172 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[November, 



Several rains early In the season, a few weeks 

 apart, washed the ground so badly that it could not 

 again be put in good condition. ' The yield was about 

 forty bushels per acre. This plot was a clover sod, 

 and had about four hundred weight of South Caro- 

 lina roclc per acre plowed in — was in fair condition 

 to make about seventy bushels per acre. 



Plot No. 2 is nearly level and contains one acre. 

 Variety, White Dent, of which I show a specimen. 

 This plot was potato ground the previous season; got 

 a dressing of GOO pounds of South Caruiiua rock in 

 the spring and was planted with seed that was hung 

 up by the husks last fall ; came up fairly — had a set 

 of one plant to about every two feet — rows 3'^ feet 

 apart. 



This was to make no less than 100 bushels to the 

 acre. But about August unfavorable conditions 

 were manifest. The stalks became too tall, tassels 

 made their appearance and most of the stalks 

 showed no signs of ears. But the ears finally made 

 their appearance, and under the circumstances made 

 a respectable crop of 150 bushels of ears. 



Plot No. .^, one-fourth acre, variety, Blount's Pro 

 liflc, yielded 44 ba.skets, which will shell at the rate 

 of 100 bushels to the acre. This was also a potato 

 patch the previous season. This plot was planted 

 May 9, had 100 pounds of bone and ashes scattered 

 in the row, and on June 9 had another 100 pounds of 

 the bone and ashes applied along the rows. This 

 was planted very thickly two or three grains to 

 every IS or 20 inches, but was afterwards thinned to 

 one plant. 



Plot No. 4, one-fourth acre, variety, Mammoth 

 Chester, yielded i'> baskets — nearly 100 bushels per 

 acre. This plot would have made over 100 bushels 

 per acre, but had the outside rows interfered with by 

 nursery rows of trees and also suflered some loss by 

 replanting. This wai a clover sod, and had a good 

 dressing of stable manure plowed down. Good seed, 

 good soil with plenty of manure, and good culture 

 rarely fail in making a good crop of corn. 



But we have not yet learned all about corn. Can 

 we learn why one plant bears an ear that nearly 

 makes a quart of corn while the next neighbor bears 

 a nubbin, or is a robust looking plantjwithout a sign 

 of ear? Can the seed be improved by cutting out all 

 defective plants before they scatter their pollen 

 broadcast over the field? If we can develop a thor 

 oughbred seed, that will produce no barren stalks, 

 we can increase the possibilities of our cornfields 

 vastly. Thousands of acres of land in this country 

 are adapted to the production of one hundred bushels 

 and over. Good corn land must not be so level as to 

 retain surface water, uoi- so hilly as to wash off the 

 soil. 



Let me repeat, good seed, plenty of fertilizers and 

 good culture are the requisites of a good crop of 

 corn. 



Plbt No. '6 has been in my time an abandoned com- 

 mon, too poor to produce a crop of any kind. 



M. D. Keudig thought the way to get a sure stand 

 of corn was to plant more seed than are needed and 

 then thin out to about two stalks in the hill. 



Levi S. Reist spoke of a disease attached to the 

 roots of corn, causing the stalk to turn yellow. 



Casper Miller pronounced it an aphid — a root 

 louse which frequently does much damage. It is 

 said if the seed is soaked in copperas water, the in- 

 sect will be headed off. 



J. C. Linville heard it said salt was a remedy. 

 Phosphates are also said to be a remedy. The in- 

 sect shows its work first when corn is about three 

 weeks old. It is one of the greatest pests of the 

 corn growers. This aphid or louse is greenish or 

 light colored. 



Ventilation of Houses. 

 M. D. Kendig said while special ventilation is use- 

 ful, he did not believe that farm houses required 

 much attention in that direction. There is plenty of 

 good air all around farm houses. If you want cool 

 or fresh air open a window a little and you have it 

 on the inside also. 



S. P. Eby remarked upon the indill'erence and 

 neglect of many farmers in providing proper ventil- 



ation for their houses. The old-fashioned fireside 

 was the best of all ventilators, hut these are now 

 disappearing rapidly. Open stairways to the garret 

 are also useful. A majority of farmers do not ap 

 predate the advantages of proper ventilation. 

 Nothing keeps a room so sweet as pure sunlight; let 

 it come in during the day and at sundown close the 

 doors and windows again. The atmosphere in every 

 room where men live becomes impure and needs to 

 be carefully attended to. 



Dr. Bollinger said this subject was a big one and 

 required a volume lor its treatment. Costly Experi- 

 ments have been tried, but we don't progress very 

 rapidly. We need ventilation more now than they 

 did a hundred years ago. Paper on walls is a re- 

 tainer of disease. Carpets also foster sickness. 



J. C. Linville said the trouble now is that farmers 

 try to make their nouses as nearly air tight as possi- 

 ble. This keeps out the cold but it keeps out fresh 

 air also. There ought to be some means to remedy 

 this. The storage of fruits and vegetables in cellars 

 also increases the trouble. These things should be 

 kept in the barn cellar. 



M. D. Keudig made inquiry as to a peculiar grass 

 or weed that is crowding out the natuial grasses on 

 his lawn. It appears wherever the grass is mown ; 

 where not mown, none of it appears. He wanted to 

 know what it is and how he can get rid of it. It is 

 about three inches high and the top separates into 

 three or four distinct heads. 



H. M. Engle reported the rainfall in Conoy town- 

 ship for October to have been 4J^ inches. 

 Fruits on Exhibition.. 



Henry M. Engle had on exhibition four varieties 

 of pears, the KieflTer, Vicar, Urbaniste and Law- 

 rence ; and ten varieties of apples, Rambo, Ewalt, 

 Pittsburg Pippin, Rhode Island Greening, Saylor, 

 Hubbard's Nonesuch, Baldwin, Russell, Northern' 

 Spy, and a very fine specimen for name. All the 

 above were of excellent quality. 



The Examining Committee recommended that the 

 apple submitted for a name by Mr. Engle be called 

 after that gentleman, in case he was the originator 

 of the variety. 



Casper Hiller had on exhibition a Krauser apple, 

 which he described the only one out of SO or 40 

 varieties that is of any value this year. It was of 

 fine quality. He also showed a LeConte pear, said 

 to be very hardy and productive. Also a Kieffcr 

 pear, worthy of planting, because of its early bear- 

 ing, productiveness, size, beauty, quality for cooking 

 and preserving. Its eating qualities do not compare 

 favorably with the Seckel and Bartlett — might be 

 called medium quality. 



Mr. Hiller also had present specimens of the corn 

 described in his essays. The ears were large and 

 the grains also. On motion, the Society adjourned. 



POULTRY ASSOCIATION. 



The regular meeting of the Poultry Society was 

 held at half past 10 o'clock Monday morning Nov .5, 

 eleven members being present. 



In the absence of the president the meeting was 

 called to order by Mr. H. A. Schroyer, who was 

 elected president pro tem. 



On motion, the reading of the minutes of last 

 meeting was dispensed with. 



Mr. J. B. Long, who had been authorized to cor- 

 respond with persons with referenoe to securing 

 judges for the coming exhibition, reported that he 

 had received answers from a number of persons, and 

 after considering the terms offered, the committee 

 had engaged Mr, George O. Brown, of Baltimore, 

 Md. On motion the action of the eommittee in 

 securing Mr Brown for judge on poultry was ap- 

 proved. 



On motion Mr. Charles Becker, of Baltimore, was 

 engaged as judge on pigeons. 



On motion Mr. Brown was also selected as judge 

 on incul)ator6, in conjunction with two other persons 

 to be appointed during the show by the Board of 

 Directors. 



The premium list lor the coming show was read 

 and adopted by the society. Adjourned. 



FULTON FARMERS' CLUB. 



The club held its meeting for November at the 

 residence of Day Wood, in Fulton township. 



The members were all represented by some mem- 

 ber of their families, except Joseph R. Blackburn. 



Visitors: Isaac Bradley, A. K. Bradley, Wm. 

 Shoemaker and Neal Hambleton. 



The President, J. R. Blackburn, being absent, E. 

 H. Haines was chosen President pro tem. 



Very fine corn was exhibited by Josiah Brown, 

 Day Wood, Neal Hamilton and Joel King. Emeline 

 Cauffman exhibited cauliflower; Lizzie Wood, Fal- 

 lowater and another variety of apple for name ; Day 

 Wood an old water can that has been in use for 

 about fifty years, without any repair than ca oat of 

 paint. 



-Mrs. E. Cauffman asked how cauliflower should be 

 prepared for use. 



Sallie Hambleton; Cut off the main stem, boil till 

 tender, and dress with cream and butter — or cook 

 till tender and dress as other pickles. It makes nice 

 chow-chow. 



The Corn Crop. 



Wm. King : Would it be better to sell corn in the 

 ear at the present price, 36 cents for 72 pounds, or 

 allow it to dry and lake .50 cents per bushel for it 

 after it is shelled. 



The club was of the opinion that if it was not for 

 the hauling it was better to sell now. But the haul- 

 ing would be a heavy item. 



E.H.Haines thought that the shrinkage in corn 

 was not so much in weight as in bulk. 



Montillion Brown: How is the corn crop this year, 

 compared with other years? 



Isaac Bradley said that it was filling up the cribs. 



Lindley Jackson: Better than common. 



Day Wood: Good average crop. 



Amos K.Bradley: Corn too thick, but a good crop. 



Neal Hambleton: His crop was damaged by flood 

 but was the best he had ever raised. 



Joel King's was better than ordinary. 

 • Wm. Shoemaker's was too thick, but good. 



Wm. King said his corn was too thin on the ground 

 but was the best he had ever raised. 



Josiah Brown had the best crop that he had ever 

 raised. Off eighteen acres he had eighty two loads, 

 which would shell out twenty bushels per load. 



E. H. Haines had the best crop that he had ever 

 raised, and thought that the corn crop in his section 

 was above the average. 



Other Questions Discussed. 



Neal Hamilton asked if there was any difference 

 in the feeding value of white and yellow corn ? 



Montillion Brown : Scientific men say there is not 

 much difference. 



S. L. Gregg could see no reason for any difference. 



Sallie Hamilton asked for the best way to prepare 

 hen feathers for use ? 



Emeline Caiiffman : Steam over a pot of boiling 

 water and bake. New feathers should be baked. 



Melissa Gregg : Put in tight bags and bake. Keep 

 in bags till wanted. 



E. K. Haines : Boil and spread out. Whip them 

 up occasionally when drying. 



R. D. King; Pour boiling water over them, then 

 run them through a clothes wringer. Stir them ud, 

 occasionally while drying. Dry with heat, but don't 

 bake. 



S. L. Gregg: Which is best, a large or smal 

 roller ? 



Amos K. Bradley : A large one will run more 

 easily than a small one. 



Neal Hamilton : A small one will break up clods 

 better, but a large one will run more easily. 



Joel King uses a small roller. 



Wm. Shoemaker : A small roller will pulverize 

 better than a large one. 



M. Brown : A heavy roller, about fourteen inches 

 in diameter, will do the best work. 



Isaac Bradley : If we had to pull it we would pre- 

 fer a large one. A small one will do better work, 

 but enough to make up for the draught. 



