1882.] 



'.THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



J 23 



H. M. Engle said the borer and the yellows are 

 the two enemies we have to contead with In pcacli 

 culture. We can head off the borer, but know of no 

 reroed)' for the yellows. Have your tree clear of 

 borers when you plant it; then put shmethlng around 

 the stalk to keep off the insect that lays the borer 

 eg?, and thus prevent the embryo eirsj from reaching 

 the roots, and your trees are safe. Tlie danger is not 

 so great when the tree is some years old. 



J. C. LInville said bagging grapes was not so much 

 of a job as some thought. One man can bag 500 

 buuihes in a day. A hole must be made at the bot- 

 tom of the bag to let out any water that may chance 

 to get in. Bees, birds and bugs are all headed olfin 

 this way. Grapes can be left on the viues much 

 longer in the fall. 



Joseph F. Witmer reported for Paradise that corn 

 is doing well, but is very uneven. He has always 

 advocated late planting. This year his farmer 

 planted part of a field of corn on April 28 and an- 

 other on May 3, and it is to-day the best field of corn 

 he knows of. Tobacco has improved very much, 

 and will be a fair crop, with favorable weather. 

 Wheat Crop of 1882. 



S.P Eby, Esq., read the following: 



A few years ago the question was frequently asked 

 this society: What was the probable cause of our 

 poor and imperfect wheat crops. 



Numerous reasons were assigned and remedies 

 suggested, such as, we needed new seed; that wheat 

 should be cultivated in rows, like corn, to strengthen 

 the straw and prevent lodging. The most generally 

 received opinion, however, seemed to be that some- 

 thing was wanting in our soil; that wheat had been 

 grown for so long a time that the essential element 

 for its production were exhausted, and that acheinl 

 cal analysis of the soil should be made, the want as- 

 certained and the deficiencies supplied by proper 

 fertilizers; or, that we must turn our attention to 

 the raising of other products, and leave the new 

 lands of the West to supply our markets with wheat. 



This year has shown that our soil is still capable 

 of producing as fine and perfect a crop of wheat as 

 ever was harvested in the county, and all previous 

 doubts on th»t point ought to be forever set at rest, 

 and henceforth we must look in another direction 

 for a solution of the question of imperfect wheat 

 crops in this county. 



The present season we were favored with weather 

 such as had not been given us during the several 

 previous years when the wheat crops were partial 

 failures; namely, a cool and moist spring, thus re 

 affirming the correctness of the old saying: 

 "A wet April and cool May 

 Bring nuicli grain and make much hay." 



How, then, can we secure cool and moist Springs, 

 such as we had during the present season? This 

 question is easily enough answered, but difficult of 

 realization. The difficulty lies in the fact that it will 

 again require extensive co operation and an outlay 

 for which there is no immediate return. The remedy 

 is no other than the partial restoration of our origi- 

 nal forests. We must plant trees to secure to the 

 county more frequent rainfalls, betier retention of 

 moisture, and, as a consequence, a more even and a 

 lower temperature during the spring months. 



H. M. Engle thought the essay had several good 

 qualities — it was short, to the point, and full of good 

 sense. It shows that in good seasons we have all 

 grown good crops. But the good farmer is shown in 

 raising good crops when his neighbors have poor 

 ones. How can this be done ? There are some good 

 crops every year. Why are not all so? This is the 

 fact that stares us in the face, for fact it is. The 

 subject is one of much importance and ought to be 

 thoroughly discussed. He had some doubts ifall the 

 hopes of the forest culture advocates would be re 

 alized, if their plans were carried out. It is very 

 sure we should all plant trees. If we do not need 

 them coming generations will. We cannot always 

 look to tobacco to make our money out of. Much 

 money has been realized in the West from forest eel 

 ture, and perhaps some could be. made here in the 

 same way. 



How Should Manure be Applied. 



M. D. Kcndig said this question was hard to 

 answer. Some crops do lictter when manure Is ap- 

 plied in one, and some when applied In another way. 

 It should be kept near the surface. It does hot mat- 

 what kind of manure it is, so that It don't get down 

 too deep. 



J. C. LinvlUe also believed in applying manure to 

 the surface; a smaller amount will go further. It 

 acts both as a mulch and a manure. In a few cases 

 I>erhap6, it Is better to plow down ionsr manure, but 

 the substance of the niiinuro should be near the roots 

 of the crop where it is most needed. Grass always 

 docs better on|ground where the manure Is applied on 

 the top. Fruits also do better when manured in this 

 way. 



Mr. Eby believed when manure was applied to the 

 surface it ouhgt to be worked in as cpiickly as pos- 

 sitile. If left untouched the ammonia evaporates 

 and there is a loss. If placed under trees, the root- 

 lets seek it near the surface and damage may re- 

 sult. 



H. M. Engle said general sentament is in favor of 

 surface manuring, but he believes in working the 

 manureunder. Unless this is done there is a loss. 

 Soil is a good absorbent and will take up all the 

 essentials in the manure. We ought to use the powl 

 less and the cultivator more. 



Calvin Cooper said a ueighbo.ing farmer applied 

 the manure to the surface of bis fields and has bet 

 ter crops than any man in the township. But heap- 

 plies only well-rotted manure — never long straw. He 

 has got, as it were, one year ahead with bis manure 

 pile, and therefore it is always rotted. 



H. M. Engle said there was no necessity to keep 

 manure over a year. If the manure pile is turned 

 over two or three times in a season it will become 

 thoroughly decomposed and as fine as need be. 



J. Frank Landis gave his assent to this theory 

 and related his experience, which confirmed its bene 

 fit. 



New Business. 



H. M. Engle alluded to the lack of interest in our 

 meetings. He thought we aught to make an effort 

 to overcome this. Lectures he believed would do it. 

 We should have some well known man lecture at 

 least quarterly. He made a motion that the secre- 

 tary be instructed to procure some one. 



Calvin Cooper thought we ought to procure a 

 large room and advertise the lectures, so that a full 

 attendance could be secured. 



The motion was adopted and the name of Thomas 

 J. Edge, Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, 

 was mentioned in connection therewith. 



C. L. Hunsecker believed the meetings of the 

 society were held in too obscure a place. So long as 

 we continue to meet here our audience will be small. 

 He gave three members an overhauling who came to 

 town and neelected to attend the meetings. The 

 keeping up of the society was left to half a dozen 

 active members. 



A good deal was said about the propriety of pro- 

 curing a more accessible room. 



Miscellaneous Business. 



W. B. Paxson was named as the essayist for the 

 next meeting. 



The following subjects for discussion at the next 

 meeting were named: 



What is the cause of "streaks" in butter? Re- 

 ferred to J. Frank Landis 



Will it not pay the farmer to cut his corn fodder 

 before feeding it to his cattle? Referred to Peter 

 Hershey. 



Is It best to sow timothy seed before or after the 

 drill ? Referred to Levi S. Rcist. 



What is the best method of preparing and seeding 

 corn ground with wheal? Referred to Joseph F. 

 Witmer. 



Ought early potatoes, that are intended for winter 

 use, be taken up when mature, or should they be 

 left in the ground until cold weather ? Referred to 

 H. M. Engle. 



The President appointed Messrs. Cooper and 



Kcndig to reijort on some seedling apples, sent In 

 by Mr. J. B. LIchty, of Lancaster. They reported 

 the apple of good size and pleasant flavor, but re 

 commended that on account of Its toughness and the 

 prevalence of better sorts, It he not recommended for 

 general Introduction. 



There being no further business, on motion the 

 society adjourned. 



^^- 



POULTRY ASSOCIATION. 



The r«gular monthly meeting of the Poultry As- 

 sociation was held .Monday morning, Augusts, 1882. 

 The following members were present: Isaac H. 

 Brooks, Marticvllle, and J. B. LIchty, Charles Lip- 

 pold, W. W. (Jrcist, John A. Schum, Charles E. 

 Long, F. H. Diflcnderlfer and W. A. Schoenberger, 

 all from the city. 



The minutes »f last meeting were read and ap- 

 proved 



On motion of .Mr. Trissler, Mr. Milton Evans, of 

 this city, was proposed and elected to membership. 



F. K. Diirenderll'er read the following letter, re- 

 ceived from a correspondent: 



Prevention of Gapes. 



I perfectly agree with the assertion In the article 

 Gapes in Chickens, that "it is not a remedy we want 

 so much as a preventive," hence I give you my ex- 

 perience in the matter. Ever since I commenced 

 raiting poultry in 187S, I have been troubled with 

 gapes. A few years ago Mrs. B. gave me a hint on 

 the subject, but I never gave it a fair trial until the 

 past spring. On all other occasions I lost so many 

 young chickens that I concluded last spring to see 

 how well I could succeed in preventine the gapes 

 and how many of my young chicks I could raise. 



Early in March I gave 39 eggs to three h;ns and 

 from these eggs got 31 young ehicks, all of them 

 out a few days before the last of March. On the 

 first of April one of them was overcome by cold and 

 from the effects of this died a few days after. An- 

 other was hurt by one of the mother hens and also 

 died about the same time. The balance — being 32 

 out of 34 — are still living and are doing well. I have 

 had no gapes and no sickness among them of any 

 kind whatever. If I live I expect to try the same 

 pan next year, and I have full confidence in the 

 success of the experiment. 



iMy recipe is "keep the young chicks off from the 

 ground." I have the hens and young chicks in boxes 

 facing the south, with all the openings for sun-light 

 and air on that side possible, and then an outside pen 

 for the young chicks, with board floor, and the 

 sides and top of ordinary plastcrinir laths, so as also 

 to let in |)lenty of sunlight and air. I tried to be 

 governed by three rules : 



1. Give them plenty of sunlight and fresh air. 



2. Good food and plenty of it— cracked corn, dry, 

 and wheat screenings and grass. 



3. Cleanliness. I clean the pens and boxes often 

 and eive them air slaked lime, coal ashes, etc. 



Perhaps some of you can give us a better plan, but 

 until then I expect to pursue the course so success- 

 ful during the past spring. I cive you this state 

 ment, because it may be of interest to you to know 

 how others do, and with what f uccess they meet, 

 and because you may be able to use the facts some 

 time. 



I must add that I keep my chicks in their boxes 

 and pens until they were two months old, and then 

 in a small yard by themselves until to day (July 8), 

 when, for the first time, I turned them out to run 

 with the other chickens. 



The Secretary read a number of letters from poul- 

 try fanciers in dilfcrent parts of the country, offering 

 special premiums on ccrtani classes of birds entered 

 at the next exhibition. Some of these are quite valu- 

 able and will no doubt ottract exhibitors. 



The secretary also stated that he had met with 

 good success so far in procuring adveriisemeuts for 

 the new catalogue. 



Mr. Schum stated that he was more succeisful in 

 raising pigeons than ever before. He sent at least 

 150 pairs to New York, Washington aad other cities. 



