1881.J 



-THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



59 



around a tree, and try to take in the whole 

 situation before I put my knife to the limb. I 

 look at the probable size and shape of the tree 

 live to ten years hence, and cut accordiiiKly. 

 Three years ago I set a row of plniu trees 

 where the prevailing winds made all the 

 branches grow on one side. Sickness pre- 

 vented niv attending to them properly, and 

 the next winter they were a sorry sight- all 

 on one side. 15y my constant attention sum- 

 mer and winter, encouraging one side and 

 discouraging the other, they are now pretty 

 equally balanced. Second. A proper degree 

 or openness, so as to let in sun and air, to 

 properly perfect fruit and branches; and not 

 too much sun to wither up any part of tlu; 

 trees. Thirdly. Limbs must not cross eAch 

 other, producing future chaling of the bark. 

 Fourthly. A crotched tree must be avoided, 

 as when one of the crotches splits off the tree 

 is ruined. Fil'lhlv. Surkers ami sap limbs, 

 and long, strag^'lin;; braaclie.s must he kepi in 

 check. I sutler my trees to branch out low, 

 often less than a foot from the ground, so as 

 not to have a long naked bndy e.\posed to the 

 sun, wind and insects. I keep the lower limbs 

 pretty well in, however, so as not to be too 

 much' in the way of the plow. To do this it 

 is sometimes necessary to cut oiT the ends of 

 the limbs to an inside bud. I trim all times 

 of the year; as one nurseryman expresses it, 

 "whenever my knife is sharp." I trim so 

 often that I vei7 seldom take off a large limb. 

 One large limb taken from a tree is more in- 

 jurious to its vitality than many scores of 

 small ones. Indeed, if the thing were pos- 

 sible without introducing the inevitable Irish- 

 man, I would trim so often and well as not to 

 have to trim at all. This, indeed, would be 

 the perfection of fruit-growing— when you can 

 induce your true to expand all its vitality in 

 the production and perfection only of fruit 

 and necessary growth. And, I think, by con- 

 stant attention, pinching in and summer prun- 

 ing, we ciin come much nearer perfection in 

 this direction than is often done. I love 

 nature; 1 like to see her in all her wayward 

 moods and rough, wild way.s. I never ])ut a 

 knife to an ornamental or forest tree. These 

 city evergreens, trimmed up in shape of bot- 

 tles, pyramids and cones, are pretty, to he 

 sure, but thej' look so constrained and dis- 

 torted that the sight to me is rather painful 

 than otherwise. But when it comes to a fruit 

 tree, it must be constrained to a shape of 

 utility, and then only it is beautiful. A fruit 

 tree with clustering masses of tangled boughs, 

 so that the sun and air cannot penetrate to 

 give color and flavor to the fruit, or with long 

 straggling branches, unprotected from the 

 fierce winds and hot glare of the sun, or with 

 neglected sprouts growing from the roets, sap- 

 ping the life from the trees, is truly a sorry 

 sight. 



About Orchard Grass. 



It is gratifying to note the number of in- 

 quiries made of late concerning Orchard- 

 grass. It is quite as valuable a grass as 

 Timothy, and in some respects preferable to 

 that grass, and should be more generally 

 known. Its botanical name is Dacti/lis glmne- 

 ruta, the generic name, Dadylin, being nearly 

 the Greek word for "a finger's breadth," 

 probably applied to it on account of the size of 

 its cluster of^spikelets. Though called orchard- 

 grains with us, it is generally known in Eng- 

 land as "Cock's-foot." In some works it is 

 given as a native of this country, but while it 

 is generally introduced in all the older states, 

 it is nowhere a native. Still, singularly 

 enough, the .success that attended its cultiva- 

 tion in Virginia, where it had been brought 

 from England, in colonial times, caused it to 

 be returned to the mother country about 1764, 

 as Orchard-grass, and of great value; thus an 

 interest was created in England in one of 

 their own grasses, which iiad not heretofore 

 been highly valued. Since Orchard-grass was 

 thus introduced into England, its culture 

 largely increased, and it now properly 

 holds a high rank. In this country, on 



the contrary, its popularity diminished; and 

 it is only within a few years that interest 

 in it has been renewed. Without discussing 

 the reason for this, we may say that we know 

 of no other grass, not even the universally 

 enltivated Timothy, so well deserving the at- 

 liMiliou (if our thriiieis I'nr boll] hav and pas- 

 tunige, us Orehard-urass. It adapts itself to 

 all varieties of soils; its stems are very leafy; 

 it does well in the shade of trees; it gives a 

 very heavy aftermath; and it is in its best con- 

 dition, in blossom, at the same time with red 

 clover; all of these being in its favor as a 

 meadow grass. For pastiures it is quite as 

 valuable, startiiig quite early in spring; push- 

 ing a new growth very rapidly after it has 

 bcH'U gra/.e(l over; lasting late in the fall; and 

 enduring ilnmlh liettei' than almost any other. 

 Against it are cited twd faults: 1st. It has a 

 tendency to grow in clumps and form tussocks; 

 and 2ud. It has not sufficient hold upon the 

 soil, but is pulled up by the roots by the cat- 

 tle. The tirst of these is overcomft by thick 

 seeding, and the second by not turning the 

 cattle upon it \mtil the roots have taken 

 thorough hold of the soil. On this point Col. 

 Killebrew, in his excellent work on "The 

 Grasses of Tennessee, " says: " It should not 

 be pastured, the first season, until August, 

 however tempting it may be." He states 

 that in every case of complaint as to the want 

 of endurance of tliis grass in pastures, he 

 found the trouble due to pasturing too early. 

 Like Timothy, it may be sown with grain 

 crops in fall or spring, and is regarded as es- 

 pecially suitable to seed with oats. The seeds 

 run from 12 to 1.5 pounds to the bushel, those 

 usualy offered by seedsmen weighing 14 pounds. 

 Two bushels to the acre is the least that should 

 be sown, and two and a half bushels is still 

 better, using about 15 pounds of Clover seed 

 to the acre. Orchard-grass has been found 

 admirably suited for winter pasture in the 

 Southern States. Howard, in his pamphlet on 

 " Grasses and Forage Plants at the South," 

 ranks it as next in importance to the "Fall 

 Meadow Oat-grass" (Arrenatherum avcna- 

 ceiim), both for hay and especially for winter 

 pasturage, with both leaving the after-math 

 undisturbed, and turning the cattle on after 

 Christmas, and if the grass is for pasturage 

 only, keeping them on after spring opens. One 

 point to which we have before referred, finds 

 an illustration in this grass; that is, the im- 

 portance of improving our grasses hy selec- 

 tion . Something like 40 years ago, the Messrs. 

 Lauson & Son, of Edinburgh, selected some 

 of the most vigorous plants of Orchard-grass, 

 (Cock\s-foot), and by continuously sowing and 

 selecting, established a variety known as 

 "Mammoth Cock's-foot," the seed of which, 

 at the present day, bring a much higher price 

 than those of the common kind. We have 

 not yet found out what it is possible for us to 

 do in the improvement of many of our com- 

 mon grasses. 



OUR Local Organizations. 



Tlie I>anc.i6tor County Agricultural and Horticul- 

 tural society hfild a stated meetinif in their room, in 

 city liall, Monday afternoon, April 4tli. 



The reading of the minutes of last meeting was on 

 motion dispensed with. 



The following members and visitors were present: 



Messrs. Jbs. F. Witmer, president, Paradise; M. 

 D. Kendig, secretary, Creswell; Dr.Wra. Compton, 

 city; John C. Linville, Gap; Henry M. Englc, .Mari- 

 etta; S. P. Eby, city; Henry Kurtz, Mount Joy; 

 Frank R. Diffenderfler, city; J. M. Johnston, city; 

 John H. Landis, Millersville; Dr. C. A. Green, city; 

 C. A. Gast, city; Johnson .Miller, Warwick; W. W. 

 Griest, city; C. L. Hunsceker, Manheim; W. H. 

 Brosius, Druniore; .John Huber, Pequea; Israel L. 

 LaudiS) Manheim; Cyrus Neff, Manor; J. Hoffman 

 Hershey, Salunga ; I. O. Arnold, Drumore ; .Mr. 

 Buckwalter. 



John J. Moore, of Drumore township, was pro- 

 posed for membership and elected. 



President Witmer said he had within a few days 

 received a note from J. B. LIchty, In which he says, 

 if the society holds a fair next fall, he will guarantee 

 a profit of $150 to ?200 from the publication of the 



premium list. Dr. Greene had recently said that lie 

 would guarantee $500 profit to the society If the fair 

 was run on a plan suggested by him. President 

 Witmer added that If it was the intention of the so- 

 ciety to hold a fair, now would be the proper time to 

 take action. 



Dr. Greene said he had no doubt that if prompt 

 and proper clforts were made the society could give 

 a fair that would of be profitable to Itself and a credit 

 to the county, and now Is the time to commence 

 making arrangements. Farmers want five or six 

 months in which to prepare some of their exiilblts. 

 The names of pro|)osed exhibitors should be secured 

 and published widely. There are many Industrial 

 interests that will be only too glad to have an oppor- 

 tunity of displaying their manufactures (o the public. 

 While he had no desire to have anv control of the 

 fair, and thought It would be much better for the so- 

 ciety to have entire control of It, he would stand by ■ 

 the offer he had made on a former occasion, and for- 

 feit J.'JOO if the fair proved unsuccessful, If run on 

 the plan suggested by him. It should embrace live 

 slock of all varieties, farm produce of all kinds, 

 manufactures and machinery of all kinds, fruits of 

 every variety, and liberal luduraments should be 

 held out to all Industrial interests to exhibit the best 

 of their several products. The fair should be widely 

 advertised, and talked up and written up for months 

 in advance, and It would certainly prove successful . 

 H. M. Englc said if a few men as liberal as Dr. 

 Greene were to take hold of the matter, the fair 

 could undoubtedly be made a success. He did not 

 think, however, it should be conducted under Indl-, 

 vidual auspices. The society should at once take 

 hold of the matter and push It forward instead of 

 holding it back. The first thing to be done is to 

 secure proper grounds. A committee for the pur- 

 pose should be at once appointed. Ample space 

 should be secured ; experience has shown that the 

 Northern market house is not the place to hold a 

 county fair. What has been done can be done again ; 

 we have had good fairs In years gone by, and wc can 

 have them again; farming is not going liackwards 

 but forward ; other counties hold gooil fairs annu- 

 ally and there is no good reason why JLaiicaster 

 county should be behind them. There is no reason 

 for being east down simply because our last fair, 

 held at the wrong time and place, had proved a fall- 

 Mr. Kurtz favored holding another fair. There 

 are plenty of farmers in the county who own plenty 

 of superior stock and grow superior products, and 

 they have sufficient county pride to exhibit them It 

 proper Inducements are held out to them. 



Mr. Witmer said that if our farmers had felt an 

 interest in exhibiting their products there was 

 plenty of room for them in the Northern market 

 house last fall, where they could have shown every- 

 thing except live stock and heavy machinery, and 

 yet the market house was not half filled with ex- 

 hibits. 



Mr. Eby said we used to have good fairs before 

 the war, but after the troops took possession of the 

 fair grounds, pulled down the shedding and fences 

 and burned the timber the society collapsed. Those 

 fairs were made successful by liberal subscriptions 

 from the hotel keepers and other business men, who 

 subscribed from ?.5 to ?.50 each to promote the fairs. 

 Unless the business men of Lancaster come forward 

 and pledge themselves for an amount suflldent to 

 meet all probable expenses he would oppose holding 

 another fair. 



Dr. Greene made a motion that a committee of 

 three or more be appointed by the president to can- 

 vass the city for subscriptions, to call especially 

 upon business men, mechanics, manufacturers and 

 men of wealth, and solicit their assistance and sup- 

 port ; the committee to report to next meeting. 



Mr. Englc moved to amend by making it a part of 

 the duty of the committe to look around for suitable 

 grounds on which to hold th^ fair. 



The amendment was accepted and the motion as 

 amended was adopted. 



The chair appointed Dr. C. A. Greene, H. M. 

 Engle and Henry Kurtz said committee ; but .Messrs. 

 Engie and Kurtz both declined, on the ground that 

 the committee should be residents of Lancaster. The 

 chair then substituted the names of Wm. McComsey 

 and Dr. Wm. Compton. 



Dr. Compton positively declined. He expected to 

 be very busily engaged In another matter for some 

 mouths, and would not have any time to devote to 

 the Interests of a fair. Besides, he was opposed to 

 holding one, aud prophesied that the society would 

 run itself 82,.')00 in debt if it held one. He had been 

 mixed up in one fair, and he wished to wash his 

 hands of all conuection with another. If, however, 

 the society resolves to hold a fair he will do all he 

 can to make it a success. 



Mr. Iluusccker spoke of the success of the old 

 time fairs, and had no doubt that sufficient funds 

 could be collected to make the next one a success. 



As Dr. Compton positively refused to serve on the 

 committee, the chair substituted the name of Israel 

 L. Landis. 



Crop Reports. 



Henry Kurtz said the condition of the crops In the 

 vicinity of Mount Joy was rather discouraging ; the 



