i40 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[September, 



berger, city; H. M. Engle, Marietta, E.G. Brackbill, 

 Strasburg; Cbas. Lippold, city; Frank Griest, cityj 

 Chas. E. Long, city; J. M. .Johnston, city; Joseph 

 F. Witmer, Paradise; J. B. Long, city; J. F. Malone, 

 Brickerville; John E. Reed, city; H. H. Tehudy, 

 Lititz. 



The minutes ol' the preceding meeting were read 

 and approved. 



Mr. Lichty read a report of the committee on 

 premiums, sliowing the fowls upon which premiums 

 will be awarded at the coming exhibition of the 

 society. 



On motion of Mr. .Schoenberger, the Executive 

 Committee was instructed to procure the necessary 

 coops. 



A motion was passed, authorizing the Executive 

 Committee to make some efl'ort to procure some 

 specimens of Golden and Silver Plieasants for exhi- 

 bition at the coming show. 



The question of procuring an incubator for exhi- 

 bition at the show was discussed. Mr. Lichty said 

 that a gentleman of this city was niauufaeturing one 

 which had so far proved a success, and thought the 

 new and large machine he had under way could be 

 secured. 



On motion the Secretary was instructed to make 

 inquiries in reference to procuring one or more incu- 

 bators. 



On motion the Executive Committee was author- 

 ized to procure a suitable room for holding the show, 

 and report at the next meeting. 



Dr. E. H. Witmer, of Nelfsville, was elected a 

 member of the society. 



On motion of Mr. J. B. Long the society allowed 

 the Executive Committee ?fi5 for special premiums, 

 85 for the best coop of fowls in each class, and $5 for 

 the best collection of pigeons. 



On motion the society adjourned. 



LINNiEAN SOCIETY. 



The society met in the ante-room of the museum, 

 on Saturday afternoon, August •28th, lS-0, President 

 Rev. Prol'. Stahr in the chair, five members present 

 and four visitors. After the usual preliminary busi- 

 ness the following donations were made to the 

 museum and library ; 



A germinated lemon seed was donated by Mrs. L. 

 N. Zell. This, in itself, would s^em to be an object 

 of little importance were It not that this seed germi- 

 nated in the stomach of Miss Annie Null, Nevin 

 street, Lancaster city, and was thrown up from her 

 stomach on the afteanoon of August 24,1^80. It was 

 given to Mrs. Zell by the famify, and she has no 

 doubt about the genuineness of the case. 



A bottle of the larger and more conspicuous in- 

 sects, collected by Dr. M. L. Davis, in the vicinity of 

 Millersville, containing specimens of Copris, Allor- 

 hiiia, I'asxalus, CyhiUer,Niipha, Peliduula, Culusoiua, 

 Clylus, Lachnoxicrna, Cicada, Spcctrnin, Tabaunx, 

 Phijlloptera, Piinpla, Prionus and Corydalux ; also 

 one Akachind (Myijale). 



Dr. Davis also collected, in the same locality, a 

 number of lepidopterous insects, including the 

 genera Pupilio, Philainpelis, DeilephUa, Hpilosuma, 

 foetua, Tortrix, Eudrtjas, Agrutis, Sphinx, Calocala 

 and Saturnia. 



Three stone spear-heads, one arrow-head and a 

 crystal of quartz, were donated by Mr. .John Prior. 

 These were collected on the banks of the Conestoga, 

 about fifty years ago, by Hannah Stark, a colored 

 woman now eighty years old, who gave them to Mr. 

 Prior. 



A fine specimen of Phrynosoma was do- 

 nated by Mr. Martin K. Mylin, of Gordonville, Lan- 

 caster, county. Pa. This animal was sent from 

 Chicago to the donor, but it evidently does not be- 

 long to that locality, and most likely was brought 

 from New Mexico, or one of the farther western 

 States, if not Soulh California. This is evidently a 

 dififerent species from any in our collection, unless 

 the distinctions arc sexual. 



A full grown specimen of the larva of the 

 the "Saddlc-back .Moth," {Empretia Stimuitc), from 

 office of the Examiner. This insect seems to 

 have been more numerous this season than usual 

 and specimens have been found in different localities! 

 A specimen was sent up from North Carolina, which 

 is either a variety of ours or a new species. Only 

 one species of the genus is described in "Morris's 

 synopsis of Lepidoptera," and that is the one fre- 

 quently found in this locality. See the Farmek for 

 August. 



A small box of the seeds of a fruit which the ven- 

 der of it called Sapidilu sapilo, from the East Indies. 

 II has the form of an orange, a greenish color and 

 reddish sweet pulp. Externally it has a russet ap- 

 pearance and as an edible is not particularly desirable, 

 either in apiiearauce or taste. In its general appear- 

 ance it is not much unlike a pomegranate. 



A singular abnormal growth of asparagus. This 

 had a very broad stem, which grew up in perfect 

 spiral form, but it has shrunk very much in drying. 



A bottle containing a "water newt" and a large 

 number ol "caddice worms" and their singular 

 cases, constructed out of small fragments of rock 

 woven together with silk, from "Cold Spring," on 

 '•Cob Hill," near the country residence of Gen. 



Steinman, Martic township, Lancaster county. Pa., 

 collected by J. B. Kevinski, July 27, 1880. 

 Donations to the Library. 



A copy of the Reynolds Memorial, containing ad- 

 dresses delivered before the " Historical Society of 

 Pennsylvania," upon the occasion of the presenta- 

 tion of a portrait of Major General John F. Rey- 

 nolds, 100 pp., royal octavo, bound in cloth with a 

 portrait aiul two maps. Donated by the Pennsyl- 

 vania Ili.'storical Society. An octavo pamphlet 7'2. 

 pp., containing a list of the members' names of the 

 " American Philnsophical Society." Proceedings of 

 the " American Philosophical Society," from July, 

 1.S78, to March, 1^80, 87 pp., octavo, containing the 

 celebration of the lOOth anniversary of its incorpora- 

 tion. Parts ■'), (i, 7 and 8 of the " Official Gazette of 

 the United States patent office." "Industries of 

 Pennsylvania," containing historical and descriptive 

 review of Lancaster, Columbia and Mount Joy, 164 

 pp., royal octavo. Lancaster FaHmer for .\uirust, 

 ](*S0, eight catalogues and circulars of scientific and 

 general literature. 



His orical Collections. 

 Two envelopes containing thirty historical and 

 biographical sketches. 



P.ipers Read. 



Notes on the Horned Toad, by Dr. Kathvon. 

 Notes on a variety of Walkini; Fern, sent by Prof. 

 A. T. G. Apple, read by Rev. Prof. J. S. Stahr. Notes 

 on the flora of the neighborhood of the haunted cot- 

 tage, by Mrs. Zell. Adjourned. 



Agriculture. 



Thorough Preparation for Wheat. 



A fallow is the best preparation for wheat, espe- 

 cially on clay soil or land infested by weeds. But it 

 is thought to require too much labor, so stubble is 

 turned down. An improvement here can be made, 

 as practice has demonsi rated, by first using the 

 cultivator, so as to get mellow soil to turn down. 

 This is best done after a rain, when the ground 

 works up fine. Plow and let it lie for several weeks, 

 thus giving a chance for heat and air to act on the 

 soil, working occasionally with harrow and roller, 

 preceded by the cultivator, if required. In this way 

 the soil throughout becomes fine and of equal tex- 

 ture, and is especially favorable to fall growth, 

 giving the wheat a good start. If the soil lacks 

 fertility, a coat of manure applied after sowing will 

 supply the necessary enrichment, and action of the 

 manure on the soil develops new plant food, aided by 

 heat and moisture. In such case the manure should 

 be fine and well rotted so as to mix well with the 

 suiface soil. This preparation is almost equal to 

 fallowing, and is certain to establish the crop well 

 and secure a trood catch if grass seed is sown. 



Turning down mellow soil is not sufficiently con- 

 sidered. In a fallow we get it; also, in rcplowing 

 fall plowed land. The best root crop I ever knew 

 was where the soil was deeply fined and then deeply 

 turned under, the surface manured and thoroughly 

 worked. And it is the same with wheat, which 

 needs depth. Merely scratching the surface with the 

 harrow, however fine it may make it, favors vegeta- 

 tion only a little and in the start. Besides, the thin 

 coating of mellow soil is a poor mulch and soon gets 

 packed, making a solid body of earth incapable of 

 withstanding drouth. This fined, the case is entirely 

 different. Moisture is now retained and the roots 

 have free play. In preparing the ground thus for 

 wheat it has been found that the roller is of impor- 

 tant service. It gives greater densitj to the soil 

 without packins it too much, leaving it so that air 

 and water readily penetrate it. This treatment also 

 lessens ttie weeds. Clay soil is more particularly 

 benefited by it. — Country Gentleman. 



Our Big Wheat Crop 



Our last crop of wheat was supposed to be some- 

 where about 4.50,000 bushels (it is ridiculous to at- 

 tempt, to foot ui> within 1,000 bushels.) We had 

 30,000,000 of the old crop left over a year ago, 

 aj^ainst 10,000,000 bushels now, the old wheat beint,-' 

 much more closely drained from the farm now than 

 then. That is, the people of the United States have 

 within twelve months consumed and sold some 470,- 

 000,000 bushels, and have practically none left to 

 compete with the wheat of the new crop. It is ex- 

 ceedingly doubtful if that new crop will foot up 

 more than 4.50,000,000 bushels, and if it should the 

 overplus will not be a terrible burden to the people 

 obliged to hold it over into another crop year. We 

 have not at present any good reason to expect that 

 the demands of Europe upon the United States for 

 bread will be much, if any, smaller than a year .ago. 

 There is not, therefore, any present ground "for alarm 

 ill regard to a superabundance of wheat. There is 

 plenty of it: enough to kill the ambitions of those 

 who would like to see Europe forced to pay more 

 than fifty shillings a quarter lor it ; not enough to 

 warrant the bearing of it to a point which will not 

 pay for the -cost of producing it. The people who 



are croaking about over production do the same 

 thing every year. Twelve months ago they said wo 

 had some 80,000,000 bushels more than we could get 

 rid of. Thev miscalculated the facts in the case to 

 the extent of 200,000,000 bushels. That is enough 

 to show that they could not then grasp the situation, 

 and there is no reason to think that they are any 

 more competent now . Fortunately their vaticinations 

 do not seriously affect the matter. The wheat goes 

 forward while statisticians are proving that there is 

 no place for it to go, just as serenely as the moon 

 rolled on when the dog was baying at it. — Chicago 

 Tribune. 



Sowing Grain, 



We BOW our grain too thick, just as we set our trees 

 and shrubs and plant our corn too close. With land 

 made mellow and level, and the seed distributed 

 evenly and properly covered, half the quantity now 

 used is a great abundance. The drill is a convincing 

 proof of this. Here is the all-important condition of 

 uniform covering present; and as all the seed grows, 

 light seeding is necessary, if the seed is sound and 

 undamaged. More attention to the seed is therefore 

 called for, and in securina this, greater cleanness 

 will follow. Our grain will eventually be drilled in, 

 thus lessening the seed to about one-half. Even 

 this will be reduced, for we sow too thick with the 

 drill. Where the land is well prepared, as it should 

 be, and the seed is all sound, broadcasting will 

 admit of a reduction of nearly one-half, and the crop 

 will be better. There will be larger straw, i larger 

 and fuller head, and less disposition to lodge. More 

 labor should be bestowed upon the seed bed, which 

 enriches it, as well as improves it otherwise, and less 

 seed sown, passing it first through the fanning mill 

 with a full wind on, as the light or imperfect seeds 

 make a feeble growth. — Country Gentleman. 



Autumn Seeding to Grass. 



It is the general custom to seed grass after some 

 grass crops, as wheat, oats or barley ; but when it is 

 desired to get a field into grass in the quickest possi- 

 ble time this practice need not be followed, says the 

 American .igriculturiKt. Gi-ass and cloverseed may 

 be sown this month with the probability of success. 

 This is not without its risk ; a dry spell may prevent 

 the seed from germinating until tlie season of growth 

 is pretty well passed, when only a poor "catch" will 

 be obtained. A shelter to the young grass and 

 clover plants that will protect them from the hot 

 sun, and at the same time prevent the soil from be- 

 coming too dry, is very desirable. For this purpose 

 no crop is better adapted than white turnips, which 

 grows quickly, and with their broad leaves make a 

 protection to the grass seed and young plants, and 

 shade for the soil. For the good of the grass it is 

 not best to have the turnips grow very large, other- 

 wise there maybe danger from smothering; but a 

 fair vield of turnips may be secured with no danger 

 to the grEss. The turnips should be pulled early, at 

 which time the clover will be well started, and will 

 soon thicken up and cover the ground before winter 

 sets in , 



^ 



Salt on Wheat. 



As seeding and cultivating a new wheat crop will 

 soon be in order, suggestions on this head are also in 

 order. The Indiana Farmer says that an experiment 

 with salt on wheat was made this year by James A. 

 McMurry, of Boone county, in that State. On one 

 tract he applied "refuse salt," which he purchased 

 for fifty cents per barrel, putting it on at the rate of 

 1,000 pounds to the acre on one tract; on another, 

 2.50 pounds; and the remainder of the field, which 

 contained better soil than any other portion salted, 

 was left untouched. All the grain was sown on the 

 the same day, and the plowing and harrowing was 

 the same in each case. The result was that the 

 heads from the tract not treated with salt were 

 shorter and greener than the others. The heads 

 from the land receiving .500 and 1,000 pounds of salt 

 per acre were from a half to three-quarters of an 

 inch longer than those taken from the unsalted land, 

 and had three grains to the line, while the other 

 generally had two, the former grains also being 

 heavier. The advantage of salt in soil is thus madi^ 

 apparent to an extent that each one may figure out 

 for himself. 



Raising Wheat. 



A year and a half ago (says the Chicago Times,) 

 Mr. Wilson, the financial and commercial writer of 

 the London Times, ascertained that the cost of 

 r.iisiug a quarter of wheat in England and Scotland 

 was forty seven shillings sixpence to forty-eight 

 shillings. In round figures this is $1.50 a bushel. 

 Mr. Kendall, one of the owners of a farm of 7,000 

 acres, eight miles west of Windom, Miun., furnished 

 a writer, for the .itlantic .Monthly last fall with a 

 detailed statement of the cost of wheat-raising on 

 his farm. From this statement it appears that, in- 

 cluding 10 per cent, interest on the permanent in- 

 vestments, and '25 per cent, for the wear and tear of 

 tools, machinery and stock, hauling to the railroad, 

 and freight to Chicago, the cost was $9.70 per acre. 

 As the average yield was twenty bushels an acre, this 



