6 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[ January, 



tion should be adopted that will produce the 

 largest result. If improved machiuery and 

 modern modes of cultivation can achieve a 

 revolution in the productiveness of the soil, 

 he who adopts them must certainly have 

 greater chances of success than the one who 

 pursues the old rut and complains that his 

 farming "don't pay." There is evidently 

 much room for still greater improvement. 

 Careful experiment on a small scale at tirst, 

 would cost but a trifle, while the result might 

 be a field of great benefit to a community. 

 Occasionally, we hear of other sections pro- 

 ducing great crops of corn, yielding in some 

 instances over one hundred bushels to the 

 acre. If that, however, should be the stand- 

 ard, I fear there would be few to reach it, 

 but this .should not deter any from making 

 every eflbrt within his means to take the most 

 that can be produced from every acre under 

 cultivation. I do not wish to insinuate that 

 our farmers are not progressive, but I think 

 there is still a wide field for improvement. 



With the noted fertility of our soil, much is 

 expected of us ; hence we should show to the 

 world, by our products, that this truly is the 

 garden spot of the great State of Pennsyl- 

 vania. I also wish to commend the growing 

 disposition of the ruralist to adorn their 

 homes with the more modern style of archi- 

 tecture. I look forward with pleasure when 

 this county will compare favorably with any 

 of the State, in its handsome "country 

 villas," with neatly clipped lawns, with a few 

 specimen shade trees, shrubbery or flowers, as 

 the taste .and purse of its possessor can afford. 

 "What adds so much to the attraction of a 

 home as neat, well kept grounds ? Ten yards 

 of sward, in good order, will soon suggest 

 other little improvements, such as a flower 

 here, a bush there, soon a bed of annuals 

 that can be grown at the expenditure of a 

 few pennies, at most, which will add more to 

 the comforts and real enjoyment of home than 

 dollars spent in the vanities of the present 

 day. What man returning in the evening to 

 his home, weary of his labors of a hot sum- 

 mer day, but will be attracted and refreshed 

 by the delicious fragrance of an ever-blooming 

 heliotrope, a choice rose, a modest carnation 

 or the thousands of other plants that are 

 given us to make pleasant and adorn the 

 home ! 



"Be it ever so humble, 

 There is no place like home." 



The growing interest in the proceedings of 

 our society suggests a wider field of useful- 

 ness ; hence it becomes our duty, as it should 

 be our pleasure, to open wide the door of 

 welcome to all who encourage us with their 

 presence at our meetings. An essay on some 

 subject of interest might be a part of the 

 exercise of every session. A lecturer from 

 abroad occasionally (if publicly announced,) 

 would have a tendency to bring out many that 

 have not as yet graced our rooms with their 

 presence, and foster that social feeling that 

 induces mankind to mingle together as one 

 family, and exchange views and opinions that 

 may result in a mutual benefit to all. 



You could also add spirit, and very much 

 assist the chair, by a little more prompt action 

 on the various subjects that are brought up 

 for your consideration. I find too many 

 among you who do not seem inclined to take 

 part until called upon by the chair. This to 

 me does not seem proper, but at times is the 

 only alternative I have to bring out the sense 

 of the society on the numerous subjects under 

 discussion. I therefore trust in the future 

 you will not wait an invitation, but promptly 

 act, and to the point, on axl matters brought 

 to your attention. 



In conclusion, I tender 3'ou my most heart- 

 felt thanks for the uniform kindness and re- 

 spect you have shown me during the two 

 years I have had the honor to preside as your 

 chairman. 



I also renew my appeal for pardon for any 

 act that would wound the feelings of any 

 member or others taking part in the proceed- 

 ings, and humbly trust that you will believe 

 that it has ever been my desire to increase 



the usefulness of the Lancaster County Agri- 

 cultural and Horticultural Society. 



CARE OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS.* 



As a rule, domestic animals fare better in 

 the summer than in winter. When they 

 have access to pasture and water in the sum- 

 mer season, they will generally take care of 

 themselves, and go into winter-quarters in 

 from fair to good condition, but these same 

 animals, in many instances, come out the fol- 

 lowing spring with barely their frames. 



This picture applies not only to owners of 

 stock that are possessed of limited means, 

 and can ofttimes not obtain the necessary 

 provender for even a few animals ; but there 

 are many who have good farms with abund- 

 ant means, and provisions to bring llieii' 

 stock out of winter-quarters as well as it went 

 in, but prefer to add the "mighty dollar" to 

 their pile by selling more hay and grain at 

 the expense of the flesh on their animals, ex- 

 cept such as are intended for the shambles. 

 This short-sighted policy, if not killing, is at 

 least starving the "goose that lays the golden 

 egg." It has been proven beyond contradic- 

 tion that the cheapest method to raise live 

 stock, is to keep it in a thriving condition, by 

 which there is a saving of both time and 

 feed. Milch cows, especially good ones, will 

 only pay well when well fed. Working ani- 

 mals will do more work and are less liable to 

 disease when well fed and cared for. 



If, however, dollars and cents were the 

 only consideration in this connection, we 

 might let the matter rest, and let everybody 

 conduct the management of his own animals 

 in his own way ; but in this enlightened age, 

 where the law takes cognizance of inhuman 

 conduct towards dumb brutes, it would be 

 well for every one to know to what extent he 

 can starve his animals and remain within 

 the pale of the law. Societies for the preven- 

 tion of cruelty to animals have done very 

 much to educate public sentiment to a higher 

 standard. Although there are still manj' 

 who claim the right to do with their own ani- 

 mals what they please, there are not a few 

 who have been taught very different lessons, 

 and many more there are that should be 

 taught, in this nineteenth century, where 

 cruel inflictions of punishment are no longer 

 tolerated by law and public sentiment, is it not 

 high time that a similar law be extended to 

 our dumb animals ? and also the masses be 

 educated up to the same standard V From a 

 humane stand-point, it does seem cruel to e.^;- 

 pose animals out doors in the winter season, 

 to rain, sleet and snow, with only coarse feed 

 that will barely sustain life until again the 

 earth puts forth vegetation ; and when such 

 animals, sometimes by great effort, .succeed in 

 getting a better morsel, by accident or other- 

 wise, they are clubbed by their inhuman 

 masters, as if they perfectly understand their 

 offense. 



Our noble animal, the horse, is ofttimes 

 subjected to treatment by men of ungoverna- 

 ble passions, that should not fail to call forth 

 to his protection not only the strong arm of 

 the law, but also of public sentiment. Many 

 cases may be seen that are similar, but much 

 more inhuman than the conduct of Baalam 

 toward his ass. The Arab treats his horse 

 with such kindness that would put to shame 

 a majority of horse owners in Christendom. 

 The circumstance related of the Arab who 

 refused to sell Ins horse to a Christian, lest he 

 would beat him, is no compliment to the 

 Christian name ; neither does it place the lat- 

 ter in a very enviable position, when he applies 

 heavily his whip to his horse through mud or 

 rain, in order to be in time for religious ser- 

 vices. The horse, after a fatiguing trip, 

 ofttimes must stand exposed to rain or sleet, 

 while his master is edified with the G<.ispel of 

 mei'C}', love, and kindness to all. Of all the 

 domestic animals, none has been more cruelly 

 tortured than the swine. A gate or bars is 

 left open, or a rail is out of the fence, the 



"Read before the LancaBter County Agricultural and 

 Qorticsajtiual Society by K. M. Engle. 



dumb brute gets to where are not her assigned 

 rations, another brute or two, perhaps not 

 quite so dumb, are sent to bring her out of 

 mischief ; the consequence often is an ear or 

 two partially torn from her head with other 

 lacerations that may cause intense suffering 

 tor weeks or months, and all this because the 

 brutes had presumably not as much sense as 

 their owner. This is not an over-drawn pic- 

 ture of what has happened hundreds of times. 

 Fortunately, however, in this section, swine 

 are mostly kept in confinement, hence such 

 inhuman scenes as were formerly common, are 

 now rarely transacted. The assertion is 

 hereby boldly made, that any person that 

 causes, knowingly, any unnecessary suffering 

 to be inflicted upon man or animals, is not 

 worthy the name of moral, let alone the name 

 Christian. As the finer feelings are cultivated 

 in man, the effects upon domestic animals 

 must be obvious, in consequence of their more 

 humane treatment, for there are few animals 

 that do not recognize kindness, but above all, 

 he who bestows the most of it will invariably 

 reap the greatest benefit. There is, therefore, 

 a wide field open for the promotion of happi- 

 ness to man, and the comfort of his servants, 

 the domestic animals, besides the enjoyment 

 of dollars and cents derived by keeping them. 



COMMUNICATION. 



Editok Lancaster Farmer. — Please ac- 

 cept the greetings of your old friend "Hum- 

 bolt." After so long an absence he again of- 

 fers you his services to the support of The 

 Farmer, and hereby proposes to review im- 

 partially each number, with the object of im- 

 pressing its contents more emphatically upon 

 its readers. Very valuable matter in publi- 

 cations is ofttimes entirelj' overlooked, unless 

 special attention is called thereto, while 

 questionable articles frequently passed un- 

 challenged. He does, however, not intend to 

 criticise any editorial matter intentionally, 

 nor assume any editorial functions, but will 

 ape a little after editors in using the word we, 

 instead of ■/, which you know appears more 

 authoritative, and assumes somewhat of dig- 

 nitj'. He will also prefix his name with some- 

 thing of a title, but tlie most important part 

 of his communications will be their style. 

 You know, Mr. Editor, that many of the 

 words in our language,, have more letters 

 than is convenient for expression. Phonetic 

 is, therefore, destined to be the style of our 

 language by and by, and for the purpose of 

 educating our young farmers up to that stan- 

 dard, has this method been decided upon for 

 our future writing. It is, however, not the 

 common phonetic, but a kind of fonetic of 

 our own, which we think will be highly ap- 

 preciated by our young friends. You will 

 observe that we have omitted the letter d, 

 which is useless in the word Humholt, and we 

 expect to save the writing of many a letter 

 by our improved method. Annexed hereto, 

 you will find a sample of our future style and 

 manner, which the readers of The Farmer 

 may expect in the forthcoming numbers. — 

 Von Humbolt, Jan., 1878. 



Revu of a fu Articles in the Dec. No. 



The article of "Ruralist" is to the point, 

 and any farmer hu has neglected his hints, 

 has dun so at his own expens, only we dont 

 understand his "fowl air." 



We wonder how al the riters on bees would 

 work together, if tha wcr put into won hive ? 



Oleomargarine seems destined to take care 

 of itself, but if we must eat tallow instead of 

 butter, we wud lik to no it. The man hu 

 sold dog fat for lard, did not tel the bj'er, so 

 the latter never got either wors or better for it. 



"Ten Rules for Farmers," page 186, shud 

 hav bin printed in capitals. It is tu v.aluable 

 tu be overlooked. — V. II. 



[We admire the orthographical economy of 

 Von Hiimcolt, but \vc are astonished at his 

 extravegauce in wasting the letter W on 



"tallo."— Ed. 



^ 



We would ask every reader of The Far- 

 mer to try and procure us a new subscriber. 



