1878.1 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



43 



Papers Read. 



Misrellanooiis notes on Jcposits, liy S. S. nathvnn, 

 No. 4S:^. Notes on rom;irkal)le niikl weallicr for 

 Dceember, 1877, by Mrs. V. E. (iililions, No. 4S1. 

 Mr. Wilnier P. Bolton rtiul ii piiper on tlie explora- 

 tion of a eave near llic river in Maitic townsliip, 

 nearly opjiosite to York Furnace, ealleil tlie"colU 

 winil cave." Tliia is publisljeil in the present number 

 of TiiK Fahmkh, page 4. Notations of a [{evolu- 

 tionary relie on an olil-faBliioned dress "buckle" de- 

 posited by S. 8. liatbvon, No. 4S.5. The annual re- 

 ports of tbe Curators ami ici'ord of Secretary and 

 Treasurer were read, Nos. 48(1, 487 and 488. 



ConsidcrinsT the few meuitiers that actually meet 

 and keep the society alive, the limited workine 

 material and the small incomeof ten cents per month 

 per member (and this fee is withheld by many of the 

 members) the progress of the society is snriirising. 

 Here are object lessons of value to the community 

 and pupils of the schools, if a public spirit could be 

 aroused and made to see its utility, and eoinc to the 

 front to aid and assist us to jilaee it in a more \iseful 

 position, so as to he more available to the putilic. 



Keeeipts for the entire year, S44.U) ; balance of last 

 year, :?l:i.44 ; expenses paid still leaves a balance of 

 5l0.!l4 in the treasury. This was the time for clcet- 

 ine new olliecrs for the ensuiujc ye;ir, and as no 

 elcetioneeriiiii; or ambition was manifest, and all 

 present holding ollice were willing to confer the 

 honor on others, could such others liave been found, 

 on motion the old olliecrs were nominated, and, no 

 one ojiposini,', on eastini; the ballot, tlie result was: 



I'resideiil— Kev. J. S.'Stalir. 



Vice Presidents — Kev. J. II. Dubhs, Prof. J. B. 

 Baker. 



Kecording Secretary— J. Stauffer. 



Assistant Secretary — Mrs. P. E. Gibbons. 



Corresponding .Secretary — Rev. D. Geissingcr. 



Treasurer — S. S. Rathvon. 

 1 Librarian — Mrs. L. A. Zell. 



I* Curators— Messrs. C. A. Heinitsh, S. S. Kathvon 

 and W. P. Bolton. 



Keys are wanted to some of the drawers, and on 

 motion the treasurer was authorized to procure such 

 keys as were needed, at the expense of the society. 



Under scientific gossip mention was made, with an 

 expression of thanks, to the press for publishing our 

 proceedings as a local matter, free of charge. 

 Botanical, Geological and Historical questions were 

 discussed by members present. On motion, ad- 

 journed till Saturday, January 3iith, 187S. 



agrici7i7t uraL. 



Agricultural Outlook. 

 Advance sheets of the reports of the department 

 of agriculture show the enormous aggregate yield of 

 three hundred and sixty million bushels of wheat 

 for 1877, or lifly million more than ever before pro- 

 duced. The corn jiroduct was thirteen hundred 

 bushels with corresiiondingly large yicldsof oats and 

 potatoes. The report states that there never was a 

 greater abundance in the land.' Out of the wheat 

 I'roduct, it is estimated, deducting for home con- 

 ^Mmption, that upwards of one hundreil and ten 

 million bushels of wheat can be .spared for export. 

 The largest export yet made in one year was ninety- 

 one nnllion bushels, with an average of sixty-three 

 million bushels. The department is also in receipt 

 of information from the wheat producing sections of 

 Euroi>e, from which it is ascertained that the wheat 

 crop in Southwestern Europe which produces the 

 largest amount of surplus, is good, and in Southern 

 Russia amounting to twenty-live i)er cent, above the 

 average crop. In Northwestern and Northern Eu- 

 rope it is poor. Jt is also stated in communications 

 from the Southern sections of Russia that if the 

 war should stop shortly there will tie a large ship- 

 ment, and that the shippers are now ready to take 

 advantage of the first opportunity, (jrcat Britain, 

 oll'ering the largest market for wheat, will, it is 

 stated, require about one hundred million bushels of 

 the present season's yield. American surplus wiil 

 have, as usual, a demand in English markets, with 

 an increase subject to the contingencies of the exist- 

 ing struggle in Southwestern Europe being prolonged 

 into another season. The department is also in re- 

 ceipt of very flattering accounts of the eueourage- 

 nienl which the great yield of last season is having 

 upon every class of enterprise. The average of winter 

 wheat for this year is greater than that of last year. 



A Portable Fence. 

 A correspondent of the Contitry Gentleman 

 writes : As far as my observation extends, the fol- 

 lowing kind of fence is little used among farmers, 

 notwithstanding it is very cheap and handy to have, 

 for dividing a lield, enclosing stacks of hay or grain, 

 or making enclosures for sheep or calves. I take 

 three hewed or sawed sticks, four or Ave feet in 

 length, placing one at each end of the boards that I 

 am about to use. and one in the centre ; fasten them 

 down securely for a platform. 1 then tiike 14-fpet 

 hoards, G inches wide, (I prefer that length to 12 

 or Ifi feet,) and lay them on this platform, leaving 

 spaces between the boards of 7, t> and .5 inches. 1 

 use three cross pieces, 4 feet long and .5 or tj inches 

 wide, securely nailed with annealed or wrought nails, 



and clinched, placing one at each end and one in the 

 centre. The bottom board will be five Inches from tlie 

 ground, ami the section or panel will rest on the cross 

 pieces. When putting up this fe ce, I let It hip the 

 width of the cross pieces, and drive two stakes, one 

 on each side of the jiancls, and fasten with withes, or 

 wire, and I then have as gooil a fence as I want for 

 turning stock. Where a fence is needed only for a 

 short time, one stake is all that is necessary. Two 

 men can dr.iw and bulM fifty rods fif this fence in a 

 day, and not work very hard at that. This fence can 

 be made in a different form where a man has plenty 

 of short pieces of boards, say 'Ay^ or 4 feet long, by 

 nailing them to two 'Z by 4inch scanllingR 14 feet 

 long, leaving spaces between the pickets or boards I! 

 inches wide. In loca'itics where fencing is scarce, 

 and the farmer has not the means to fence his entire 

 farm, this kind of fcneinir is very handy, as fields 

 that arc oecuiiicd with grain can be stripped of theii' 

 fences, and good enclosures made for the pastures, 

 ami whenever other liclds are wanted for grazing 

 this fence can be easily changed. 



Pulverizing Manure. 



A farmer in an adjoining town was harrowing his 

 barley stubble the other day before jilowing. I asked 

 him win he did so, and he f,aid it was to break the 

 clods of manure as spread from the heaps. The idea 

 is an excellent one, and worthy of adoption wherever 

 possible. A large clod of manure has enouirh ma- 

 terial to fertilize ten or twenty or more wheat plants, 

 but if left unbroken it will probably be reached. by 

 only one or two. The "patchy" appearance of wheat 

 which has been recently manured is well known, and 

 it results from the unequal distribution of the ma- 

 nure. The grain is uneven, some places ripening 

 earlier than others, and hence it cannot be harvesteil 

 without loss. A more serious matter isthe waste of 

 the manure itself. To be sure it is all in the field and 

 will be available sometime, but that is not what the 

 good farmer wants. It is said that it is better to 

 have a nimble sixpence than a slow shilling, but in 

 most farming operations it is getting a nimble shil- 

 ling or a tardy sixpence. If a lot of lumpy manure 

 is broken into pieces one-fourth as large as before, its 

 direct value is increased four-fold. Before the crops 

 have extracted the fertility of the dressing of ma- 

 nure the farmer is or should be ready to supply them 

 with more. I have no doubt that by the simple act 

 of harrowing, that manure more than doubled its 

 value for next year's wheat and clover, and the har- 

 rowins: did not cost .50 cents i)er acre. 



Where winter grain is top-dressed the manure is 

 usually dragged about in cultivatinir until it touches 

 nearly all the surface soil. What is left on the sur- 

 face has its fertilizing elements washed into the soil 

 as evenly as possible. This is one reason why top- 

 dressing is generally reckoned the liest method, mi- 

 less the manure is mixed with long straw, which 

 will clog the drills in sowing. 



Cost of a Bushel of Wheat. 

 Richland county, Illinois, is called a fair region for 

 wheat, but where the average yield of the State is 

 taken, it is about 14 bushels to the acre. This county, 

 during the last two years, has done a fraction better. 

 Wheat was worth with us, last fall at seeding time, 

 SI. .W per bushel ; harvest hands were paid from SJ 

 to $3.50; for a man and team we paid ?u'.50 and 

 board, and for other kinds of work in the same pro- 

 portion. I will now give the cost of raising wheat in 

 this part of Illinois, takins: one acre as a basis for 

 calculations, and estimating the yield at l.'i bushels, 

 which is a large average for the township, county, or 

 Stiite : 

 Plowing one acre, - - - - - - SI .50 



Harrowing, ..-.-- 50 



1'.; bushels seed at 51.50^ bushel, - - 3 L'.5 



Drilling, 50 



Board, -------- 1 00 



Cutting, 75 



Binding, 75 



Shocking, 25 



Hauling and stacking, - - - - .50 



Threshing, 15 bushels, - - - . 1 87 



Hauling, ------ - 1 00 



Kent, 3 .50 



T.)tal, - - . - - 

 Or a fraction over 90 cents a bushel. 



SI 4 .'57 



Improving Wheat. 



It was 'stated by a visiting farmer to our county 

 fair, one of the judges from Lancaster county, that 

 Levi Groir, of Earl township, that county, had 

 adopted the Heiges plan of cultivating wheat with 

 good result. The gain was about 11 bushels to the 

 acre ; he had aliout six acres cultivated, and about 

 the same drilled on the common plan ; the cultivated 

 wheat yielded MO bushels to the acre, and the drilled 

 and imcultivated yielded 35 bushels to the acre. 

 The cultivating at this rate would give a large profit 

 to the farmer. 



Another statement by a Maryland farmer, one of 

 the judges, was that of mixing the seed, the Lan- 

 caster wheat with the Fultz, hail improved the size 

 of the heads and quality of the Fultz, producing a 

 better yield. — York Deapatch. 



HORTICULTURAL. 



Cultivation of the Lilac. 



In an admirable jiaper on the Lilac, read by Geo. 

 Ellwaiiger before the recent meeting of the Western 

 New York Horticultural Society, tlie following diree- 

 tions are given for Its culture and management : 



It Is adapted to almost any soli and climate. In 

 park or garden, lawn or hedge, it lays claim to dis- 

 tinction for clfectlvcness and beauty. In city gar- 

 dens, where there Is only limited space. It Is one of 

 the cleanest and most satisfactory of shrubs, either 

 as a well-hhaped bush or a low tree with nearly bal- 

 anced head. 



But It is in large places that Us charms can be dis- 

 played to the best advantage. In lawns, where 

 large clumps of the snowy-colored varieties can be 

 planted, it has few superiors in point of brilliauey 

 and fragrance. Clumps of lilac, .losika'a arc intro- 

 duced with line etreet in the C'cntral Park, and, 

 when In flower, are among the finest attractions. 



In this climate it takes the place of the rhododen- 

 dron, .so much prized in England. Besides being 

 very hardy, it has the additional advantage of its 

 fragrance, which the hardy rliododcodrous do not 

 possess. 



In grounds sufTicienlly large. It can be used for 

 oniamcntal hedges. Its dark green foliage is not 

 affected by atmospheric changes, nor has it any in- 

 sect enemies. It, therefore, always forms a clean 

 and handsome background, aijd, when in llower, is a 

 feature of the park or garden. 



Where privet hedges are already grown, the lilac 

 can be grafted w ith no little efleclivcness, at intervals 

 of about ten to fifteen feet. The lilac grafts, when 

 grown, project over the privet, and form round or 

 jiyramidal heads varying the monotony of the ordi- 

 nary formal hedge. 



By many the lilac and other highly fr.agrant flower 

 shrubs are eonsidcrcd invigorating and healthy as 

 atmospheric puriliers anddispcllersof noxious vapors. 

 I well recollect when the cholera was raging through- 

 out Europe in, I think, 1^:10, the savants of the city 

 of Stuttgart, where I was then residing, ordered the 

 burning of fragrant herbs in the market place, to 

 prevent infection. Wliellier owing to this means or 

 not, the city escaped the dreadful scourge. 



Culture and Manwjciiient. — -Although it will thrive 

 and flower in any soil, an annual top-dressingof stable 

 manure will well repay the trouble and expense, iu 

 the fuller development and beauty of both flowers 

 and foliage. 



Half standards, for single specimens, can be grown 

 either on their own roots or iriafted on the common 

 sorts, as well as on the ash or jirivet. In order to 

 render them attractive they must have well balanced, 

 bushy heads, and be kcjit in form liy regular thin- 

 ning and pruning, .\fter the flowers have faded they 

 should be removeil, in order to cause new growth that 

 will insure profuse blooming the following season. 

 By this means the flowers may also be very much 

 enlarged. 



Fur Winter Flowering. — In all large continental 

 cities, and iiarticularly Paris, the lilac is in great re- 

 quest for winter lloweriug. The common purple is 

 generally used for forcing, and when kept in houses 

 darkened by mats or otherwise, produces pure white 

 flowers. In order to produce the best results the 

 ]ilants should lie carefully selected in the spring and 

 planted in jiols ; then phiimed in the ground during 

 the summer, and kept well watered. In September 

 they should be rciKittcd info rich compost and in suc- 

 cession, according as required, be placed in an atmos- 

 phere of 00 to 70 degrees Kaiirenheit, which should 

 gradually be increased to SO deirrccs, and even as 

 high as 100 degrees. Tlie rmits should be well 6Ui>- 

 plied with water, and the plants should receive fre- 

 quent syringing with tepid water. They may also 

 be taken up carefully with balls in the fall to bo 

 forced the following winter, but we recommend the 

 former method. When no forcing house is accessible 

 a warm room answers very well in its stead. 



New 'Vegetables. 



The past season's experience has proved the value 

 of at least a few of the newer vegetables brought out 

 by the seedsmen. Among tomatoes the Troiihy is by 

 far the best of all the newer varieties, although ihis 

 is now well established. Tlie "Little Gem," for 

 Iwenty-flvc seed of which I gave twenty-five cents, is 

 lit lie, and a gem certainly, sweet-flavored, solid, 

 smooth, and bears abundantly; but it is no better 

 than the Trophy. The "One liundred Days Tomato" 

 is good for uothinu', being late, small, and very much 

 misshapen. "Key's Prolific" is good, bears abun- 

 dantly; but is not "preferable to the Trophy. It was 

 the only variety, out of a dozen or more, that the 

 l>otato bugs took a fancy to. Of pens, Laxton's 

 "Alpha," the "Little Gem," a dwarf, and Laxton's 

 "Supreme," have turned out excellently. The second 

 needs no bushing, bears large pods very plentifully, 

 and is very sweet. For early, second early, and late 

 I shall plant "Little Gems" next year. " The "Su- 

 preme" is a fine pea, having long, full pods. It grows 

 alKiut three feet liiirh. Dreer's improved dwarf Lima 

 bean is an acquisition. It is very prolific, the pods 

 are closely filled, »nd it bears about double the crop 



