156 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[October, 



Cyrus Neff, Manor; D. W. Graybill, East Hemp- 

 fleld ; J. M. Johnston, city ; Jamos Wood, Little 

 Britain; John H. Landis, Manor; Levi S. Reist, 

 Manheim. 



In the absence of the president, H. M. Engle pre- 

 sided. 



On motion, the reading of the minutes was dis- 

 pensed with. 



Mr. Cooper, from the committee appoiirted to at- 

 end the Oxford Fair, reported that he had attended 

 the fair. The display was riglit good, and the at- 

 tendance large. The exhibit of fruits was not so 

 good, owing to the scarcity of the crop. He was sur- 

 prised to see the quantity and quality of vegetables. 

 Everything appeared to be carried on very nicely, 

 and the fair resulted in a pecuniary profit to the 

 society. 



Mr. Miller, having visited the Berks County Fair, 

 reported a fine display of fruit for this season. Vege- 

 tables, grains, etc., were numerous, and the fair was 

 a grand success. 



Crop Reports. 

 Mr. Kurtz said seeding was getting along fairly, 

 but there was a good deal to be done yet. Grain was 

 coming up slowly and very unevenly. Grass, which 

 had been partially dried up, has revived since the late 

 rains. Tobacco has been all housed in his section 

 except one lot. Some lots have been sold at very 

 large figures, 35 cents being offered for some. 



Mr. Miller reported for Warwick a similar state of 

 affalirs as that reported by Mr. Kurtz. Corn will 

 make about three-quarters of a crop. VVheat is 

 yielding only from ten to twelve bushels per acre. 



Mr. Kendig said that the seeding in Manor was 

 later than usual. The corn crop has all been cut, 

 and will yield about half an average. Tobacco is 

 curing remarkably well, and seems to come out very 

 fine in regard to quality. The late potato crop is al- 

 most an entire failure. Rainfall for the past month 

 was 8-10 of an inch. 



Mr. Cooper said the corn was not more than half 

 a crop. Wheat is nearly all thrashed. The lowest 

 yield was seven bushels and the highest thirteen 

 bushels to the acre. Potatoes are very scarce, par- 

 ticularly sweet potatoes. Grass was pretty much 

 dried up. 



Mr. Landis reported the rainfall in East Lampeter 

 during the past month to be % of an inch. 



Mr. Engle reported for Donegal that the corn 

 would yield from two-thirds'to three-fourths of a 

 crop. Some right good wheat has been thrashed. 

 Grass is very short ; the young clover that was sown 

 early seems to be pretty well set, and a good crop 

 may be looked for. Apples are pretty much all 

 down on the ground. Rainfall for September nearly 

 two inches. During the month the mercury in the 

 thermometer ranged for fourteen days from 90 to 

 105 degrees. 



Mr. Graybill said that some corn is turning out 

 very fair. The pasture fields look bad ; some seed- 

 ing is being done. 



Dr. Greenf then gave a graphic description of a 

 recent journey made by him through New York, the 

 New England States and Canada. He said that while 

 In New York he came across some white Russian 

 oats, some samples of which he brought home with 

 him . He had written an article on the subject, which 

 he had printed and which he would read. In addi- 

 tion to oats, the article treated largely of physiology, 

 premature deaths, teeth, and the doctor was finally 

 called to order by Johnson Miller, who was of the 

 opinion that this was not a medical society, and said 

 that the article was out of place in a meeting of far- 

 mers. The doctor was of a different opninion, how- 

 ever, and finished his article amidts the most pro- 

 longed silence. 



What is the Best Method of Keeping Seed 

 Corn ? 

 This question was referred to J. C. Linville, but 

 that gentleman being absent, Mr. Landis said he 

 never had any trouble with it. He always kept it in 

 a place where the air could get at it, but not the rain 

 or snow. The views of Mr. Landis were concurred 

 in by other members of the society. | 



What is the Best Method of Keeping Apples 

 for \A/inter and Spring Use ? 

 Mr. Cooper, to whom was referred this question, 

 answered it by stating that farmers should pick the 

 best apples on the tree, pack them carefully in a 

 sugar barrel, which should be headed up immediately, 

 and, if for spring use, bury them in the ground. 



Mr. Levi S. Reist picked his apples not too early. 

 He then packed them in barrels and kept them there 

 until cold weather set in, after which he put them in 

 a cellar. A gentleman having advocated the packing 

 of apples in some foreign snbstance, Mr. Cooper re- 

 sponded by stating that it was Impossible to pack 

 them in anything which would not absorb some of 

 the substance of the fruit. He would also object to 

 the close packing of the New York dealers. 



Mr. Hunsecker was of the idea that the apples 

 should be closely packed, as. the handling of the 

 barrel would bruise them. 



On motion of Mr. Hunsecker the bills for premi- 

 ums at the late fair were ordered to be paid. 



On motion a committee of three was appointed to 

 visit the York fair. The chairman appointed John- 

 son Miller, Cyrus Neff and M. D. Kendig. 



Mr. Levi S. Reist exhibited several persimmons, 

 raised from a graft from Mr. Samuel Miller's farm, 

 in Bhiffton, Missouri. 



H. M. Engle exhibited a number of very fine culti- 

 vated chestnuts. 



D. W. Graybill laid on the table some specimens of 

 Kansas red plums. 



F. R. Diffendcrffer brought a basket of grapes pur- 

 chased from George W. Schroyer, which he desired 

 to find a name for. 



On motion a committee of three was appointed to 

 visit the Lebanon fair. The following were ap- 

 pointed : John H. Landis, Calvin Cooper and LeviS. 

 Reist. 



done 



birds wished their birds scored it should 

 upon the payment of a small fee. 



J. B. Lichty ofi'ered an amendment, to Mr. Diffen- 

 derfi'er's motion, that only as many birds should be 

 scored as could be. between Thursday, Friday and 

 Saturday. 



Many members took part in the discussion, and a 

 great many suggestions were made to cover the 

 various questions arising out of the general scoring 

 of the birds. 



C. H. Long offered another amendment that all 

 premium birds be scored and as many more as the 

 judges can during the time they are here. 



Mr. Long's amendmeut was adopted, and the 

 original resolution also. 



J. W. Bruckhart o oved that any one paj-ing an 

 additional fee of twenty-five cents as entrance fee 

 can have his birds scored whether they be premium 

 birds or not. Carried. 



New Member. 

 H. T. Shultz, of Elizabethtown, was nominated 

 and elected to membership. 



Special Premiums. 

 The Secretary asked whether special premiums 

 should be solicited. The sentiment of the society 

 was favorable to this step-. 



General Remarks. 

 S. P. Eby, Esq., suggested that monstrosities In 

 the fowl tribe be admitted tg the exhibition. 

 A motion so adjourn was made and carried. 



THE POULTRY SOCIETY. 



The Poultry Association met statedly In their 

 rooms, in the City Hall, on Monday morning, Octo- 

 ber 3, 18S1. 



The following members were in attendance? H. H. 

 Tshudy, Lititz; W. L. Hershey, Chickies; W. A. 

 Shoenberger, city; Charles Lippold, city; John A. 

 Sebum, city; John A. Geyer, Silver Spring; Frank 

 R. DifiTcnderfTer, city; C. A. Gast, city; J. B. Lichty, 

 city; T. Frank Evans, Lititz; J. Bruckhart, Salunga; 

 Frank Griest, city; A. S. FIo*ers, Mount Joy; J. W. 

 Brackbill, Strasburg; J. B. Garman, Leacock; Chas. 

 H. Long, city; J. M. Johnston, city; Harrison T. 

 ShuUz, Elizabethtown; S. P. Eby, city. 



The minutes of the previous meeting were read 

 and approved. 



Reports. 



The Secretary stated that he had written to Prof. 



Heiges, but the latter's services have been engaged 



for the lime of the exhibition, and he will therefore 



not be here. 



. The Secretary also stated that some dissatisfaction 

 having been expressed as to the judges selected for 

 the next exhibition, he had written to several other 

 persons, and gave the substance of their replies. 



Mr. Flowers said some members were willing to 

 pay part of the expense of securing additional judges. 

 Mr. Bruckhart said there were always some sore- 

 heads, and he was opposed to getting high-priced 

 judges from New England, simply because some 

 men want all the birds on exhibition scored. 



The Secretary stated that if we secured the ser- 

 vices of Mr. Diehl in addition to the two already 

 secured, he believed we would have sufficient aid. 



Mr. Evans thought an additional judge would be 

 sufficient to meet all the requirements. 



On motion of Mr. Lippold, the society resolved to 

 secure Mr. Diehl's services in addition to the other 

 judges. 



Scoring the Birds. 



F. R. Diffenderfifer moved that the former resolu- 

 tion, ordering the scoring of every bird on exhibition 

 be rescinded. 



J. M. Johnston suggested that the scoring should 

 be done as usual, and if any owners of unscored 



LINN^ffiAN SOCIETY. 



The society met in the ante room of the museum 

 on Saturday afternoon, September 2'tth, 1881. In 

 the absence of the President, the Vice Presidents 

 and the Secretary, Charles A. Heinltsh was callsd to 

 the chair, and Mrs. L. M. Zell, Secretary pro tern. 

 Owing to the sorrowful state of feeling caused by 

 the great national bereavement, on motion, the 

 usual routine of business was dispensed with, and 

 nothing considered save a record of donations to the 

 museum and library, and expressions of sentiment 

 relating to the nation's and the society's dead. 

 Donations to Museum. 

 A large specimen of Fungus (14 inches long, 9 

 inches broad) found adhering to a willow stump. In 

 a continuation of the DlUerville Swamp, about a 

 mile north of Lancaster city, in Mauheim township. 

 Upper surface light brown, lower surface white, 

 with a narrow white margin on the upper side. This 

 very probably is the Boletus igniarius ? commonly 

 called " Touch- .vood," "Punk" or "Spunk," and 

 the specimen is interesting, illustrating, as it does, 

 how rapidly, and .yet how gently must have been its 

 development. It is penetrated by several small 

 twigs of willow, and by many delicate stems and 

 blades of grass, some of which are yet green, show- 

 ing that it is probably a growth of the present sea- 

 son, notwithstanding it has been a dry one. 



Portions of three sUicious Oeods, internally in- 

 crusted with quartz crystals ; a fourth specimen of 

 the same contains a variety of Spathic Iron ; also, a 

 specimen of Gray Jasper ; all from Hancock county, 

 in. These specimens were obtained by Miss Annie 

 C. Rathvon, during a visit to" that region the past 

 summer, and donated to the society. These Geods 

 are tolerably abundant in that county, and are of 

 various sizes, generally hollow and incrusted with 

 quartz crystallizations, from a minute druse up to 

 pyramidal faces of half an inch in length. Externally 

 they are tolerably smooth— as if water-worn — and 

 appear to be covered with a small species of fossilized 

 lichens. 



A jar containing specimens of Mutilla from Vir- 

 ginia ; Mantis from District of Columbia ; Reduvius, 

 Rarpalus, Pimpla, Oryllus and Phylampelia from 

 Lancaster county, donated by sundry persons, and 

 preserved in alcohol. 



Since the last meeting of the society the committee 



in charge, have opened and examined the second box 



of donations from the heirs of the late Prof. Halde- 



man, and report the following contents. 



3 specimens of Protogine, Mount Blanc, Europe ; 1 



