

 last meeting to attend the American Pomological 

 Convention at Baltimore, September I'i, l:i and 14, 

 would say that they have attended the sessions, which 

 were held in Concert Hall,ttt the Academy of Music. 

 The attendance was quite fair, though not so larger 

 as miglit have been expected. Over one hundrcil 

 members answered to roll call, representing the 

 greater i)ortion of the States and Territories. 



The president, Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, being ab- 

 sent on account of indisjiosition, the chair was oceu- 

 jiied by C. M. Hovey, of Boston, and Benjamin G. 

 Smith was Secretary pro teia. 



The address of the President, Marshall P. Wilder, 

 was read, showiing the growth, progress and inllu- 

 cnec of the society. It contains now on its roll the 

 names of three hundred and thirty-eight members, 

 and its lield of operation embraces a territory ex- 

 tending from Nova Scotia to California, and from 

 Canada to Texas. The estimate of the number of 

 acres under eultivatiim in oreharus, vines, and small 

 fruits is 4, .500,000; the grand total value of the pro- 

 ducts of all the fruits, JloS, 210,700 or nearly ecjual 

 to one-half of the value of our average wheat crop. 



After the reading of the address, the balance of 

 the first day was chiefly consumed in receiving re- 

 ports on credentials from the various or- 

 ganizations represented; also, reports of the ditl'er- 

 ent fruit committees, which will be published for tho 

 use of the members. Mr. P. Barry, of the general 

 fruit committee, reported the best varieties of apples 

 for general use are red astraehan and maiden blush, 

 which are common in thirty-four States. Of pears. 

 Duchess D'Angoulemc stands first, and Bartlett sec- 

 ond. At the evening session, held by invitation in 

 the dining room of the Carrollton House, it was de- 

 cided to hold the ne.xt biennial session at Nashville, 

 Tennessee. 



The second day was mostly taken up in discussing 

 tho value of fruits named in the catalogue, which 

 contains upwards of 800 varieties of apples, pears, 

 peaches, cherries, plums, grapes, raspberries, black- 

 berries, strawberries, etc., striking out such as were 

 not considered worthy and inserting others of ap- 

 proved merits. 



The session closed in the evening to accept the in- 

 vitation of Mr. Perot, President of the Maryland 

 Horticultural Society, to join in a steamboat excur- 

 sion on the following day to Riverside, Kent county, 

 to visit the extensive peach farms of Col. Edwin 

 Wilkins. 



The joint exhibition of fruit and flowers by the 

 society, held in the Fifth regiment armory and an- 

 nexes, was considered by some of the older members 

 to be the finest that has yet been seen in this country. 

 The display of Franklin, Davis & Co., of Kichmond, 

 Va., was one of the larges ; Marshall P. Wilder ex- 

 hibits about 400 varieties of pears; Elwenger & 

 Barry, of Rochester, N. y., had a very fine assort- 

 ment, including about 40 varieties of plums; C. 

 Hovey had y;^0 varieties of pears; Capt. Nath. At- 

 kinson, of North Carolina, about 100 varieties of ap- 

 ples of immense size and beauty, including a large 

 pyramid of fall pippins, the finest display of any one 

 variety in the exhibition. Two of your committee, 

 Messrs. Eugle and Relet, were also exhibitors, the 

 former of a fine variety of pears; the latter of a 

 plate of the famous Gloria Mundi apple. Of grapes 

 there was an almost endless variety of the choicest 

 kinds. And last but not least were the flowers and 

 plants. The annexes that contained them were a 

 perfect paradise. 



Crop Reports. 



H. M. Engle said there was not much to ssiy this 

 month in regard to the crops. Farmers had held 

 back from seeding on account of the long continued 

 drouth, but since the late copious rains a great deal 

 of wheat had been sown. The warm and damp 

 weather has caused the young grain to grow rapiilly 

 and it looks very well. The young clover also is 

 coming along finely— much better than was generally 

 expected. Rainfall during the month, .5 10-16 inches. 



Levi W. Ghoff said that inquiries for tobacco 

 were slower than heretofore, the cause being that 

 rcjjorts were current that much of the green tobac<'0 

 was rotting on the poles. A careful examination 

 proved that this was not the case in his neighbor- 

 hood. The wheat ho said was pretty generally 

 sown and looks fine, the warm weather and dainji 

 soil giving it a good start. He has sowed most of 

 his own, and some of his neighbors say ho uses too 

 much seed — two bushels and a peck to the acre. 

 His experience has been that heavy sowing produces 

 a heavy crop, and thin sowing a light crop. 



Henky Kuhtz said seeding was not quite over in 

 his neighborhood. He believes in late sowing, any- 

 how, as the ravages of the fly is thus escaped. 

 Some farmers who sowed early, he Icarus, arc going 

 to plow down their young wheat and sow it again on 

 account of the damage done by the fly. There arc 



rejiorts that the tobaecrt crop has been nmi'li dam- 

 aged by iK)le rotting, one of his neighbor's loss be- 

 ing reported at §1,000. He has seen some that fell 

 from the stem mvi is worthless. 



Mautin D. KENDiii said there was not much 

 grain sown in his neighborhood before the LMh of 

 September; It looks well; the pasture is fine; there 

 are no winter apples; the rainfall the past month 

 was 4 8-10 inches. 



Essay on Wheat. 



nr.NiiY Kurtz read an essay on "Wheat and its 

 ('ulture," tracing It from the ganlen of I'.deii to the 

 present time and quoting copiously from the Scrip- 

 tures to prove Its long acknowledged importance as 

 a staple. He gave at some length a statement of 

 the several varieties of wheat, tjie diseases and in- 

 sects that infest it, and the best mode of cultivating 

 it. His plan In brief was to use the most apjiroveil 

 seed, plow well, but not too early, carefully turning 

 under the grass and dead weed, drain the land of 

 surplus water; sow from one to one and a half bush- 

 els of seed not earlier than 8ei)tend)er L'O, and not 

 more than two or three Inches deep; fertilize the 

 land with plenty of lime and barnyard manure. 



The thanks of the society were voted to Mr. Kurtz 

 for his essay. 



Death of a Member. 



PnoF. R.MiivON asked that the rules of business 

 be suspended to enable him to announce lo the so- 

 ciety the decease of Levi Pownall, a member of the 

 society. 



Leave being granted Prof. Rathvon read the fol- 

 lowing paper : 



Mu. President : It Is with a feeling of sadness 

 that I am called upon to announce to this society the 

 recent death of one of its most intelligent and valu- 

 able members, In the pcrsoirof Levi Pownall,of Sads- 

 bury . Only one short month ago he was in attendance 

 here, in the very prime of life, and had he been 

 spared he doubtless would have been amongst us to- 

 day, for he took a deep interest in all that relates to 

 agriculture and the general welfare of the society. 

 Mr. Pownall was a most amiable and estimable man 

 and citizen, and commanded the uui|ualified resi)ect 

 of all who truly knew him, and especially tho fra- 

 ternal regards of his neighbors, and those who had 

 been longest in familiar intercourse with him. Ho 

 was quiet, dignified and atlable, and although with- 

 out ostentation, he was a man of more than onlinary 

 intelligence, and possessed rare habits of practical 

 observation. He was an industrious student in 

 natural science, and manifested much interest in prac- 

 tical entomology in its relations to agriculture, anil 

 had made commendable progress therein. In his 

 mortal dissolution we have again realized that "In 

 the midst of life wo arc in death." 



Although it become us to bow with humble resigna- 

 tion to the wisdom of that Divine Providence who 

 has removed him to another sphere of being, yet 

 under the dictates of natural all'ection we cannot re- 

 sist a feeling of sadness that ho has been called att'ay, 

 and that the social chain which had so harmoniously 

 existed in the past, will bo broken in the future to be 

 rc-united on earth no more. Wf, therefore, unani- 

 mously acquiesce in the sentiment, that in the death 

 of Levi Pownall his family has lost an aircctiouate 

 husband, father, friend and brother ; the community 

 an honest, annable and estimable citizen, and this 

 society an intelligent, useful and worthy fellow mem- 

 ber. And, furthermore, we willingly make this 

 record of our sympathies w ith all who have been be- 

 reaved, and direct this testimonial to be entered Into 

 the proceedings of this meeting, and that a copy of 

 the same be scut to the family of the deceased. 



The resolutions were unanimously adopted. 



Mr. Eagi.e said that.he and Mr. Pownall and a 

 few other had organized this society some sixteen 

 years ago; and of all the members of the society, 

 there was not one more intelligent or more highly es- 

 teemed than Mr. Pownall. His countenance and 

 manner proclaimed him an himestman. .Mr. Pownall 

 was present at our last meeting, and it was hard now 

 1(1 realize that he was dead. He read, in conclusion, 

 the closing |)art of the last address of the venerable 

 .Mr. Wilder, president of the American Pomological 

 Society. 



Levi 8. Reist said he remembered well when 

 President Wilder, five years ago, then 80 years of 

 age, read an address before the society, in which he 

 said he supposed it would be the last time he would 

 ever meet the memberi ; and yet at the recent meet- 

 ing in Baltimore he was present and exhibited MO 

 plates of as many diirerent varieties of pears, the 

 finest display in the exhibition. 



Fattening Stock. 



"Does It pay to fatten stock when we get no more 

 than the market price for tho grain fedf" was the 

 question next discussed. 



The discussion was iiarticipaled lu by Messrs. M. 

 D. Kendig, Henry Kurtz, Israel L. Landis, C. L. 

 Ilunsccker, Henry .M. Engle, .lacob Staull'er, Joseph 

 F. Witmer, LeviS. Reist, Levi W. Grolf, Wm. II. 

 Brosius and Wm. McComsey. The debate was very 

 discursive, but almost all agreed that the feeding of 

 grain to cattle and the making in this way of large 

 quantities of barnyard mauure, was the surest and 

 most profitable way of keeping up the fertility of the 



