156 



THE LANCASTER FARMER- 



[October, 



society to sjet up such a fair. He is sure be is more 

 edified and he believes the community receive more 

 benefit from reading the reports of the proceedings 

 of this little society than they could possibly receive 

 from attending fairs, like that lately held here. 



The discussion was further continued by Messrs. 

 Brosius, C. L. Hunsecker, Levi S. Reist, James 

 Wood and Henry M. Engle, all of whom agreed that 

 the true sphere of the society was not to get up 

 fairs, but to meet for mutual improvement, and the 

 dissemination of useful knowledge among the farm- 

 ing community. 



Henry M. Engle read the following paper in 

 answer to the question " What is the best method of 

 curing grapes in the cluster for winter use ? " 



" The question should have been put : How can 

 we grow grapes that will keep ? The fact is, we can 

 keep no grapes satisfactorily that are not well 

 ripened, and even when grown to perfection, there 

 are only some varieties that possess good keeping 

 qualities. 



" At present there is no grape that will succeed 

 and mature better than Concord, but it is no good 

 keeper ; on the other hand, there has thus far no 

 grape been thoroughly tested that will keep better 

 than Catawba where it will grow to perfection, and 

 scarcely one of better quality. Any grape of good 

 keeping qualities may be kept until midwinter when 

 well matured by placing the bunches in shallow 

 boxes with fresh grape leaves between each layer, 

 and placing them in a cool room that is neither too 

 dry nor too moist. 



" The new method of bagging the bunches early 

 on the vine is an excellent one, as it prevents birds 

 from injuring them, and although they will not ma- 

 ture quite so early as when not bagged, they will be 

 in better condition for keeping. -;They may be 

 left on the vine later and an ordinary frost will not 

 affect them, and I have found no method to keep 

 them longer than by butting the bunch and hag 

 placing them in boxes as above, except without the 

 foilage. Even that would do no harm and might 

 keep them fresh longer." 



Mr. D. Kendig said he had kept grapes till after 

 the holidays by packing the clusters in kegs and 

 burying the keg in ground beneath the reach of frost, 

 in the same manner that apples are sometimes 

 buried. 



Mr. Linville said the best keeping grape is the old 

 Diana, a seedling from the Catawba. The Catawba 

 is also much better for keeping than the Concord. 

 His plan is to box them and set them in a cool place. 



Dr. Bollinger said that he had read that the Chi- 

 nese method of preserving grapes for winter use was 

 to cut a hole in the side of a pumpkin with a thin 

 rind, scoop out the seeds and place the clusters of 

 grapes inside setting them in a cool place. Thus pre- 

 pared, it is said they will keep till after mid-winter- 

 Other County Fairs. 



The secretary read a communication from the 

 Berks county agricultural society enclosing tickets 

 of admission to its annual fair being held this week, 

 and requesting the society to send representatives to 

 the fair. The invitation was accepted and the chair 

 appointed C. L. Hunsecker, Levi S. Reist and E. S. 

 Hoover as representatives. 



Messrs. M. D. Kendig, James wood and H. M. 

 Engle were appointed to represent the society at the 

 Tork county fair. 



Messrs. J. H. Landis, Wm. H. Brosius, and E. S. 

 Hoover, were appointed tol represent the society at 

 the Lebanon county fair. 



Considerable merriment was caused by reason of 

 these gentlemen asking to be excused, as they had 

 important legislative duties to attend to at Harris- 

 burg I Of course they were not excused. 

 A Sweet-Sour Apple. 



Levi S. Reist presented to the society an apple, 

 one-half of which was sour and the other half sweet. 

 The apple wag tasted by several members of tlie 

 society and a representative of the Intelligencer and 

 there was certainly a marked difference in the taste 

 of the two halves — the one being a dead sweet and 

 the other decidedly acid. Mr. Keist said he got the 



graft from which the apple was grown from Quaker- 

 town, Pa. 



James Wood presented for name a fine apple re- 

 sembling the Bellemont. 



Henry M. Engle presented several chestnuts from 

 a grafted chestnut growing on his premises. The 

 fruit is three or four times as large as the common 

 chestnut and of equally good flavor. 



Referred Questions. 



The question, " Are our farm houses properly 

 ventilated?" was referred to M. D. Kendig for 

 answer at next meeting. 



A resolution was adopted to pay first, second and 

 third premium of ?.5, ?4 and $3, respectively, for 

 three essays on " The best method of wintering 

 horned cattle." H. M. Engle, M. D. Kendig and 

 W. H. Brosius were announced as the essayists. 



Adjourned. 



THE FULTON FARMERS' CLUB. 



The Farmers' Club of Fulton township met at 

 the residence of Christopher C. Cauffman, on Satur- 

 day, October 6. The members were all present 

 together with a large number of visitors. 



The minutes of last meeting were read and ap- 

 proved. 



Robert Scott, a visitor, exhibiteH a plate of very 

 fine large pears for name, stating they were great 

 bearers and did not ripen until winter. They were 

 much admired by the club, but none were able to 

 give them a name at present. 



William King, on behalf of the committee ap- 

 pointed to attend the woods meeting of the Octoraro 

 Farmers' Club on the 15th of last month, reported 

 that they had a very pleasant time and that the 

 meeting was entertaining and instructive. 



Wm. King asked if there was any danger of get- 

 ting sorrel on our farm fiom using fertilizers having 

 acid in them. 



Josiah Brown said that he has been using S. C. 

 Rock for six or seven years and has no more sorrel 

 than when he started to use these fertilizers. 



Sol Gregg has been using fertilizers for ten years ; 

 has very little sorrel, but has seen land very full ot 

 sorrel, which was attributed to fertilizers. 



Lizzie Wood asked which wears out the stockings 

 — the boots or feet ? This question raised quite a 

 talk. The causes spoken of were varied and many, 

 such as boots too loose or too tight, carelessness, 

 wash board and uncleanliness. 



Josiah Brown wanted to know the cause of weeds 

 coming up where grass has not taken. 



D. Wood — Where there is no grass on the ground 

 the weeds have full chance to grow and develop, 

 where the grass gets the start and covers the ground 

 and is in full possession of the Held the weeds are 

 held in check. 



Rebecca King asked what is the best way to keep 

 apples in winter. 



Lindley King recommended keeping on shelves in 

 the cellar. 



Josiah Brown has kept apples on the garret floor 

 successfully ; good chance to look over them and 

 pick out the rotten ones. 



William King ; I think there is no better way than 

 keeping in barrels. There is no advantage with 

 shelves ; would keep them in a cool place ; better 

 not disturb them if they are not rotten too much. 

 He stated — which is a very singular fact — that 

 apples placed on shelves are exposed to all the air 

 possible, while the idea of packing in barrels is 

 directly opposite, the object being to exclude the 

 air, and by the experience just given, goes to show 

 that apples will keep by both of these ways. 



Sol Gregg said that he sees no difference in keep- 

 ing in boxes, barrels or shelves ; has trouble to keep 

 them any way. 



Montillion Brown asked if it will pay the mass of 

 farmers in general to buy the self-binding harvester. 



Lindley King thinks they will not pay on small 

 farms. 



Sol. Gregg ; Where harvest hands can be had at 

 $1.50 per day, it is cheaper than to buy a binder. 

 The first cost, the expenses of repairing, interest on 



money, the cost of twine, storage room, not adapted 

 to hilly farms— taking all these things in considera- 

 tion he is of the opinion that self-binding harvesters 

 are more expensive than the old way. 



Club then adjourned for dinner. After enjoying a 

 splendid repast, it being stormy, the usual after 

 dinner walk over the host's farm was limited to that 

 portion about the buildings. 



Afternoon Session. 



The minutes of the last meeting held here were 

 then read and the criticifms were all of a favorable 

 character. Some improvements was noticed since 

 the last meeting. The host's stock was favorably 

 spoken of. The house has been newly painted and a 

 substantial new fence erected around his barn-yard 



In place of an essay the host had read a selection 

 entitled " The New Agricultural Editor. 



Carrie Blackburn favored the club with a very 

 fine recitation , " Why Not Save Mother ?" 



Esther Haines read from the Practical Farmer, 

 " Education of Girls." 



Lizzie Wood read from the Lancaster Examiner 

 " Housekeeping." 

 Rebecca King, read " Spike That Gun." 

 Wm. King read " Mark Twain's Bad Little Boy." 

 The Old Woman, whom we had all thought had 

 not survived the last summer's cares and hardships 

 again favored us with a long communication describ- 

 ing what she and the old man saw in the Oxford 

 Agricultural Fair. She says this fair was gotten up 

 by some of the smartest men of Oxiord and some of 

 the best farmers in that section. She objected to the 

 small size of the cows they called Jerseys. She had 

 always heard Jersey was a poor place, and she ex- 

 pected they brought the best they had. She saw 

 where the boys and even the men were paying five 

 cents to throw balls at a monkey, tied to a stake. 

 She thought this was very cruel, but considering 

 this fair was gotten up by the smartest men of Ox- 

 ford for advancing agriculture — she said it was for 

 the best. She was astonished at the many novel 

 ways these smart men of Oxford had invented to 

 amuse the boys and interest them in farming, and 

 thought these smart men of Oxford deserve great 

 credit in doing so much for the rising generations of 

 farmers. 



Club then adjourned to meet at the residence of 

 Day Wood, November 3, 1883. 



THE LINN.ffi;AN SOCIETY. 



The Linnaean Society met on Saturday afternoon, 

 September 29, 1883, at 2% o'clock, in the Museum 

 room, after a recess of three months, the President, 

 J. P. Wickersham, in chair. Dues collected and 

 minutes of previous meeting read and approved. 

 Donations to the Library. 



Proceedings ol the Academy of Natural Sciences, 

 Part 1 from January to May, 1883. 



Official Gazetie of the United States Patent Office, 

 completion of Vol. 23 and 13 numbers Vol. 24. 



Isothermal lines of the United States, No. 2, from 

 1871 to 1880 quarto with 12 maps, United States 

 Signal Bureau. 



Lancaster Farmer for July, August and Sep- 

 tember, 1883. 



Prospectus, title page and contents of " Mines, 

 Miners and Mining Interests of the United States." 



Inaugural address of Chas. D. Thompson, de- 

 livered before the Rose Polytechnic Institute, March 

 7, 1883. 



Circular of Information from the Bureau of Edu- 

 cation, United States, No. 2, 1883. 



Lippencott's classified catalogue of publications. 



Lippencott's bulletins for August and September, 

 1883. 



Sundry hook circulars and minor catalogues. 



Four newspapers of historical value, namely : 

 The New York San of September 3, 1883, and fac 

 simile of its first issue, September 3, 1833. The 

 Baltimore American of August 20, 1883, its 110th 

 birthday, and a historical sketch of the paper and 

 the city. Also No. 1, of a new paper (initial num- 

 ber) called The Father Columbia's Paper. 



