188 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[December, 



is necessary to bear in mind the necessity of keeping 

 the cistern a sufficient depth under ground to pre- 

 Tent freezing. This plan has one objection, however. 

 Sometimes a careless person is left to draw water for 

 the st^ck and forgets to shut it off, consequently the 

 water runs to waste, and does damage by flooding 

 the stock yard. But, if properly attended to, such a 

 cistern is preferrable to one with a pump therein, as 

 it is much easier to turn a spigot than to pump water 

 for fifteen or twenty head of stock, and then it is 

 cheaper also. It costs less for pipe that conveys 

 water from cistern to trough than would a pump. I 

 constructed a cistern some years ago, (1870, I be- 

 lieve,) on this plan, that has given entire satisfac- 

 tion. We have had sullicirnt water at all times for 

 our stock, (say from twelve to twenty-five head), 

 and you may remember we have had it very dry at 

 times, both winter and summer, during the past 

 seven years. It is built alongside of a bridge wall, 

 and is lined with a sixteen inch stone wall, (a twelve 

 inch wall would answer as well.) The stone used 

 were not more than six inches in thickness, many of 

 them much less, and laid in good mortar ; then the 

 whole inside plastered with a good coat of Kosendale 

 cement mortar. The cistern is egg-shaped, with 

 small end down hill, where the pipe connects. The 

 dimensions are twenty-one feet long, twelve feet wide 

 across the middle, and seven feet deep, in the clear. 

 The cistern is arched over and covered with earth to 

 the depth of three feet. I did not keep an account 

 of the cost, the main object in view being to make a 

 good, permanent job. The repairs have not amounted 

 to fifty cents since being built; so you may judge 

 whether I have done well. Hoping the foregoing 

 may be of some benefit to the querist, I am yours. 

 Most respectfully, 



Ambrose Pownall. 

 " Docs it pay to steam feed for stock ?" was the 

 next question brought up for discussion. 



H. H. KuKTZ gave an affirmative answer. The 

 advantages of this system are seen in feeding hogs 

 with boiled or steamed corn and slop. The warmth 

 of the slop warms the animals and aids digestion. 

 It is equally benelicial for horned cattle. He has an 

 apparatus for steaming hay, straw and corn-fodder, 

 and has the happiest results from this method. On 

 cold water cattle do not thrive so well as on warm 

 slop and steamed feed. The warmer you give the 

 slop to cattle the better the effects. 



S. P. Edy heard a cattle grower remark a few 

 days ago, that he no longer steams the food for his 

 cattle ; he found that when turned out of the barn 

 hey took cold. 



Jos. F. WiTMER had no personal experience, but 

 his father-in-law has been steaming the food for his 

 stock for years. He has found he can save one- 

 third the feed. He feeds no whole or unsteamed 

 grain to his hogs. On a visit to James Young, he 

 asked the latter some questions on this subject. His 

 reply was that it was food saving and profitable, 

 and he fed all his cattle in that way. 



Caspeu Hiller thought that there was no neces- 

 sity for scalding food for hogs. Once he scalded the 

 corn for his hogs, but now he feeds whole corn, and 

 lie thinks with quite as much advantage as before. 

 He does not feed in troughs, but has a brick floor in 

 his pen, and on this he throws the corn, where they 

 must gather it up slowly, and this gives them time 

 to masticate it. When fed in a trough they eat too 

 rajjidly and swallow the food whole. 



W. H. Brosius had some experience in feeding 

 boiled corn to hogs. He was decidedly of the opin- 

 that it pays to steam food for cattle. An animal 

 will develop more rapidly on steamed food. . He put 

 up 27 hogs on the l.jth day of September, 1869, 

 weighing at that time 4,449 pounds. On October 

 12th following they weighed .5,973 pounds, having 

 gained 1,.53.5 pounds in 27 days. During this period 

 they consumed 99 bushels and 38 pounds of cornmeal. 

 This was a gain of 2' ^ pounds per head for every 

 day they were thus fed, giving a total of 15;^ pounds 

 of pork for every bushel of cornmeal fed. 



L. W. Groff had a few words to say on steaming 

 food, and approved of feeding warm food, but he 

 had no actual experience in steaming. A cattle 

 dealer \vhom he knew began to steam food for his 

 stock ; he went to much expense and continued it for 

 two years, but finally gave it up. He also knew a 

 hog drover who did the same thing, and also gave It 

 up at the end of two years. He thought they made 

 a mistake in over-boiling the food. Mere scalding 

 might have been better. 



II. M. Engi.e asked Mr. Groff whether he had not 

 fattened hogs on distiller's slops. He could not see 

 how men could come to the conclusion that steamed 

 food does not pay. He thinks those who give it up 

 find it too much trouble. He thinks 2.5 or 3S per 

 cent, of food can be saved. He has come to the con- 

 clusion that a load of corn fodder steamed is equal to 

 a load of hay fed dry. 



New Business. 

 H. M. Kurtz was onhand with an essay on an ancient 

 volume hehad present with him. (See pp. 181 and 182) 

 Because so old, many may think there is nothing In it ; 

 but we may often letirn more from those who are gone 

 before than from those of to day. He then proceeded 

 to read out of the book, in German, a number of 



aphorisms that were very practical In their character, 

 and proved that men had ideas about farm economy 

 two hundred years ago on which we have not Im- 

 proved since that time. But notwithstanding the 

 interest of the extracts, there were very few who 

 understood the language in which they were read, 

 and the propriety of reading any further was raised . 

 Mr. Kurtz proposed to give the substance In English, 

 but the reading was deferred until some future time. 



M. D. Kendig reported a balance In his bands of 

 $9.50, left over from the money collected to buy a 

 cane for Prof. RatJivon ; he wished to know what to 

 do with it. On motion, this balance was paid into 

 the treasury of the society. 



Levi S. Reist had seen an article in The Lan- 

 caster Farmer copied out of The A'eic Era, recom- 

 mending farmers to buy their trees at home. He 

 gave an Instance of how men had been swindled by 

 some tree agents, but who, If they had been sub- 

 scribers of our home journal, would have seen the 

 article referred to and thus have saved their tempers 

 and their money. 



Messrs. S. S. Rathvon, Levi S. Reist and C. L. 

 Hunsecker were appointed a committee to examine 

 and report on the fruit on exhibition. Their report 

 was as follows : 



We, the undersigned committee, appointed to ex- 

 amine the fruit, &c., on exhibition, beg leave to 

 make the following report : 



Mr. William Weidle deposited three varieties of 

 pears, namely ; Beurre Olalrgeau, Lawrence, and 

 Glout Morceau. These were all of good size, per- 

 fect form, and excellent quality. Nothing could 

 possibly excel, at this season of the year, bis Law- 

 rence pears. On the whole, he has been very suc- 

 cessful in this line of fruit culture. 



Mr. Casper Hiller deposited specimens of a seed- 

 ling Rambo apple, which be obtained at a fruit stand 

 on the corner of East King and Duke streets. This 

 the committee considers an excellent fruit, and 

 worthy of cultivation, and In this opinion they are 

 supported by all who have tested It. These apples 

 were raised In the county, and the vender of them 

 will confer a favor by reporting to the Society or the 

 editor of The Farmer, the name and residence of 

 the person from whom he purchased them. 



Dr. J. P. HiESTAND deposited a specimen of oleo- 

 margarine butter, from the manufactory of the U. 

 S. Dairy Company, N. Y. A good article of the 

 kind, but not at all comparable with Lancaster 

 county butter. 



Mr. J. HuBER deposited choice grape cuttings for 

 distribution. 



A prepared specimen of the " Kurtz donation 

 squash " or " pumpkin " was placed on the table, 

 which was pronounced good by those who are partial 

 to that kind of fruit. 



Respectfully submitted, 



8. S. Ratbvon, 



C. L. HON.SECKER, 



L. S. Reibt, 



Committee. 



H. M. Engle thought the society ought to select 

 a room on a second floor for Its meetings instead of 

 imposing on the Athseneum Association. A motion 

 to this effect was made and carried. Messrs. S. P. 

 Eby, S. S. Rathvon and Wm. McComsey were ap- 

 pointed a committee to huut up a room for the 

 future meetings of the society. 



A sample of oleomargarine from thc^manufacturers, 

 the United States Dairy Association^ was presented 

 by Prof. Baker, of MiUersville, and was tested by 

 the members. 



H. M. Engle called attention to the fact that 

 some time ago an effort was made to have members 

 prepare essays on the methods of cultivating the 

 various farm crops, but nothing has been done. He 

 for one would furnish an essay on some such subject. 

 He moved the subject of soiling stock be discussed 

 at the next meeting, and the motion was carried. 



Prof. S. S. Rathvon read an article on the large 

 pumpkin exhibited by Henry Kurtz at the last 

 meeting. There were 644 seeds in the pumpkin, 

 one by one and a-half Inch In size. It proved an 

 excellent article. The walls were only four Inches 

 In thickness. Made up Into various dishes, it gave 

 general satisfaction. 



There being no further buslnes before the society, 

 on motion It adjourned until the first Monday in 

 January, 1878. 



TOBACCO GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 



A stated meeting of the Lancaster county tobacco 

 growers' association was held in the Athenaeum on 

 Monday afternoon, November 19. The following 

 members and visitors were present : 



M. D. Kendig, president. Manor ; W. L. Hershey, 

 secretary, East Hempfleld ; Henry Kurtz, Mount 

 Joy ; Colin Cameron, Elizabeth township ; Sylvester 

 Kennedy, Salisbury ; Henry Sblffner, Leacock ; 

 Wash. L. Hershey, Raphe ; A. P. McIUvaine, Para- 

 dise ; I. W. G. WIreman, York ; J. M. Johnston, 

 Lancaster ; George Zentmoyer, Elizabeth ; Samuel 

 Smith, Elizabeth ; Harry Mayer, East Hempfleld ; 

 William Rose, Elizabeth township : J. M. Stauffer, 

 Earl ; Christian Musser, Earl ; A. M. Hiestand, Mt. 

 Joy; F. Y. Erb, Stark county, Ohio ; J. M. Hess, 



Manhelm ; Joseph E. Miller, East Hempfleld; John 

 M. Snavely, East Hempfleld ; John DIffenbaugh, 

 East Hempfleld ; J. R. Wilson, East Hempfleld; J. 

 G. Rush, Pequea ; W. S. Kennedy, Salisbury ; Wm. 

 Ruth, Elizabeth township; A. H. Summy, Man- 

 helm ; Jacob M. Frantz, Manor. 



Crop reports having bean called for, Mr. Kurtz, of 

 Mount Joy, said stripping had commenced, but not 

 much was yet stripped. Thus far the tobacco has 

 turned out much better than was expected. 



Colin Cameron, Elizabeth township, said In his 

 neighborhood there was not as much tobacco grown 

 as In some other sections of the county ; he had 

 noticed some little that had been stripped, but not 

 much, the stem at the butt ends of the leaves being 

 as yet too soft to safely tie Into hands. Some are 

 stripping the leaves and arranging them, but are not 

 yet putting the tobacco down in bulk, as it would be 

 apt to rot if they did so. 



Wash. L. Hershey agreed with Mr. Cameron 

 that the tobacco was as yet too soft to strip with 

 safety. 



Sylvester Kennedy said there is a good deal 

 stripped In Salisbury, and it looks' very well, being 

 of good color and quality. It is also very free from 

 worms. 



Henry Shiffner said some farmers In his neigh- 

 borhood were almost done stripping. The crop I3 

 very good, equal to any ever grown in the county , 

 and better and more to the acre than ever before 

 grown in Upper Leacock. 



Mr. Rush, of Paradise, said he has stripped about 

 two thousand pounds. That part of the crop which 

 he placed farthest apart on the poles and hung most 

 carefully Is not so good as that which he hung more 

 closely together. It was due to say, however, that the 

 tobacco hung most closely was topped lower than 

 that which was hung farther apart. 



Colin Cameron asked If it was not the common 

 experience of growers that when tobacco was hung 

 too widely apart it would fail to cure as well as if it 

 was hung closer. 



Henry Kurtz answered, that tobacco should be 

 hung as closely as it can hang without touching ; 

 otherwise It will mow-burn or rot. 



Sylvester Kennedy thought the tobacco should 

 be wilted before it Is hung in the shed, then it can be 

 hung closer than if put in green. 



W. L. Hershey, East Hempfleld, thought a good 

 deal depended on the time of year It was cut. If 

 tobacco was cut early and hung far apart. It would 

 be more apt to burn on account of the warm weather. 

 If cut later It would probably cure better. 



Henry Kurtz said that In his neighborhood the 

 tobacco cut latest cured best. That cut in August Is 

 more apt to rot than that cut In September. Ho 

 would let it stand a week or two even If It was ready 

 to cut In August, and not cut until September. 

 Late tobacco also had more body than that cut 

 earlier. 



Henry Shifpner favered early planting and 

 early cutting. He thought the tobacco was gener- 

 ally, but of course not always, better when planted 

 and cut early. 



"How soon after stripping should tobacco be 

 cased?" was the question proposed last meeting for 

 discussion at this meeting. 



Colin Cameron said he would not case his 

 tobacco at all ; he would rather sell at a low price 

 than attempt to case it. He did not believe there 

 were half a dozen farmers In the county who know 

 how to pack tobacco, and if they do, they are steal- 

 ing another man's trade. The best policy is to pre- 

 pare your crop for market and then sell It to the 

 packer. 

 Henry Shiffner agreed fully with Mr. Cameron, 

 Mr. Kennedy said he thought we should be un- 

 der no obligation to packers or anybody else. If we can 

 make more by packing, let us pack ; If we can make 

 more by selling before packing, let us sell. Weshould 

 not allow ourslves to become the victims of any combi- 

 nation of dealers. They will take advantage of the 

 farmer if he Is Ignorant of the value of his tobacco. 

 Every farmer should know when to pack and how to 

 pack. 



Henry Kurtz read a communication showing 

 that there was an irrepressible conflict of Interest 

 between the farmer and the packer. Ho favored 

 the plan of each farmer packing his own tobacco. 

 He gave some Instances In which be had been large- 

 ly beneflted by packing his own crop. He suggested 

 the appointment of a committee of five to complete 

 an arrangement by which an organization of farmers 

 might escape from the extortion of the middle men. 

 His plan contemplated a board of directors selected 

 by the society, who should have charge of the crops 

 of the members and pack it or have It packed at low- 

 est net price. He said that tobacco Immediately after 

 stripping Is too soft for packing ; It should be ranked 

 up In a dark place until It is fit for casing. 



J. M. Johnston thought It would be Impossible 

 to get along without the aid of the packers or "mid- 

 dle men," as they were termed. From discussions 

 here it Is evident that the farmers are not agreed 

 among themselves as to the best means of growing 

 tobacco. Until they are thoroughly acquainted with 

 growing It they had better devote themselves to that 

 branch of the business and leave the packing to 



