1879.1 



THE LANCASTER FARMEI^. 



91 



out of the comb and which contains pollen and 

 brood, which impurities are mixed with the honey. 

 Extracted honey should be put up in glass jars— the 

 one-quart fruit jars are very good ami will hold 

 three pounds each, and when they are empty, they 

 are very useful in every household. But jf the mar- 

 ket demands smaller jars, that will hold only one 

 and two pounds apiece, tlicy should be furnished 

 and nicely labeled and put in crates of one dozen 

 each . 



Further, we should instruct buyers that extracted 

 honey will granulate in winter when exposed to a 

 low temperature, and that granulation is a pledge of 

 purity ; for honey adulterated with glucose will not 

 granulate, and that granulated honey can again be 

 brought to a liquid state by simply placing the jar 

 that contains it in hot water until it is melted, but 

 not long enough to bring it to the liolllng point. 



Sell to the consumer as much of your houey as you 

 can, and take the remainder to Ihe retail dealers 

 yourself instead of sending it to the wholesale 

 dealers, who will sell it to the retail dealers and then 

 charge you a commission. 



On motion, adjourned to meet on the second 

 Monday in August. 



FULTON FARMERS' CLUB. 



The May meeting of the club was held at 



he 

 residence of Win. King, Little Britain township. All 

 the members were jiresent except Jcisepli K . Black- 

 burn and S. L. IJregg. Visitors, Jonathan I'icker- 

 iug and Alice Coates. 



In answer to the question asked at the last meet- 

 ing, " Which is the best cherry for general use V 

 E. H. Haines said that a friend of his, who has a 

 great variety of trees, considered " Coe's Trans- 

 parent" the leading variety. 



Wm. King : What is the cause of the cherry trees 

 splitting in some localities, and what is the remedy 

 lor it ? 



No one present was able to give any satisfactory 

 information on the subject. 



Day Wood : What is the prospect for fruit this 

 year ? 



W. P. Haines : No blossoms on the Baldwins ; 

 most other kinds tolerably full. 



E. H. Haines had been around quite an extent of 

 country this spring. According to his observations 

 there would not be a full crop of apples. Pear and 

 cherry trees were full of blossoms. Siberian crab 

 apples also bid fair to make a full crop. 



Josiah Brown : Would It be better to sell wheat at 

 present prices than to hold it ? 



In answer to this question, the club all concurred 

 in the opinion that there were no indications of a 

 rise in the price, although the prospect for a full 

 crop of wheat next harvest in the lower end of Lan- 

 caster county was very poor. 



Montiilion Brown : What has been the experience 

 of members in mulching wheat? In three cases 

 where it was tried in this neighborhood it has been a 

 decided injury to it. 



Day Wood had noticed the wheat referred to, but 

 had no experience himself. 



William P. Haines and Josiah Brown had each 

 manured some wheat after it was drilled in. It did 

 not benefit the crop like that where it was plowed 

 under, though no injurious effect was noticed. 



Charles S. Gatchell had noticed another piece of 

 wheat besides the three spoken of, where' mulching- 

 appeared to have a bad effect. Had tried it himself 

 about four years ago. At that time both the wheal 

 and the grass after it were benefited by it. 



Grace A. King : What will remove the stains made 

 by lubricating oil from clothing? 



Mary Ann ToUinger : Put on lemon juice and ex- 

 pose to the sun. 



R. B. Gatchell; Sheep sorrel and salt will take out 

 iron rust. Never found any oil stains that would not 

 come out by washing and drying on the grass. 



Esther K. Haines : What kind of peas are best for 

 late planting ! 



W. P. Haines : Champion of England, for both 

 early and late planting. 



Josiah Brown : What is the best way to destroy 

 the Sodom apple or horse nettle {iSolanum Caro- 

 linense) f 



Most of the members that had any experience with 

 this plant thought this a very hard question to 

 answer, as it is nearly indestructible. Some of them 

 advised covering the ground with straw or some 

 other substance so thick that all vegetation would 

 be destroyed, using salt with it. 



The forenoon session now adjourned to dinner, 

 after which the club made the usual inspection of 

 the farming operations, live stock, etc. But little 

 change was noticed in the stock since the club last 

 met at the place. Buildings somewhat improved 

 and some new fence noticed. 



Afternoon Session. 



In lieu of an essay the host read some articles 

 from the New York Tribune, niving the Higgins 

 method of making and packing butler. Instead of 

 being gathered in the ordinary way, the butler, as 

 soon as it comes, is gradually cooled down to about 

 S40, when, instead of adhering in a mass it gathers 

 in small pellets about the size of grains of "wheat. 

 Tbeu, instead of working, the milk is washed out 



with cold water, or, what Is better, brine. It Is then 

 salt d to suit the tasle. 



Day Wood objected to the use of so much water. 

 He knew plenty of good butter makers who did not 

 wash their butter, because it was injured thereby. 



Alice Coates had been trying the method since she 

 saw the articles that had been read. Shu found 

 some difllculty, but was improving. She, too, knew 

 of butter makers who objected to the use of water, 

 but in nine cases out of ten it would benefit more 

 than hurt. 



Mabel A. Haines recited "You are Growing Old 

 Together:" Grace A. King read a selection on 

 " Silence," and Charles S. Gatchell " Kvidence of 

 Success In Farming," from The Practical Farmer. 



The question " Is the use of machinery followed 

 by a disinclination to labor!" was next discussed at 

 some length, most of the members coinciding in the 

 opinion that a disposition to be Idle did not follow 

 the introduction of machinery, although a disin 

 clination to do by hand work that which could be 

 done by machinery was very apparent among 

 laborers. 



E. n. Haines, Day Wood and William King were 

 appointed to make inquiry, and reportrto a future 

 meeting whether, in their opinion, dairy factories 

 can be successfully carried on in this community. 



Adjourned to meet at C. S. Gatchcll's in June. 



LINNiEAN SOCIETY. 



A stated meeting of the socicty^as held Saturday, 

 May .31st, 1879, with Prof. J. H. Dubbs in the chair. 

 Afier attending to the reading of the minutes, etc., 

 the donations to the museum were examined and 

 found to consist of three mounted specimens of birds : 

 The "Harlequin Duck," with Its numerous synonyms; 

 a fine Polish Bantem, per Mr. George Flick, the well- 

 known taxidermist of this city ; and a fine specimen 

 of the Golden Crowned Thrush, per Mr. Snyder, 

 North Queen street; a pair of beetles, skipjacks, 

 per Mr.. Reynolds ; sulphate of copper and native 

 copper, from the sediments of a galvanic battery, 

 formerly used In the telegraph office ; a beautiful 

 black and red bean or seed, per Mrs. Zell (a similar 

 bean-like seed grows on a spike in plants allied to 

 the tapioca or Indian Turnip family) ; two large 

 lumps of brown oxide of iron, from Mr. Fordirey's 

 farm, Warren county, Virginia, per S. Johns, of this 

 city, a variety of the Hematite ; a box of lichens 

 and mosses, per S. S. Rathvon. 

 Historical. 



Copy of the Federal Intelligencer, Baltimore, De- 

 cember 29th, 179-i, containing interesting historical 

 matter ; five envelopes with sixty clippings of Interest 

 from various papers, per S. S. Rathvon. 

 Library. 



Official Patent Office Gazelle to May 20th, 1879; 

 The Lancaster Farmer for May, 1S79 ; botanical 

 contributions from Vol. VI.; Botany of the Wheeler 

 Government Surveys, by Prof. Thos. C. Porter, sent 

 to Prof. Stahr, for the society ; Pamphlet, Naturalists' 

 Leisure Hours, A. C. Foot, December, 187S ; books, 

 circulars and advertisements. 



Papers Read. 



Ornithological notes, on the deposits, the Harlequin 

 Duck, No. 518, S. S. Rathvon, (X«a« glacidis, Lin.) 

 This peculiar duck has any number of common 

 names besides that of "Harlequin," and generic 

 names to suit any group ; In short, 112 synonyms are 

 or have been given to it. Paper 519, on the "Golden 

 Crowned Thrush," (^Seiurus auro capillus, Swainson) , 

 giving interesting particulars of the species, and 

 their habit of nest building, by Dr. S. S. Rathvon. 

 Although the name Is usually accepted, D. S. Jour- 

 dan, in his late popular work, does not give the 

 generic name Seiurus, nor can we find "Golden 

 Crowned Thrush." He has a "Golden Crowned 

 Kinglet," under Cuvler's generic name ot Rcgubts, 

 and LIchenstein's specific name, I{. Hatrapa, 

 but this is the "Golden Crested Wren." Both de- 

 scriptions are very similar, yet they are both recog- 

 nized in the Birds, by Spencer F. Baird, assisted by 

 Cassin and Lawrence, published 1858, under two dls- 

 tmct genera. Such changes or omissions are very 

 provoking to the student. 



A paper. No. 520, was read by J. Stauffer, in rela- 

 tion to a rare bird caught by Amos Kaufl'man, in a 

 woods between Manheim and Sporting Hill, near Ihe 

 residence of Amos Kauffman. The children noticed 

 five In a flock, but could only capture one. This they 

 have now caged ; it seems to be a pugnacious bird, 

 but is gentle with young chicks. A similar bird was 

 shot by Charles Lehrer, in the vicinity of Mt. Joy, 

 May9th, 18.56. This shows that the Purple Gallinula, 

 occasionally visits Lancaster county. Wilson con- 

 siders it a very rare bird north , and says his descrip- 

 tion and drawing is taken from a specimen In|Peale's 

 museum, sent from Georgia. He calls it GalHunla 

 porphyria. Jourdan describes it under the name of 

 Torphyrio Martinica, Temmicks name, etc., and 

 only allows of one species being In the United States. 

 This, too, has seven generic names, and different 

 specific names also. Prof. Baird says It is accidental 

 in the Middle and Northern United States, and that 

 "It is occasionally met with as far North as New 

 Jersey, and more rarely in New York and Massachu- 

 setts," page 753, Birds of the United States, 8. F. 



Baird, et. al., Vol. IX., Government R. R. Publica- 

 tion, 18.58. We have a mounted specimen of this 

 bird in our collection, no doubt from the old museum 

 of Judge Llbhart. of Marietta. 



The committee on book cases reported by calling 

 attention to the Improved condition of the room, and 

 the shelving in the upper store room, not fully com- 

 pleted. The committee was continued. 



Much Interesting scientific gopslp was indulged In. 

 Rev. Prof. Dubbs, and Drs. Davis and Baker, each 

 had something to say, and the time passed with 

 pleasure and profit to the few who met to enjoy It. 

 Why are there not more to take an interest? 



Agriculture. 



Plowing in Crops as Manure. 

 A large number of farmers are unable to under- 

 stand how it is possible to better the condition of 

 lands by plowing in clover, rye, buckwheat, etc., In 

 a green condition. The difllculty is in uomprehend- 

 Ing methods by which crops that are supposed to 

 draw their sustenance irom the soil In which they 

 grow can return anything more to the soil than they 

 took away In their growth. The point is cleared up 

 when It Is known that all plants draw nourishment 

 from the almoKphere as well as from the soil, and 

 this Is one source of gain. While the leaves are ac- 

 cumulating stores of fertility from the air the roots 

 are busy searching for It In the soil, and thus the two 

 distinct parts of plants work together. It is probable 

 that crops absorb In some way nitrogen from the 

 atmosphere.; at least it has never been satisfactorily 

 proved that they do not, and hence from that source 

 one of the most valuable of the various forms of 

 plant food may be derived. If this point is In doubt 

 it is certain that the leaves gather from the atmos- 

 phere the elements of organic matter, 'and organize 

 them so as to form the great body of the plant ; and 

 when we turn under the clover it leaves its organic 

 matter In the soil, and this Is, in an Important sense, 



But the excellent effects of plowing under clover 

 or other green crops are not due alone to elements of 

 fertility obtained from air. The great, deep-penetrat- 

 ing roots go to a point lower than most of the cereals, 

 and hence they draw supplies of mineral food from 

 sources inaccessible to other valuable plants ; and, 

 further, it is to be observed that these roots of coarse 

 texture disintegra* and loosen the soil, so that air 

 is let In, and in some sense the work of the plow Is 

 performed by them. When these roots decay they 

 form a considerable portion of organic or vegetable 

 matter, which, combined with the mineral, gives a 

 good compost for better plants to thrive in. 



From these brief considerations it will readily be 

 seen how it is possible to manure land by plowing in 

 green crops; and we will here remark, that It Is a 

 practice not often enough followed by our husband- 

 men. The clover is perhaps the best of all plants for 

 green manuring, and It Is easily and cheaply raised. 

 A thin dressing of superphosphate (home-made) 

 will almost give a heavy crop of clover on common 

 land, and this crop turned under, when at Its 

 maturity, and allowed to decay, brings It into good 

 tilth, and certainly aflbrds to the farmer a wide 

 margin for profit in successive cropa.— Journal of 

 Chcmittry. 



Farming on a Large Scale. 

 The largest cultivated wheat farm on the globe Is 

 said to be the Grondin farm, not far from the town 

 of Fargo, Dakota. It embraces some 40,000 acres, 

 both government and railway land, and lies close to 

 the Red river. Divided into four parts, it has dwell- 

 ings, granaries, machine shops, elevators, stables for 

 200 horses, and room for storing 1,000,000 bushels of 

 grain. Besides the wheat farm there is a stock farm 

 of 20,000 acres. In seeding time 70 to 80 men are 

 employed, and during harvest 250 to 300 men. Seed- 

 ing begins about April 9th, and continues through 

 the mouth, and is done very systematically, the ma- 

 chines following one another around the field, some 

 four rods apart. Cutting begins about August 8th, 

 and ends the fore part of September, succeeded by 

 the thrashing, with eight steam thrashers. After 

 thrashing the stubble ground is plowed with great 

 plows drawn by three horses and cutting two fur- 

 rows; and this goes on until the weather Is cold 

 enough to freeze, usually about November 1st. There 

 arc many other large farms In the territory and in 

 the neighborhood, and they are tilled In much the 

 same manner as the Grondin. The surface of the 

 land generally Is almost level and the soil rich and 

 black. The product of one field of 2,315 acres Is 

 57,285 bushels — elevator weight— some twenty-five 

 bushels to the acre. The average yield of the Dakota 

 wheat farm Is from 20 to 25 bushels per acre, and the 

 concurrent testimonv is that It Is unequaled as a 

 wheat region in the world. 



The First Employment of Guano. 



In an interesting paper on this subject which has 



recently appeared from the pen of Prof. Kohl, the 



author takes occasion to point out the fact that the 



employment of guano In agricultural operations Is 



