188 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[December, 



forded better ventilation than all the contrivances of 

 the architect. But tlie days of the log cabin and 

 open wood fires are past. 



The weather strips and sheathinjj paper do not 

 necessarily malse the house unhealthy. Anyone 

 who cares for his health will leave his bed-room win- 

 dow an inch or two open in winter. Of course this 

 defeats the very object of the above mentioned con- 

 trivance, which is to keep the cold,and pure air out, 

 and the foul and warm air in. Warm air is not 

 necessarily impure but speedily becomes -foul iu 

 air-tight apartments. 



Better far to burn a ton or two more coal and 

 breathe pure air than to inhale carbonic acid gas and 

 have cold and consumption and death. 

 I I have in ray " mind's eye." farmers' houses where 

 every pathway about the, house-yard is laid with 

 boards and daily 6crubbed'to,>crupulous whiteness 

 and a foot mat meets you at every angle and invites 

 you to clean your boots, and where the tinware on 

 the kitchen walls shine resplendent and the stove is 

 as black as " Rising Sun Polish " can make it ; and 

 yet when the cellar door is opened there comes up 

 smells that are not 



"Sabena odors 

 From the spicy shores 

 Of Araby the blest." 

 The poet Coleridge counted three hundred and 

 sixty-live separate and distinct smells in the city of 

 Cologne. I have never yet been able to make a full 

 analysis of the scents from an average cellar, but 

 think the numbers will not run so high as in the 

 perfumed city above mentioned. Beets, potatoes, 

 turnips and cabbage give up their fragrance, to say 

 nothing of odoriferous sauer kraut and salt fish. 

 The smell of apples, even, is unbearable when con- 

 fined to the house. These things should all be kept 

 in a cellar at the barn, or in some outbuilding con- 

 venient to the dwelling. 



The essay was discussed by a number of the 

 members, all of whom agreed in the importance of 

 the matter being thoroughly discussed and under- 

 stood by farmers. 



Hon. John H. Landis read an essay on the subject 

 of the "Farmer and Politics," which was listened to 

 with much attention. The essay was very lengthy, 

 and urged upon the farmers the importance of taking 

 an interest in politics, and seeing that none but 

 good men were elected as lawmakers."; The essay 

 was discussed at length by a number of members, 

 all of whom coiicurred in the ideas advanced by Mr. 

 Landis to the effect that it is essential to farmers to 

 keep themselves thoroughly posted in politics. 

 What is the Best Time to Apply Manure? 

 This question, which had been referred to Mr. 

 Brosius, was answered by him by saying that the 

 manure that is made . during the winter should be 

 applied to the spring crops, and that made in the 

 summer should be put on fall and winter crops. He 

 did not believe in keeping it on hand for any length 

 of time. He was also in favor of plowing it down. 



Mr. Landis was of the opinion that it did not mat- 

 ter so much when it was applied as the treatment it 

 received after it was down. He thought it should 

 not be exposed for any length of time. 



Mr. Linville said there is a widespread opinion 

 among farmers that the manure should be hauled 

 out as fast as made, and left lie there as long as can 

 well be done. He always found the best results if 

 the manure was well decomposed, if he spread it 

 over his wheat after it had been sowed. 



Mr. Cooper said one of the best farmers in his 

 neighborhood always found the best results by 

 spreading his manure on the surface of the ground. 

 His farm is noted as one of the most productive in 

 the neighborhood and he attributed his success sole- 

 ly by his method of manuring. He keeps his manure 

 until it is unusually well rotted, and always has a 

 large amount on hand. 



The following questions were referred for answer 

 at the next meeting ; " Can the grain-grower dis- 

 pense with nitrogenous fertilizers?" to Casper Hit- 

 ler. "Can dairy cows be kept in healthy condition 

 by the soiling system, and is the butter of as good ' 



quality?" to J. Frank Landis. " Ought rank-g) 

 ing wheat to be pastured 2" to James Wood. "What 

 is the best time to plow land for spring crops ?" to 

 John C. Linville. 



Calvin Cooper, John H. Landis and Simon P. Eby 

 were appointed a committee to examine and report 

 on specimens of red streaked, Smith's cider apples 

 and grafted persimmons, presented by Levi S. Reist. 



On motion, society adjourned. 



POULTRY ASSOCIATION 



The Lancaster County Poultry Association met 

 statedly iu their room over City Hall, Monday morn- 

 ing, Dec. 5. In absence of the President the meet- 

 ing was called to order by George A. Geyer. 



The following members were present : George A. 

 Geyer, Springville ; J. B. Lichty, city; F. R. Diffen- 

 derffer, city; J. M. Johnston, city; C. A.Gast, city; 

 Frank Griest, city; William Schoenberger, c^y; 

 Charles Lippold, city ; Dr. E. H. Witmer, Neffsville ; 

 Joseph R. Trissler, city; John A. Stober, Schoeneck ; 

 T. F. Evans, Lititz; Charles E. Long, city. 



The minutes of the previous meeting were read and 

 approved. 



Mr. Lichty reported that he had expected to have 

 the premium list ready for distribution to-day, but 

 had been disappointed. It would be ou^, however, 

 by the latter part of the week. He had received suf- 

 ficient advertisements to pay for the printing and have 

 over $100 to spare, which had been placed on special 

 premiums. 



The Secretary reported that he had a communica- 

 tion from the Maryland Poultry and Pet Stock Asso- 

 ciation, stating that they would send a committee to 

 visit the show of the home society. 



The following names were placed in nomination 

 for officers for the ensuing year. Presidents, H. H. 

 Tshudy and George A. Geyer; Vice Presidents, 

 Charles Lippold and M. L. Greider; Corresponding 

 Secretary, Joseph R. Trissler ; Recording Secretary, 

 Jacob B. Lichty; Treasurer, T. Frank Evans; 

 Executive Committee, Dr. E. H. Witmer, John E. 

 Schum, J. B. Long, Wm. A. Schoenberger, J. A. 

 Stober. 



On motion of Mr. Lippold, it was resolved that all 



premium birds should be required to score S?):; 



points, and that birds to take a special premium 



should score 00 points. 



On motion, society adjourned. 



FULTON FARMERS' CLUB. 



The December meeting of the Fulton Farmers' 

 Club was held at the residence of Grace A. King, 

 Saturday, December .3, 18S1. The members present 

 were, William King, Montillion Brown, Lindley 

 King, Josiah Brown, Solomon L. Gregg, Grace A. 

 King and E. Henry Haines. Visitors, Nathan Harry, 

 Thos. J. King, William M. Way, Clinton Way, 

 William King, Robert Davenport, Samuel Daven- 

 port and Wilmer Moore. The Secretary's report of 

 the last meeting was read and approved. 

 Exhibits 



Grace A. King exhibited some fine fall red streak 

 apples and ears of yellow corn. Wilmer Moore ex- 

 hibited an apple of which he desired the name, but 

 no one was able to name it. E. H. Haines exhibited 

 some winter pears of an unknown variety. Nathan 

 Harry exhibited a Paradise apple. 



Questions and Answers. 



E. H. Haines—" Can wethers be bought in the fall 

 so as to he fed during the winter with profit ?" Josiah 

 Brown, who was the only one present who had had 

 much experience with sheep, said that they generally 

 could. He said that when a farmer can get from 

 two and a half to three dollars per head advance it 

 paid well. He advised all when buying sheep to be 

 careful and select good ones as they pay much better 

 than inferior, low priced sheep. 



Nathan Harry gave an account of the experience 

 of a neighbor of his who had been for many years a 

 feeder of cattle and who concluded to try sheep, but 

 after a few years trial he gave up the business with 

 disgust and returned to the cattle. 



Montillion Brown : " What kind of apples are 

 keeping the best and what is the best method of 

 keeping them ?" S. L. Gregg said he had several 

 varieties but none are keeping very well. The Rus- 

 sets are probably keeping the best. He finds that 

 since he has taken them to the cellar they have not 

 rotted as badly as they did in the wagonhouse loft. 

 Josiah Browu has found that apples keep better on 

 shelves in the cellar than in barrels. 



Nathan Harry has found that the best way to keep 

 apples is to pick them early and place them at once 

 on shelves in the cellar and only two layers thick on 

 the shelves. A good way is to construct a series of 

 shelves, one above the other, about four feet wide 

 and one foot apart. Make the shelves of slats and 

 have them placed so as to have access to both sides 

 of them for convenience in sorting over the fruit. 

 The Wine Saps are keeping the best. 



William M. Way was also convinced that on 

 shelves was the proper way to keep apples. He 

 keeps his in this way, and finds that they keep the 

 best on top shelf. He recently visited an apple cel- 

 lar in Clearfield county, which vas made by digging 

 into the ground about seven feet, and lining with 

 boards, between which and the bank was a space 

 filled with sawdust. There were tiers of shelves 

 around the sides on which were now about two hun- 

 dred bushels of choice apples, some of which were of 

 summer varieties and still keeping well. In very 

 warm weather ice is put in the cellar, and in very 

 cold weather a stove is used to keep the fruits from 

 freezing, the aim be.ng to keep a regular tempera- 

 ture of near thirty-two degrees. The apple crop of 

 Clearfield county the present season is very good, 

 though the trees in general are quite of a stunted 

 growth. Wilmer Moore said he had tried wrapping 

 apples in paper and keeping them in barrels in the 

 cellar, and they kept well. 



Elizabeth King— Is it better to salt meat on a 

 board or to put it in pickle? Melissa Gregg prefers 

 to salt on a board. She rubs the meat three times 

 with salt and sugar and a little saltpetre, using 

 about one-fourth as much sugar as salt, and after 

 lying about six weeks it is hung up to dry, and it 

 keeps well. Lindley King, Josiah Brown and 

 Thomas J. King all prefer to put their meat in 

 pickle. 



William M. Way had tried salting on a board but 

 found the meat to get mouldy around the edges. He 

 now packs his meat in a barrel and uses about three 

 or four pounds of sugar with as much salt and a lit- 

 tle saltpetre in packing seven or eight hundred 

 weight. He then covers it with a strong brine made 

 of cold water. After the meat has been hung up a 

 sufficient time to dry, it is placed in boxes and 

 covered with dry Siilt. E. H. Haines covers a shelf 

 about half an inch deep with salt and on this he 

 places his hams and shoulders with the skin side 

 down. He then places on top of the pieces as much 

 salt as will conveniently lay on and allows all the 

 pickle found to run off. It is examined occasionally 

 and some salt pressed in around where the bones 

 have been cut off and any places that have become 

 bare are covered up. In a few weeks the meat will 

 cease to dissolve any of the salt and become dry. 

 Whatever salt then remains is rubbed off and the 

 meat hung up. In this way it absorbs about as much 

 salt as is necessary to keep it and which is not more 

 than most people like. 



Josiah Brown: "Is there any advantage in fall 

 plowing for corn ?" S. L. Gregg has tried it but 

 thinks that in most seasons there is no advantage in 

 it, except that the work is done. If after freezing 

 commences the ground should stay frozen all winter 

 it will do well, but if there is much alternate freezing 

 and thawing it becomes very hard, and if there are 

 many rains it is liable to wash. 



Literary Exercises. 

 Mary A. King read an essay on " Conversation." 

 Lindley King read a selected article on raising 

 fodder corn, in which the writer contends that far- 

 mers would do well to plant corn for fodder as a 

 substitute for hay. The fodder should be cut before 

 it is' ripe, let it lie on the ground a few days to wilt, 



