1879.J 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



153 



8450; an acre of geranium plants will yield 

 sometliing ovur 2,000 ounces distilled attar, 

 worth $4,000; an acre of lavender giving over 

 3,500 pounds of flowers for distillation, will 

 ylelda value, of $1,500. 



ALTITUDES IN PENNSYLVANIA. 



Following is the elevation ;il)ovenieaii ocean 

 level at riiiladelphia of points on thi' Penn- 

 sylvania Railroad and hranelies, compiled 

 from the second geographical survey of Penn- 

 eylvania, which it would he well to preserve : 



West Philadelphia, :54 



Lancaster, •''•W 



Columbia, 2.51 



HarristiurR, 3J0 



P. R. H. bridge over Sustiucliumia liver, . MO 



Mifllin Wl 



Lewistown, 4'.)8 



Hunlingdou, • '322 



Bedford, B. & B. R. K. I,llli2 



Tyrone, 907 



Sandy Kidge, Tyrone & Clearfield R. R., . 1,922 

 Phillipsburg, Tyrone & Clearfleld K. R., 1,433 

 ClearBcld, Tyrone & Clearfield U. K., . 1,10:! 

 Curwensviile, Tyrone & Clearlield K. R., 1,141 

 Bell's Mills, Junction of Bell's Gap K. R., 1,000 

 Point Lookout, Bell's Gap R. R., . . 1,915 

 Lloydsville, Bell's Gap R.R., . . . 1,1S0 

 Summit, Bell's Gap R. R., Bench Mark Sum- 

 mit of Mountain 3,."01 



AUoona, lil'J'S 



HoUidaysburg, Hollidaysbui-g Branch, . 9oS 



Springfield Mines, Williamsburg Branch, 1,.S79 



Henrietta, Morrison's Cove R. K., . . 1,423 



Kittanning Point, 1,594 



Dennington Furnace 2,0.3« 



Gallitzin, 2,161 



Crcsson, 3,017 



Ebensburg, at High and Centre streets, ap- 

 proximating, ...... 2,160 



Conemaugh, 1,2_'5 



JohnstoVn, 1,184 



Blairsville Intersection, 1,113 



Blairsville station, Indiana Branch, . . 1,011 



Indiana, terminus of Indiana, . . . 1,311 



Latrobe, 1,006 



Ligonier.Ligonier Valley R. R., . . . 1,151 



Greensburg, I 1,091 



Connellsville, S. W. P.R. R., ... 915 



Irwin 884 



East Liberty 918 



Pittsburg 745 



THE CATTLE DISEASE. 



In his oSlcial report to the Governor of his 

 work under the act of May 1st, 1879, during 

 the month of September, Secretary Edge re- 

 ports the quarantine of seventeen Irerds in- 

 fected with pleuro-pueumonia. These herds 

 contain 285 animals, and are lucahxl in the 

 counties of Chester, Delawan'. .Moutfcuniery, 

 Bucks and Lancaster. One lierd eacli in 

 Chester and York counties have IJcen released 

 from quarantine, and the latter county is, so 

 far as known, clear of the disease. 



In order to prevent the further spread of the 

 disease in the herd, and to prevent its spread 

 to adjoining herds, sixty animals have been 

 appraised and killed. In all cases the disease 

 has thus far been confined to the herd, after 

 it has been strictly quarantined, and the Secre- 

 tary reports that all owners of infected cattle 

 have supported him in his attempts to prevent 

 the spread of the disease. 



In Chester county the Sheriff has levied on 

 one of the quarantined herds and he now 

 finds a conflict of duty between himself and 

 the agent of the Governor ; the matter will 

 undoubtedly be settled amicably, but if forced 

 to a legal decision, would give room for the 

 display of much legal lore. 



Secretary Edge also reports that in these 

 herds, (one of which is that of Mr. Turner, in 

 Colerain township, in this county,) the disease 

 has shown itself in an unusually malignant 

 form, and that the greatest loss has been in 

 these herds. So far as known every infected 

 herd has been quarantined and it is hoped 

 that the authorities have the disease in check. 



All cattle imported from Europe are quar- 

 antined in Philadelphia before they can be 

 sold, and must show a clear bill of health at 

 all times after their shipment in England. 

 One importation has been thus quarantined, 

 and another is expected soon. 



When compared with neighboring States 



of New York, Massachusetts and New Jcr.'iey, 

 the exjienso in Pennsylvania has thus far been 

 very sliglit. In Massachusetts the eradica- 

 tion of the disease cost 807,500 ; New York 

 has appropriated 835,000, and New Jersey 

 $25,000. 



SINGULAR DISCOVERY. 

 A Lafayett(^ (Ind.) man accidentally made 

 a most singular discovery rc^spcctiug the elec- 

 trical influence of the ordinary morning glory 

 vines. Seated near the lattice work over 

 which the vine was trained, his attention was 

 attracted to a single branch tipped with a 

 growing vine extending straight out from the 

 rest, and speculated within himself whether 

 the tiny hairs with which the stem was 

 clothed were not placed tliere for the purpose 

 of conducting the electric fluid of the at- 

 mosphere to the plant. In order to continue 

 his investigation, he approached his linger 

 within about half an inch of it, and was 

 amazed to observe a slight, almost impercep- 

 tible, yet unmistakable motion of the stem. 

 As he pushed his finger a little nearer the 

 stem trembled very visibly, and was •seem- 

 ingly attracted and repelled from him. The 

 hairs which he noticed before did not move, 

 but remained erect. There was no wind at 

 the time, and the motion was purely an in- 

 duced one. After this interesting experiment 

 he placed his finger within a short distance of 

 the growing bud and slowly moved it in a 

 circular direction. The stem followed the 

 motion until it was bent in the form of the 

 letter C, and when the finger was withdrawn 

 instantly regained its former straight posi- 

 tion. The last experiment was witnessed by 

 several persons, all of whom tried it with 

 varying success. 



• 



A NEW USE FOR THE MULLEIN. 

 A correspondent writes to an exchange as 

 follows about the flower of a well-known 

 plant : 



I have discovered a remedy for consump- 

 tion. It has cured a number of cases after 

 they had commenced bleeding at the lungs 

 and the hectic flush was already on the cheek. 

 After trying this remedy to my own satisfac- 

 taction, I have thought philanthropy required 

 that I should let it be known to the world. It 

 is common mullein, steeped strongly, sw'eet- 

 encd with coffee sugar and drank freely. 

 Young or old plants are good, dried in the 

 shade and kept in clean bags. The medicine 

 must be continued from three to six months 

 according to the nature of tlie disease. It b 

 very good for the blood vessels also. IL 

 strengthens and builds up the system instead 

 of taking away the strength. It makes good 

 blood and takes inflammation away from the 

 lungs." Itisthe wish of the writer that every 

 periodical in the United States, Canada and 

 Europe should publish this recipe for the bene- 

 flt of the human family. Lay this up and 

 keep it in the house ready for use. 



JUICE OF THE TOMATO PLANT AN 

 INSECTICIDE. 

 A writer in the Deutsche Zeitung states that 

 he last year had an opportunity of trying a 

 remedy for destroying green fly and other in- 

 sects which infest plants. It was not his own 

 discovery, but he found it among other receipts 

 in some provincial paper. The stems and 

 leaves of the tomato are well boiled in water, 

 and when the liquor is cold it is syringed over 

 plants attacked by insects. It at once destroys 

 black or green fly, caterpillars, etc. ; and it 

 leaves behind a peculiar odor which prevents 

 insects coming again in a long time. The 

 author states that he found this remedy more 

 eft'ectual than fumigating, washing, etc. 

 Through neglect a house of camellias liad be- 

 come almost hopelessly infested with black 

 lice, but two syringings with tomato plant 

 decoction thoroughly cleansed them.— jLojuZoh 

 Gardener's Chronicle. 



Our Local Organizations. 



In the United States the consumption of 

 tobacco is 4^ pounds per head of population ; 

 in Germany, about 6 pounds. 



LANCASTER COUNTY AGRICULTU- 

 RAL AND HORTICULTURAL 

 SOCIETY. 



The regular stated meeting of the Society was 

 held on Monday afternoon, October 6th, in their 

 rooms over the City Hall. 



The following is the list of members and visitors 

 who were present ; Calvin Cooper, President, Blrd- 

 iu-Hand; H. M. Englc, Marietta; M. D. Kendlg, 

 Manor ; Joseph F. Witmer, Paradise ; C. .M. Hostet- 

 ter, Eden; S. P. Eby, city; \Vm. McComsey, city; 

 VV. W. Grlest, city ; Frank R. DifTendcrller, city; J. 

 M. Johnston, city ; John U. Landis, Manor ; W. H. 

 Krosius, Drumorc ; Dr. S. H. Rathvon, city ; Johnson 

 Miller, Warwick , Webster L. Hershcy, East Hemp- 

 field ; E. S. Hoover, Manhclm ; Peter S. RcUt, 

 Litiz; Jacob B. Garber, Columbia, Daniel Smcycb, 

 city ; Israel L. Landis, city. 



The members were called to order by the Pregl- 

 dent, Calvin Cooper. 



The minutes of the preceding meeting were read 



by the Secretary, and on motion approved. 



Report of Special Committees. 



The Committee of Arrangements of Die fair that 



was held last month made a report, which showed a 



small balance In favor of the society. 



On motion, the report was received and the com- 

 miltee discharged. 



Johnson Miller said he was one of the committee 

 to visit the Berks county fair. The fruit display was 

 better than at the State fair. The cattle were very 

 fine. The attendance was very large. The fair was 

 a complete success. He thought we ought to be able 

 to do at least as well here as they can in Berks. 

 Crop Reports. 

 H. M. Engle reported fall pastures good. Most of 

 the wheat is sown and is growing very rapidly — In- 

 deed, too much so. The fiy will ravage it in all 

 probability. The rainfall for September was 3)4 

 inches. 



M. D. Kendig, of Manor, reported the wheat as 

 being all sown. The winter fruit crop is very small. 

 The rainfall for last month was 2^4 Inches. 



C. M. Hostetter, of Eden, reported grain looking 

 very well. The fly is already at work. Water is 

 becoming scarce. Wells are drying up Pasture Is 

 getting poor. Corn is not yet husked. 



W. H. Brosius of Drumore, said that corn Is a 

 medium crop ; grain looks well ; grass fields are 

 drying up ; there has been hardly atiy rainfall ; the 

 potatoes are half or two-thirds of a crop. 



Johnson Miller said wheat in Warwick is good ; 

 the corn crop will be the largest for years ; pasture 

 is good and grass growing finely, except young 

 clover ; some farmers had to take their tobacco down 

 because it was rotting. 



H. M . Engle said some of the tobacco in Donegal 

 was 60 hail cut that it was thrown on the dung heap. 

 Should Orchards be Cultivated. 

 H. M. Engle said this was a mooted question. 

 Some successful fruit growers never cullivate at all ; 

 others believe just the reverse. The best fruit he 

 had ever seen was from cultivated orchards. In 

 peach orchards the ground Is always cultivated. He 

 was not certain this rule was good for apples. Thos. 

 Meehan never cultivates, and he is one of our best 

 fruit growers. Mr. Satterthwait cultivates all the 

 time and is also very successful. Tobias Martin, of 

 Franklin county, is the greatest pear grower in the 

 country, and he plows annually. He was therefore 

 not prepared to say what was best, but he would 

 say while trees are young you can't cultivate too 

 much ; if you don't they will become stunted. As 

 for himself, he inclines to cultivation, but favors 

 very shallow plowing ; a common cultivator is per- 

 haps as good as a plow. We must, however, ma- 

 nure ; we cannot draw on our orchards without mak- 

 ing lliem some return. 



W. McComsey did not think he could settle this 

 question, but he believed cultivation and fertilization 

 were absolutely necessary to keep orchards in good 

 bearing condition. His own experience has proved 

 this to him clearly. Whether it was owing more to 

 cultivation or the manuring he was not able to say, 

 but he attached more importance to the latter than 

 the former. He gave an instance where a fine tree 

 began to give inferior fruit from year to year. He 

 used some pig manure and the change was really 

 wonderful. He believed it all due to the manure. 

 He was not so sure as to th« advantages of cultiva- 

 tion. He cultivated an orchard that had run down, 

 and also manured it ; the results were good. 



Johnson Miller hasaa orchard that was not culti- 

 vated for twenty years and yet produced wonderful 

 crops. He gave other similar Instances. He hag 

 planted a young orchard but Jdid not cultivate it, 

 and it has done very well. He believed in manuring 

 orchards. 



The President said his practice was not to culti- 

 vate ; he manures and limes often, and has good 

 crops ; he leaves all the grass and weeds on the 

 ground ; he bas pruned but little ; he grubi the 



