1882,] 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



77 



J. G. liueli tliouKlit tlicie was as much in the 

 mode of liming as in the lime ilself. He did not 

 belii-ve in placina; it in larije lieaps. He slacks his 

 lime at the very time he places it ou the land. Lime 

 must come into cnntacl with the veset'iblc matter, 

 and the liner it is the lielter tliia result Is accom- 

 plished. 



The Poetry of Agriculture. 



Mr. Haws, from New England, was intriKUiced, 

 who delivered a very llowery address on the consti- 

 tution of the earth, the beauties of vecelation and 

 the part the atmosphere plays in producing crops 

 He covered a great deal of ground in the course of 

 his remarks, and was listened to with attention from 

 the beginning to the close. 



Questions for Discussion. 



At what period of growth should grass be cut to 

 make the best hay 1 Referred to Casper Hiller. 



How can the best results be obtained from barn 

 yard manure? llelerred to M. U. Kendig. 



At what staL'C of ripeness is it best to cut wheat? 

 Kelerred to 11. M. Engle. 



J. C. Linville was appointed essayists for the next 

 meeting. 



There being no further business, the society ad- 

 journed. 



THE POULTRY SOCIETY. 



The Lancaster County Poultry Association met in 

 their rooms Monday morning. May 1. 



The following members were present: J. B. Liehty, 

 Charles Lippold, W. W. Griest, Charles E. Lonus 

 John A. Sebum, J. .M. Johnston, Dr. Witmer, Neffs- 

 ville; F. K. Ditfendertfcr, city; Isaac H. Brooks, 

 Marticville. 



The minutes of the previous meeting were read 

 and approved. 



Miscellaneous Business. 

 The resignation of T. Frank Evans, offered at the 

 last meeting, was called up, and, on motion, ac- 

 cepted. 



John A. Sebum was nominated to the position 

 occupied by Mr. Evans. Under the rules, action on 

 the nomination was deferred until next meeting. 



Samuel Brubaker, of Neflsville, and Lawrence 

 Knapp, of Lancaster, were nominated to member- 

 ship and elected. 



On motion the Secretary was instructed to inform 

 all the members of the time of meeting hereafter by 

 postal card. 



Strains in Poultry Breeding. 

 The Secretary read the following essay, written by 

 T. F. McGrew, jr., of Ohio, for the society, by 

 special request. It was as follows : 



To write an essay on fowls to be read by a stranger 

 to a number ol men of whom 1 have no knowledge, 

 is to me a very hard task. Should I be able to please 

 you lor the time being, and also furnish a few points 

 of sucli worth that a few will gain just a little l>ene 

 at from them, my reward will be gained. 



You may all be better informed than myself that 

 about lb.5U, or a little later, what is called the hen 

 fever had lis start in this country. About that time 

 the Sliantrhai fowls were impfirted into this country, 

 and from them, or others like them, our Cochins 

 and Brahmas have been bred. Twenty-live years 

 ago but little in erest was taken in the breeding of 

 line lowls in this country, but to-day thousands all 

 over the h'ud are paying close attention to their 

 culture. American breeders after some tweuty-tive 

 years of close attention have lo their credit the pro- 

 duction one of the very best ibwls now known, viz., 

 the highly prized I'lymonlh Kock. 



Hut all tlioughtlui breeders are satisfied with this 

 venture at a cross breed tbwl, and have no desire to 

 try any more such experiments, as long as there is 

 so much room to improve what we now have. 



The furor lor new breeds has taken a very strong 

 hold on lanciers, ami it is to be feared will not do us 

 any (;ood in the long run ; panluu me, if I am in- 

 truding on any of your piet themes, but to me, it 

 looks very mitch as if we, as breeders, should try to 

 improve what we now have on hand, lor, after 

 twenty five years of hard labor and close attention, 

 the Light Brahmas, the so-called *' kings of the 

 poultry fancy," arc very far from perfection. Why 

 shfiuld we turn aside for new breeds while there is 

 so much to be done yet for those we have had with 

 us so long. 



The great desire to makea few paltry dollars from 

 the laucy is doing the interest more harm than any 

 other one feature we have to couleud with. 



The term "strain," as used by us. Is very much 

 abused, and to this point U-t ns turn our attention. 



Because a breeder has for three or four years bred 

 a certain kind of fowl does not give him the right to 

 claim it as his strain; bu' to put forth a strain, the 

 certain prominent features of tlie birds he breeils 

 must be so eslalilished in them that their tine quail 

 ties wHl vindicate thenjselves on any stock with 

 which they may he crossed. 



To illustrate this let nu- give you the groundwork 

 of the L'old dust strain of Bulf Coelilns, not for 

 aggrandizen.ent, liut because of the knowledge ol 

 their orii;in. 



Sixteen years ago next October I was first taken 

 with BuB' Cochin fowls, and kept the best I could 

 get at that time. These birds were loaned to an in- 

 veterate exhibitor at State and county fairs, who 

 won with them for years. 



Up to l'*70 they were considered by me about per- 

 fect ; at this time a trip was made to the East, and 

 the yards about New York and I'hiladelphia visited, 

 and slock much lietter procured; the cross with 

 these fowls proved the point above mentioned. The 

 birds spoken of as purchased were of a true strain 

 and stampeil their good qualities so plainly on their 

 pro!;eny that 1 was convinced a strain must be es- 

 tablished, and to that end set to work. 



Alter some seven years close attention it now ap- 

 pears that the start of such a strain has been accom- 

 plished. 



The aim li!>s been to eclipse the standard and the 

 only reward hoped for is the accomplishment of the 

 feat. 



The start was made with the best birds to be had 

 from my old stock. To these have been added, from 

 lime to time, the best birds to be had, always using 

 new male blood on the best females in hand. By so 

 doing the points gained were retained in the oll'epring 

 as strongly as possible. The only kind of blood al- 

 lowed in the yards has been that which was known 

 to be of English pure bred strains. 



At times wrong crosses have been made and all the 

 young have come out a head shorter, until now not a 

 bird is in the yards except those which are from % 

 to J„ full English blood. 



To these have been added the whole of Mr. Doolit- 

 tle's stock, and from them only the very best have 

 been retained ; these crossed with my own should in 

 a few years establish what can be called the ground- 

 work of a true strain. This is my notion of what can 

 he called a "true strain," not a new breed of a few 

 years' breeding, that cannot be counted on to even 

 breed like themselves. 



Long years of close attention is the only way to 

 establish a strain, and It is to be hoped the breeders 

 of this country will soon drop chance work and set- 

 tle down to establishing true breeding strains of the 

 many fine varieties we now have. 



Tlie establishing of a society like yours must be a 

 great benefit to you as breeders, and I will venture 

 to mention lor your consideration a plan that, in my 

 opinion will be both a pleasure and profit to you all. 

 Let each meeting day be set apart for some breed, 

 and have the specimens of this variety brought to 

 your rooms, and let each man present take a score 

 card and score birds as per his judgment ; after 

 which, compare the cards, and let the different scores 

 be your subject of discussion. 



This will be the most profitable way you can, in 

 my opinion, spend an hour or two each month. In a 

 short time the very best judges among you will place 

 themselves prominently before you, and witliout 

 doubt some will spring up who will make themselves 

 the equals of Pierce or Ball. 



The aim all breeders should be, first, to breed the 

 very best stock he can, and not to be content with 

 medium, but to try and be the very first in his class. 

 Should this he his aim, and full force and determina- 

 tion put to the work, he who wins over him will 

 have so close a shave that the honors will be about 

 even, and his elTorls should be doubled the next year 

 or until he does reach the point ; second, do all you 

 can for each other, without fear of doing yourself an 

 injury, f'^r it should be the public we wish to beoeflt, 

 and not ourselves entirely. 



Trusting these disconnected lines may have proved 



of momentary interest to some of you, I will wish 



you all a prosperous season, and say "Good-day." 



On motion, the thanks of the society were tendered 



to Mr. McGrew for his essay. 



On motion, the society adjourned. 



FULTON FARMERS' CLUB. 



The April meeting of the club was held at the 

 residence of Lindley King, in Fulton township. 

 Members present: Moutillion Brown, E. H. Haines. 

 Joseph R. Blackburn, Joseph P. Griest, Josiah 

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

 There were also quite a number of visitors in atten- 

 dance. 



In the absence of the President, Joseph R. Black- 

 burn was elected President pro tem. 



Grace A. King exhibited some very fineTewksbury 

 Winter Blush apples. 



Jesse Yocum, a visitor, exhibited White Russian 

 Oats and Hominy Corn. 



Asking and Answering Questions. 

 .loslah Brown: Which method will raise the most 

 corn to the acre, planting in the hill or drilling? 



This question created ([ulte an animated discussion. 

 Nearly all present, both members and visitors, were 

 of the opinion that drilling was preferable to plant- 

 ing In the hill, not only because more corn could be 

 raised In that way, but also because It would allow 

 working nearer to It, and it was not so liable to be 

 taken up by birds. 



James Smedley, a visitor, asked If It made any 

 ditlerence which way the corn rows were run — north 

 and south, or east and west? 



Alvan King had noticed on his way lo Lancaster 

 rows that had been taken strai:;hl np and ilowu a 

 hill in order to have them run lo north and south, 

 and the consequence was llie corn had lieen washed 

 out. The waier in time of rain had followed the 

 rows. Some others present hail seen the same cirect 

 when the rows were up and down hill. The general 

 opinion was tliat it wouhl be belter to run the rows 

 to suit the grade of the ground than to run to the 

 points of the compass. 



.Vtonlillion Brown asked how lima beans should be 

 planted anil cared for. 



The only answer to this question was to plant In 

 rows four feel apart, the hills about three feet apart 

 in the row, three beans In the hill. The poles should 

 be put up when the beans were planted. Work with 

 horse like corn. 



Jesse Yocum asked if any one present had been 

 troubled with the bean weevil. 



Quite a number had had their beans destroyed 

 with it. 



James Smedley said that his wife last fall had 

 heated a part of their beans, but not hot enough to 

 destroy the germ. The beans so treated had not 

 been disturbed. Those that had not been heated 

 were destroyed. 



Inspecting the Host's Premises. 

 After dinner the club made the usual inspection of 

 the farm and buildings, and auain convened in the 

 house, when some very complifnentary criticisms 

 were given in regard to their management. One 

 memlier remarked tnat the bachelors of the neigh- 

 borhood could show the neatest farms. (The boat 

 is a bachelor.) 



Papers Read. 

 An excellent article on "Agriculture" was read 

 by Emma King. Mabel A'. Haines gave a recitation. 

 Montilliou Brown read an orieinal essay on the 

 "Origin and Proi^ress of the Fulton Farmers' Club." 

 Twelve years ago a few farmers met in the parlor 

 of William Brown, in Fulton township, for the pur- 

 pose of forming a farmers' club, anil, although the 

 prospect looked rather gloomy, a few of the number 

 agreed to try the experiment. Since then the club 

 has kept up regular meetings, and during the whole 

 time there had never been manifested any desire for 

 leadership among its members, but perfect harmony 

 has prevailed throughout. There appeared to be a 

 kindly feeling existing between all the members, 

 uniting them together as a band of brothers and sis- 

 ters. During that time they had held one public 

 sale, amounting to nearly one thousand di>llars, and 

 two fairs or exhibilions of farm products, which 

 were Utile, if any, inferior to fairs held under the 

 auspices ©f the Agricultural Society of this or ad- 

 joining counties. 



Tile pic-nie held last summer at the Barren 

 Springs was quite an enjoyable atl'alr. 



In all these the public had lieen rnviled lo partici- 

 pate on perfect equality with club members, and the 

 proceeds of the fairs, after paying the expenses, had 

 been divided among the exiiibitors as premiums. He 

 paid a deserved tribute to the memory of William 

 Brown, the father of the club. 



How, lacking the advantages of a gooil education, 

 he often spent the hours that his neighbors were 

 sleeping over his old Pike's arithmetic and other 

 books, in order lo keep up with the times. In his 

 death the clul) had lost a valued member, and the 

 community at large a live and progressive man. 



(We are sorry ihat Ihe essay. st neglected to speak 

 of the virtues of his estimable wife, also deceased, 

 who was a help meet for him in the true sense of 

 the word.— Uep.) 



John Gregg, another member, had also been re- 

 moved by death, and of the original number, but two 

 were now members of the club, viz., William King 

 and himself. 



The question. Is it better for the farmer to pursue 

 a mixed husbandry or make a specialty of some one 

 of its branches? was next taken up and discussed at 

 some length, the majority being of the opinion that 

 it would be better to give particular attention to 

 some particular branch, as dairying, cattle feeding, 

 &.C., and if Ihfy lost money at limes trust to the 

 future to make it up, than to try a little of every- 

 thing. 



The May meeting will be held at the residence of 

 Montillion Brown, in Fulton township, first Saturday 

 in the month. 



