1883. J 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



11 



Our Local Organizations. 



LANCASTERCOUNTY AGRICULTURAL 

 AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

 The regular monthly meeting of the Lancaster 

 County Asriculturnl anil Horticultural Society was 

 hcltl in their room Monthly al'teruoon, .January Sth, 

 with the following persons present : M. D. Kenilig, 

 Creswell ; Casper Illller, Conestoga ; Johnson Mil- 

 ler, Lititz ; J. C. Linville, (iap ; H. M. Engle, Ma- 

 rietta ; J. H. Lanilis, Millersville ; F. R. UifTeu- 

 dcrflfer, city ; C ilvin Cooper, Bird-in Hand ; W. VV. 

 Griest.city ; C. A. Gast, city; A. H. Linville, Ur- 

 bana, Ohio ; .lames Wood, Little Britain; Cyrus 

 NofT, Mountvilic ; C. L. Hunsecker, Manheirn ; .T. M. 

 Johnston, city; .Jacob Landis, Millersville; Peter 

 Hershey, city ; Wash. L. Herslicy, Chicl<ies. 



In the absence of the president, the meeting was 

 called to order by Henry M. Engle, vice presiilent. 



On motion llie reading of the minutes of the pre- 

 ceding meeting was dispensed witii. 



The sacretary read a letter from Mr. John I. Car- 

 ter, of Chatham, Pa., accepting an invitation to de- 

 liver an address before the Society on the subject of 

 " Creameries," at the February meeting. 



On motion the committee was contiued in order to 

 make the necessary arrangements with Mr. Carter. 

 Corn and Its Cultivation. 

 Casper Hiiler exhibited several ears of corn, and 

 in explanation read the following essay : 



I show here a few ears of corn, a variety that was 

 said to have originated in Hucsia, for whicii extreme 

 earliuess and great prodnctiveness were claimed. It 

 was afterwards said tliat the "fellar" that sold the 

 corn at 3.5 cents an ounce was a brother to the tree 

 agent, that he was a sharper, that he sold to us 

 Penusvlvania Dutch the product of our own fields at 

 a slisiit advance in price. Be'that as it may, the 

 corn is not noted for especial earliness, and I think 

 will not excel some or our choice varieties in produc- 

 tiveness; but it is nevertheless a nice corn, and l)e- 

 sides I do not recognize a Penp.sylvania variety in it. 

 But my object in writing is not the merits or demer- 

 its of this variety. 



I want to say something, briefiv, about tKe mode 

 of planting and cultivating this plot of ground. It 

 contained one fourth acre, and as the seed was 

 scarce, the drills were made four feet apart, and the 

 seeds were dropped singly also four feet apart. 

 The plot was cultiv.alcd (level eullure) at frequent 

 intervals until the corn was in tassel. 



Kesult — about lifty bushels to the acre. Fifty 

 bushels is not much of a crop, but wlien we contrast 

 this crop, raised on less than .3,000 stalks per acre, 

 with the crop usually raised on 10,000 stalks per 

 acre in our ordinary farming, it is somewiiat re- 

 markable. 



It, tiecomes very evident that the small numhir of 

 plants mentioned prodiU'e nearly as many bushels 

 pgr aere as the larger number; that there is a right 

 mean somewhere lietwcen, to produce best results. 

 From my own observation [ am led to think that if 

 the plants Viad been set two feet apart in the drills 

 (twice the number of plants) the average result per 

 plant would have baeu but little changed. 



A vole of thanks was tendered Mr. Hiiler for his 

 essay. 



The Secretary read an arlicie from the Kural Xcw 

 Torker, oh "Some Unpalatable Truths," written by 

 Charles A Green. The article took the ground that 

 most farmers pay too much attention to the cultiva- 

 tion of tlieir pocket books, neglecting at the same 

 time the acquisition of knowledge. 



Choosing an Occupation, 

 Mr. C. L. Hunsecker read the following paper : 

 It is but seldom that men are so well acquainted 

 with themselves, or disposed to judge impartially 

 concerning their own qualitications, as to choose 

 that station in which they may appear to the most 

 advantage. 



If we but knew at an early age what our capaci- 

 ties were, and inclinations for business, suitable to 

 our statiiui in life, there would he fewer lamentable 

 failures to chronicle. 



In a country like ours, the various pursuits in 

 which men ai-e engaged, open up occupations for 

 all classes and conditions. Thus the most stupiil 

 person may liiid employment suited to his capacity. 

 Parents, if observant, would have great opportuni- 

 ties to see what inclination their sons exliibit at an 

 early age, and encourage them in an occupation for 

 which tiiey show a partiality. 



It is right that parents should take very great 

 interest in their sons, and should like to see them 

 succeed in whatever they undertake to do. But as 



few are born great, a few become great, and many 

 more fail entirely, and and are unknown to fame, 

 tlie next best tiling for parents to do is not to try to 

 make a Webster of a jiliysieally and mentally weak 

 son, but let him choose an occupation for wliich he 

 is lltteil by nature, iiabits and education. 



Pennsylvania Dutch. 



Mr Hunsecker read the following pertinent an 

 swer to an article which appeared in the Bulfalo 

 Conrif}' : 



I have had my attention called to an article from 

 the BulValo Cnuricr entitled the "Pennsylvania 

 Dutch." This term Pennsylvania Diiteh is a mis 

 nonier. Very few of the .■!(IO,(IOO people in central 

 Pennsylvania who are stignatized as " Dulcb " trace 

 their ancestry to Holland, but to Switzerland and 

 Germany, and are more properly Pennsylvania Ger- 

 mans. 



It is, no doubt, news to the inhabitants of Lancas- 

 ter, Viirk, Berks, Lebanon, Leiiigh, Bucks and Dan. 

 pliin counties to be told that they live in the very 

 heart of its oldest and highest civilization, and yet 

 are almost entire strangers to the English language. 

 Four-fil'ths of the people, this profound observer 

 alleges enlirely ignore tlie English language among 

 themselves, and further that in many communities 

 the English speaking traveler will scarcely llnd any 

 one to whom lie can make himself understood, cer- 

 tainly no woman. Poor benighted travelers can't 

 find even a woman to talk witli. This is really too 

 bad. But hear him out. These people are what 

 are known as Pennsylvania Dutch. They have no 

 written language, their speech being simply a dia- 

 lect. Wonderful discovery. 



A great number of the people, he says, are bitterly 

 opposed to their children learning to speak English 

 and if allowed to go to school at all, it is to a private 

 one, with a Dutch teacher. Any one who knows 

 anything of the Pennsylvania school system, must 

 brand tliese assertions us absurd. 



Again, he says an English traveler — we take the 

 writer to be, for no German speaking person would 

 make the remark — will find that he is looked upon 

 with half suspicious curiosity as an interloper from a 

 foreign country. 



Tills is not the case. The hospitality of this Penn- 

 sylvania German is well kno\vn and appreciated. 

 The only persons who come amongst them that are 

 treated with suspicion and contempt are bummers, 

 egotists and fault linilers. 



The article from the Courier closes as follows : 

 "The native Hollander be he either of high or low 

 Dutch origin, can no more understand the people 

 here than can the ordinary American. As a rule, 

 they are not an agreeable people to mingle with, 

 either in business dealings, or in social intercourse. 

 Ignorance, selfisliness and greed are tlieir governing 

 trails." Not a very complimentary picture. Avery 

 unfair criticism of a class of people who are noted for 

 their industry and worth as citizens of the great 

 State of Pennsylvania. 



A vote of thanks w.is extended to Mr. Hunsecker 

 for his essays. 



Mr. Cooper said he was gad that a sharp answer 

 had beeu given to the writer of the article, liecause 

 he was of the impression that it did great injustice 

 to our farmers 



The Subject of Cattle Powders. 



Mr. Engle, to whom had been referred the ques- 

 tion — "Is it advisable to use constantly the so-called 

 cattle posvders?" answered by saying he was a firm 

 believer in the use of powder for cattle. There were 

 some made by our home grist and Hour mills, which 

 he had used constantly with very good results. 

 Questions Continued. 



Mr. Miller, to whom had been referred the ques- 

 tion, "What crop would be most profitable to sub- 

 stitute for oats on corn stuble ? replied that he was 

 not prepared to answer it at present, and asked that 

 the question be continued until next meeting. O" 

 motion his request was granted. 



Mr. Miller red a circular from the United States 

 Board of Agriculture, stating that a convention 

 would be held in Washington on the 2:M inst., and 

 asking tlial this society send representatives to the 

 eonvcution. 



Mr. Ditfendeiffer moved th.at delegates be sent 

 from this eoeiety. Carried. .lohnson .Miller, M. D. 

 Kendig and J. C. Linville were named as the com- 

 mittee. 



Election of Officers. 



The following persons were unanimously elected 

 .ofllcers to serve the society during the ensuing year. 

 President — Henry (i. Ksuh,of New Danville. 

 Vice Presidents — Jacob B. Garber, Columbia!; 

 Henry M, Engle, Marietta. 



Recording Secretary— J. C. Linville, Gap. 



Corresponding Secretary — Calvin Cooper, Bird-ln- 

 Hand. 



Treasurer — M. D. Kendig, Creswell. 



Managers — W. II. Brosius, Drumore; Calvin 

 Cooper, Bird-in-fland ; E. H. Weaver, East Lam- 

 peter; Casper Hiiler, Concstoga; Cyrus Neff, Manor. 



On motion, Mr. H. M. Engle, of Marietta, was 

 elected to represent the society in the State Board of 

 Agriculture, for the three years next ensuing. 



Mr. I'^ngle presented a numberof reports, (juarterly 

 and annual, of agricultural societies. 



On motion, the following persons were elected 

 delegates to the next meeting of the State Horticul- 

 tural Society, which meets in Harrisburg on the 

 ISth insl.: Messrs. Linville, DiffenderlTer and Woods. 



Mr. Kendig, treasurer, presented his annual 

 report, showing the receipts to have been $'J12.31, 

 and expenditures SIT. 2.5, leaving a balance in his 

 handsof ?l!t.5.06. 



Messrs. Cooper and Miller were appointed an aud- 

 iting committee, and reported that they found the 

 accounts '"orrect. 



Adjourned. 



THE FULTON p-AEMERS' CLUB. 



The Fanners' Club, of Fulton township, met on 

 Saturday, January fi, at the residence of Grace A. 

 King. 



Montillion Brown exhibited a sample of White 

 Russian oats, raised by himself last season, and also 

 a sample of common white oats he raised in 1881. 

 The two were shown together, in order that their 

 quality might be compared. The common oats was 

 much the better of the two, and shows that the high- 

 priced Russian has been a failure. 



Questions and Answers. 



M. Brown said he had been requested to ask for a 

 remedy for a failure to get butter from cream by 

 churning. A neighbor had failed twice when he 

 ought to have had ten pounds each time. After 

 failing once he was advised to put vinegar In the 

 cream, and he did so at the next churning and oh. 

 tained butter, but at the second trial the vinegar 

 remedy failed, and now he appeals to the club for 

 help. In the discussion on the suliject it was stated 

 that this is a trouble that often occurs when the 

 milk and cream are kept in too cool a place. One 

 remedy pro])oscd was to get a fresh cow, and anoth- 

 er was to heat the fresh milk before setting It for the 

 cream to rise to about 1.50O. It was also proposed to 

 heat the cream to 70° before commencing to churn. 



J. R. Blackburn wished to know if the wnste 

 water from a pump was conducted in a covered drain 

 to a sink from 10 to 1 ' feet deep, would it be a satis- 

 factory arrangement / Day Wood said he had two 

 sinks at his house, one of which had been in use 

 longer than he could mind, and the other several 

 years, and both had given entire satisfaction. The 

 waste water was conducted to them by means of 

 drains made of slates for the tops and bottoms and 

 bricks for the sides. Some instances were cited 

 when; waste water was conducted Into old wells 

 whicli made very good sinks. 



Gilpin Reynolds asked which is it better to feed 

 fattening cattle with meal two or three limes a day. 

 .M. Brown said he h.ad never made any tests to try 

 the matter but had always fed his three times each 

 day, supposing that to bethejbetter way.' Day Wood 

 feeds his cattle meal only morning and evening but 

 divides a feed into two parts giving half at first and 

 when this is eaten up clean, he gives them the bal- 

 ance . 



.Josiah Brown feeds meal only twice a day, but 

 givesthe cattle hayoftcncr. Lindley King feeds three 

 times giving about half the quantity at noon as at 

 morning or evening. J. R. Blackburn and Jos. P. 

 Griest feed three times, and the same amount each 

 time, but feed no more in a day than those who feed 

 only twice, believing th.it it is better not to give so 

 much at once. 



Emma King read an essay on " Intemperance hi 

 Orinking, Eating and Talking," which was well re- 



