140 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[ September, 



S. L. Fry called attention to the discrepancy into 

 which two of the lime advocates had fallen. One 

 said it would bring crops on a barren soil, while the 

 other said if mixed with sand equally barren nothing 

 will grow. 



Bills Paid. 



On motion a bill for the payment of some plates 

 for fruit, and also the janitor's bill, were ordered paid. 



Referred Questions. 



Ephraim S. Hoover answered the question, "What 

 is the best time for cutting corn?" When the tops 

 have become dry and brittle and when the outward 

 husks have turned yellow, then is the best time. The 

 grain has become hard and will not mould. The 

 stalks also will be better for fodder. Some persons 

 prefer to wait for frost, but he preferred to cut when 

 the indications he had just giveu were plainly visible. 

 He prefers to cut off his corn to the old-fashioned 

 custom of topping. He likes to have the whole stalk. 



New Business. 



The question of renting these rooms to the Tobacco 

 Growers' Association was referred to the committee 

 on lease. 



Casper Hiller presented a huge stalk of millet, 

 with a cane as thick as a thumb. This plant, accord- 

 ing to circulars and advertisements sent over the 

 country, was, by its immense growth, productiveness 

 and superior feeding qualities, to supersede all other 

 forage plants. It was also said the plant could be cut 

 twice a year and afterwards produce as many bushels 

 of seed as an ordinary corn crop. It is evident that 

 it would require a difterent season from the present 

 to bring out all that has been claimed for it. At 

 present it looks very much as if the same fellow that 

 disseminated it has been doing our Lancaster county 

 farmers with Japan persimmons, Chickcsaw and 

 Wild Goose plums, dwarf peaches, and rhododen- 

 drons. 



Report on Fruits. 



The committee on nomenclature, after carefully 

 examining and testing the fruits — assisted in the lat- 

 ter operation by the whole society — made the follow- 

 ing report : The exhibit, although not very large, 

 is fine and choice, and attracted universal admiration. 

 Some of the fruit, especially the grapes and peaches, 

 would do credit to a more pretentious exhibition 

 than this impromptu one. Although the season has 

 not been especially favorable, the fruits hereto-day 

 compare favorably with those of any previous year. 

 The following are the exhibitors and the fruits shown 

 by them : 



S. R. Hess & Son, of Ephrata, six varieties of 

 apples : Tompkins County King, Cumberland Seed- 

 ling, Jeffries, Fall Pippin, Gravensteiu, and a large 

 yellow apple, of very good quality, for name ; also, 

 a plate of peaches. 



J. G. Kesh, Grapes: lona, Maxatawny, Muscatine, 

 Ives' Seedling and Concord. 



Levi S. Reist, Peaches : Morris White, George IV. 

 and Crawford's Late. Grapes: Concord, Maxa- 

 tawny, Martha and Muscatine. Apples : Sporn- 

 hauer, seven other varieties and a very small seed- 

 ling. 



Christian Miller, Grapes : Wild Fox, Rogers, 

 Franklin, Delaware, Rogers No. 15, Perkins, Con- 

 icord, Union Village, and a small grape for a name. 

 Pears : Bartlett, Beurre Clairgeau, Flemish Beauty 

 and Belle Lucrative. 



Casper Hiller, Grapes ; Rogers Nos. 33, 19 and 15, 

 Perkins, Ives, North Carolina Seedling and Senasqua. 

 Peaches : Susquehanna, Stump the World, Craw- 

 ford's Late. Apples : Flick's Sweet, Benoni, Ameri- 

 can Summer, Pearmain and Autumn Strawberry. 



Daniel Smeych, Lancaster, Grapes : White Tokay, 

 Black Hamburg, Allen's Hybrid, Union Village, 

 Diana, Black St. Peter and Creveling. Peaches : 

 Sener and Susquehanna. Pears : Bartlett, Beurre 

 Clairgeau, Belle Lucrative, Duchess and Russet. 

 Also, an imported plum of fine size and great beauty, 

 said to be curculio proof. 



We cannot pass by this collection of Mr. Smeych 

 without a word of commendation. The Sener peach 

 was represented by some specimens from the parent 

 tree and also from three-year old trees grown by 

 Mr. Smeych . The former coming from the old tree 

 were of course of superior size, but the fruit from the 

 young tree was so exceedingly handsome that noth- 

 ing we can say would do justice to it. It promises 

 to be the peach in size, beauty and fiavor. His col- 

 lection of pears and grapes we also deem worthy of 

 special mention. 



.Joseph H. Witmer, bearded wheat for name ; fine, 

 plump grain, and also large, handsome heads. 



S. L. Fry, apples: Northern Spy and two for a 

 name. Potatoes : Watson's Seedling and Burbank 

 Seedling— both very handsome. 



S. P. Eby, cotton plant covered with ripe and green 

 bolls, brought from Forkland, Alabama, by J. L. 

 Levy. 



Casper Hiller, a fine specimen of Pearl Millet, and 

 an ornamental plant, the Erianthus Ravenna, some 

 ten feet high. 



Mrs. B. F. Bear, of East Lemon street, Lancaster, 

 a fine peach of the Susquehanna variety, of extraor- 

 dinary size, being eleven and one half inches in cir- 



cumference, and weighing three-fourths of a pound. 

 Respectfully submitted, 



J. B. Garber, 

 M. D. Kendig, 

 Levi S. Reist. 

 Business for Next Meeting. 

 The following questions were offered for discussion 

 at the next meeting of the society : 

 " How shall we treat the tramps?" 

 " Should not country roads be improved ?" 

 "Are county fairs beneficial to farmers and fruit 

 growers 1" 



A motion was made and carried to reject the first 

 of the above subjects, as not properly coming umler 

 the legitimate work of the society. 



On motion, a committee, Messrs. Rathvon, Eby 

 and Smeych, were appointed to superintend the erec- 

 tion of tables along the wall for the exhibition of 

 fruit. Adjourned. 



TOBACCO GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 



A stated meeting of the Lancaster County Tobacco 

 Growers' Association was held Monday afternoon, 

 August 19, in the rooms of the Agricultural Society, 

 City Hall. 



The attendance was small, owing, no doubt, to the 

 fact that the tobacco farmers are at the present time 

 busily engaged in cutting and hanging up their crop. 



The following members were present : Messrs. M. 

 D. Kendig, President, Manor ; Sylvester Kennedy, 

 Salisbury; Wash. L. Hershey, Chickies ; Jacob C. 

 Garber, Rapho ; Frank R. Diffenderffer, J. M. John- 

 ston, Clare Carpenter, city ; C. L. Huusecker, Man- 

 helm ; Mr. Royer, Ephrata ; John Brady, Millers- 

 ville. 



The Secretary being absent. Wash. L. Hershey 

 was appointed Secretary pro tern. 



The reading of minutes of last meeting was dis- 

 pensed with. 



Crop Reports. 



The condition and prospect of the local crop being 

 called for, Wash. L. Hershey, of Chickies, reported 

 that of 21,000 plants he had set out, be had cut" off 

 and housed about 12,000. His crop is about as good 

 as it was last year, and he thinks the entire crop in 

 his neighborhood will be at least two-thirds and per- 

 haps three-fourths as large as last year. A good 

 many patches are irregular in growth, and until last 

 week, there had not been a good soaking rain since 

 the 2.5th of June. There had been a very few worms 

 on the plants. Some of his neighbors had already 

 finished cutting, and all of themhad cut off more or 

 less. The average planted was about the same as 

 last year. Some old tobacco was still held by the 

 growers in the neighborhood. He held 105 cases, 

 assorted in several grades, for which he wanted 13 

 cents round. 



Sylvester Kennedy, of Salisbury, reported some 

 very good, and some very Inferior tobacco in his 

 neighborhood, and thought that the acreage or 

 the weight of the crop would not be more than 

 half as large as last year, though he had him- 

 self put in the same as last year. ,The green 

 worm was not so bad as usual. The .stinkbug, 

 scented soldier bug, Em^chUtea /j?f7?,c^(i(!fjfj/s as it 

 is called by the entomologists, had stung the leaves 

 somewhat, but not so badly as heretofore. Some 

 growers have finished cutting and others have only 

 fairly begun. Rain is badly wanted for the late to- 

 bacco. 



President Kendig reported the crop in Manor as 

 looking very well and anticipated a full crop. The 

 worms had not done much damage, though the "stink- 

 bug" had injured a good many leaves. A few more 

 showers of rain will complete the growth of the late 

 plants and make a good crop. The acreage is about 

 the same as last year and he believed the crop would 

 yield more pounds to the acre than last year. Cut- 

 ting has only commenced in a few small patches. 

 The tobacco had generally been topped low and large 

 leaves was the result. 



John Brady said the tobacco around Millersville 

 was generally very good, though some fields between 

 tluvt place and Lancaster arc rather backward. There 

 were less green worms than ever before. There were 

 as many acres planted in Manor as last year ; no dam- 

 age resulted from hail. Jacob Warfel and perhaps 

 others in the neighborhood have their entire crop cut 

 off and housed. 



C. L. Hunsecker, of Manheim, reported a good 

 crop in his section— fully equal to last year's per acre, 

 but not quite so many acres planted. About one-half 

 the crop has been cut off, and rain is wanted to bring 

 out the late plants. 



Mr. Royer, of Ephrata, reported that there would 

 be a full crop in that township if hail or some other 

 untoward accident did not prevent its harvesting. 

 The rains have been frequent and refreshing, and the 

 late destructive hail storm had passed just south of 

 them without doing any damage. ' 



The Second Crop. 



John Brady, of Millersville, asked whether it 



would not be advisable to plow down the ground 



after the crop has been taken off, and thus prevent a 



second crop from growing. The second crop was of 



no value as tobacco, but he had noticed it was more 

 infested with worms than the first crop. By plow- 

 ing it down they would have nothing to feed upon 

 and would die out. 



Prof. Rathvon said the best way to get rid of the 

 worms was to catch and kill them. The tobacco 

 moth will lay its eggs on potato vines, elders and 

 other plants if it cannot find the tobacco plant ; still, 

 it is a good thing to plow down the old stumps and 

 prevent a second growth. The reason that some 

 worms are more often found on the second than on 

 the first crop, is because farmers pay no attention to 

 the second crop, it being regarded as worthless, and 

 yet the worms that feed upon it are thus propagated 

 for the destruction of next year's crop. 



The committee on room was continued with in- 

 structions to report at next meeting. 



The question, "What is the cause of black root 

 tobacco plants?" being taken up, President Kendig 

 answered that he had noticed that it was only plants 

 that were grown in old beds that were affected in 

 that way. He supposed that the growing of plants 

 repeatedly in the same bed exhausted some consti- 

 tuent of the soil that was necessary for the healthy 

 growth of the plants. He supposed the adoption of 

 new seed beds would end the difficulty, or if potash 

 be applied liberally to the old beds it might be of 

 value. He is sure that ashes is a capital top dressing 

 for tobacco beds. 



Some discussion was had as to the best means of 

 inducing tobacco men to more generally attend the 

 meetings of the society. 



Mr. Kennedy suggested that one reason for the 

 non-attendance of those interested in tobacco culture 

 was because they obtained full reports of what was 

 said and done at the meetings through the news- 

 papers. He thought it might be well to hold no 

 more public meetings, but that those who chose to 

 do so might meet once a month and interchange 

 views privately and socially. 



Mr. Huusecker thought the slim attendance was 

 owing to the fact that growers are now busy with 

 their crops, and that if a notice were put in the pa- 

 pers asking for a punctual attendance of members at 

 the next meeting to consider the propriety of contin- 

 uing the organization of the society, a large meeting 

 would be the result. It is astonishing that so great 

 an interest as the tobacco interest of this county Is so 

 little appreciated by the farmers. They make more 

 off their tobacco than any other crop. They like to 

 make money as well as other people do, and they 

 might gain much valuable information by listening 

 to discussions before the society. Mr. Hunsecker 

 spoke of the wonderful growth of the tobacco interest 

 iu this county within the past ten years, and that no 

 harm and much good might ensue from the monthly 

 meetings of the society if they were more punctually 

 attended. 



Prof. Rathvon thought it would be well for the 

 society to consider the propriety of uniting with the 

 agricultural society, instead of continuing as a sep- 

 arate organization. He stated that the best possible 

 results had flowed from the union in Philadelphia 

 of the society of Natural Sciences, the Biological so- 

 ciety, the Microscopical society, the Entomological 

 society and several others. Each society became a 

 " circle of one great society, and all were united un- 

 der a single set of officers, with their libraries, ap- 

 paratus, museums, &c., in one building, to the great 

 economy and convenience of all concerned. He be- 

 lieved it would be well for the tobacco growers, ag- 

 riculturists, horticulturists, millers and other inter- 

 ests of the county to form a similar union, each in- 

 terest becoming a circle or department of a single 

 organization. 



Mr. Hunsecker announced that he would read an 

 ess.ay before the society at its next meeting, the sub- 

 ject of which will be announced prior to the meeting. 



On motion the officers of the meeting were directed 

 to report such other business as they deem necessary. 



On motion adjourned. 



^ 



'SEPTEMBER MEETING OF FULTON 

 CLUB. 



The September meeting of the Fulton Farmers' 

 Club was held at the residence of Grace Ann King, 

 on the 0th inst. Visitors present by invitation : 

 Alfred Wood, Alvin King, Samuel Davenport, Thos. 

 Jenkins and William M. Way. 



E. Henry Haines exhibited apples for a name, 

 Clinton grape, two other varieties of grapes for 

 name, and Belle Lucrative pear. Grapes decided to 

 be the Martha and Christine or Telegraph ; apples 

 not positively identified. Thought to be Swarr and 

 Cheese. 



C. S. Gatchel exhibited some diseased grapes; also 

 Isabella, Concord and .Martha grapes. King of Thom- 

 kins county apple, and apple for name. Name of 

 apple not known to any one present. 



Asking and answering questions being in order, 

 Montillion Brown asked : "What kind of flour does 

 Clawson wheat make?" 



F. Tollinger : Clawson wheat is becoming better 

 adapted to this section. It is becoming softer. A 

 few years ago it made tolerably good flour, but was 

 rather hard and flinty. 



Day Wood : Millers like it better mixed with other 

 wheat. 



