188 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[December, 



inaDoer in which he had referred to the newspaper 

 reports of the proceedings ; but gave it as his opin- 

 ion that tlie newspapers were tlie cause of the meagre 

 attendance at the meetings. The local papers print 

 not only the proceedings of the meetings, including 

 the essays and papers read, but tlrey reprint valua- 

 ble articles clipped from other papers on agriculture, 

 horticulture, stock raising and other matters of in 

 terest to the farmers. Every farmer takes one or 

 more papers and when they can get in the papers 

 the information they seek, they will not leave their 

 hemes and lo,se a day every month to attend the 

 meetings of the society. He did not believe that any 

 plan could be devised to increase the attendance at 

 the meetings, and the society would have to be con- 

 tent with the small number of " old regulars" who 

 are in the habit of attending. 



Levi S. Reist said tlicre was much truth in what 

 Mr. Johnston said. Our farmers read the papers, 

 and he was pleased to notice that much that is said 

 in this society is quoted elsewhere. 



Eph. S. Hoover was of the same opinion, and ad- 

 ded that farmers gained much useful information In 

 visiting each other and exchanging views on the 

 manner of cultivating various crops. When they 

 hear of a farmer who is unusually successful in any 

 particularly branch, they visit him, find out his 

 mode of culture and adopt it. 



Mr. Hershey thought the regular meetings of the 

 society should be held in this city, but suggested 

 that they would be more largely attended if the time 

 of meeting were changed from .VIonday to Saturday. 



.Messrs. Reist, Laudis and others opposed any 

 change of day. 



S. P. Eby, Esq., said the meetings might be made 

 larger and more interesting if the members who at- 

 tend regularly would make it a point to bring with 

 them their neighbors, who had proved to be unusual- 

 ly proficient in the culture of any particular crop, 

 and have them explain their mode of culture. 

 Bills Paid. 



Mr. Eby presented bills for coal, coal box, coal 

 bucket, &c., which were ordered to be paid. 

 Pruning Peach Trees. 



In answer to a question by Mr. Eby, Mr. Engle 

 said that peach trees that had grown so luxuriantly, 

 or on which the branches were too close together, 

 might safely be trimmed now, or at any time be- 

 tween now and next spring, providing the wood is 

 not frozen. Trim freely and head off those branches 

 which have made too much growth: 



The following was proposed for action at next 

 stated meeting : 



Referred Questions. 



" Will the large quantities of dead clover on the 

 fields, if plowed down be a tienefit to next season's 

 corn crop?" Referred to James Wood. 



" When corn is 60 cents per bushel what is the 

 value of a bushel of potatoes as feed for stock." 

 Referred to Johnson .Miller. 



" What are the most profitable books for farmers 

 to read ?" Referred to M. D. Kendig. 



" Should this society encourage the improvement 

 of agricultural implements and labor saving ma- 

 chines ?" For general discussion. Adjourned. 



POULTRY ASSOCIATION. 



The County Poultry Association met statedly Mon- 

 day morning, Dec. .3, in the office of Jacob B. Long. 



The following members were present : Hon. J. A. 

 Stober, Shoenick ; J. B. Long, J. B. Lichty. Harry 

 A. Schroyer, John E. Schum, F. R. Difiendcrfl'er 

 W. A. Schoeuberger, Henry Schmit, P. A. Goodmau| 

 Chae. Lippold, C. A. Gast, city; Mr. Stautfer, 

 Bareville; Geo. A. Geyer, Florin, and Jacob 

 Bruner, Mount Joy. 



The minutes of last meeting were approved. 



On motion of Mr. Schroyer it was agreed two men 

 should be appointed for day and night service at the 

 coming show, the wages to be $1.25 each #er day. 



The same gentleman made a motion that two 

 persons be selected to sell and to receive tickets. 



Agreed to. It was also agreed the cost of these two 

 men shall not exceed $14. 



On motion, Mr. William Schoeuberger was era- 

 ployed as general manager of the exhibition room 

 and its surroundings at the rate of $1..50 per day. 



On motion, Messrs. Schroyer, Schum and Bruner 

 were appointed a weighing committee. 



Treasurer's Report. 



The Treasurer reported 73 shares sold at $.5 each, 

 out of which .$133 of last year's premmms were paid. 

 Other indebtedness of the old society to the extent 

 of $l:31. 30 was also paid. The total payments were 

 8364.30, leaving a balance due the treasurer of 

 ?5.60 ; but enough is still due on stock to pay this 

 indebtedness. 



The total value of the advertisements in'the new 

 catalogue is $73 in cash, besides some cattle pow- 

 ders. The printing up to date has cost, with post- 

 age paid to send them out, ?S2.&3. It is expected 

 the entire cost of printing will be realized out of the 

 advertisements. Something will, in addition, be 

 realized out of the sheet catalogue now in course of 

 preparation. 



The room has also been partially rented from the 

 present time until January 1, so that as the case now 

 stands the rental to the Society will not exceed -¥100, 

 with four more months to realize furiher sums. 

 The thanks of the Society were extended to the 

 officers for their services in attending to the matter 

 of renting the room. 



A motion was made that the Executive Commit- 

 tee should be present at the show every evening at 

 seven P. M., to attend to such matters as may re- 

 quire their attention. 



The Baltimore Poultry Association has agreed to 

 lend its large flag to our society during the continu- 

 ance of the show. The offer was accepted with 

 thanks. 



On motion, it was resolved that if any entries of 

 pigeons or poultry were made that are not on the 

 premium list, they be not admitted, and the birds 

 and entry fee be returned to their owners. 



There being no further business, the society ad- 

 journed. 



LINN.,EAN SOCIETY. 



The Linniean Society met on Saturday afternoon, 

 November 24, 1883, at 2 o'clock, in the museum 

 rooms, the president, J. P. Wickersham, in the chair 

 and six members in attendance. The minutes of the 

 previous meeting were read in part and approved, 

 and the dues collected, after which the 



Donations to the Museum 



were examined, and found to consist of a box of 

 glass sand from James Granj^ of No. 294 Second 

 street, Philadelphia, Pa.; an antiquated specimen of 

 a wooden snuCF-box, from Germany, per S. S. Kath- 

 von ; specimens of the main line and attachment 

 wires and carbon point of the Lancaster city electric 

 light, neatly mounted on a cord and labeled, do- 

 nated by S. M. Sener ; mounted specimen of plant 

 (Antheriiium viUatiun) from Cape of Good Hope, 

 donated by S. M. Sener. 



Master W. G. Baker visited the museum and ex- 

 hibited to the members a fine specimen of calcareus 

 incrusted moss and sage plants, which had been 

 sent to him from Colorado. On motion a vote of 

 thanks was given him for the exhibition of this 

 beautiful petrifaction. 



Dr. Dubbs exhibited a specimen of a PhalHc 

 Statuette. 



Dr. S. S. Rathvon donated specimens of the foliage 

 and flower of the Blaek JTelebore, or " Christmas 

 Rose," also a small phial of a species of musculus 

 or fly, brought up from the Southern States in a box 

 of oranges sent to this city. 



Additions to the Library 



Consisted of a cabinet and a stereoscopic view of a 

 contorted rock, a geological specimen ol a once 

 plactic rock superimposed upon a more ancient 

 boulder, located between the Pennsylvania Railroad 

 bridge and the GroflFstown road, on the Conestoga 



creek, photographed for and donated to the Linnsean 

 by W. L. Gill, photographer, city ; Official Gazette 

 of United States Patent Office, No. 8, Vol. 2.5 ; Lan- 

 caxter Farmer for November, 1883 ; Catalogue of 

 Books and Pamphlets Relating to the American In- 

 dians ; DeWolf & Fisk's large Catalogue of Books ; 

 Lippincott's Monthly Bulletin for November ; Sun- 

 dry Circulars ; one envelope with 13 scraps ; Report 

 of Commissioner of Kducation for 1881 : Catalogue 

 of Ancient and .Modern Books by Gustave Steckert, 

 of New York city ; Guide to Lexington, Ky., by 

 Ranck, with compliments of the author. 

 Current Business. 



The treasurer then reported that Mr. King had 

 lifted his share of stock, and the secretary read a 

 letter from .Mr. R. C. Bair, of York Furnace, thank- 

 ing the members for his election as a correspondent. 

 Tributes of Respects. 



Dr. Rathvon said it became his painful duty to an- 

 nounce to the members the deaths of two of our cor- 

 respondents. Dr. John L. Leconte, of Philadelphia, 

 and Hon. J. J. Libhart, of Marietta, and read the 

 following: 



Mr. President : Impressed with a special regard 

 towards those who have unselfishly devoted blame- 

 less lives to the development of natural science, and 

 deeply sensible of the uncertain duration of human 

 life, I feel it incumbent to announce officially to the 

 members of the Linnsean Society the recent deaths 

 of two of its most distinguished correspondents, in 

 the persons of Hon. J. J. Libhart, late of Marietta, 

 this county, and of Dr. J. L. Leconte, late of the city 

 of Philadelphia. Perhaps no man in Lancaster 

 county has performed more uncompensated scien- 

 tific, literary, and artistic labor than Judge Libhart. 

 He has been locally identified with the progress of 

 art, science, mechanics, scientific literature and 

 music from a very early period of his life, and only 

 ceased to labor specially in these pursuits, when offl 

 cial duties and failing health supeivened. Although 

 too remote, and too much locally occupied to partici- 

 pate actively in the affairs of this society, yet he 

 manifested a practical recognition of its worth by 

 making liberal donations to its museum, and sympa- 

 thizing in its progress. Asa member of the "Old 

 Lyceum," and other kindred institutions, he was 

 amongst the first to give impulse to the pursuits of 

 natural science in the county of Lancaster, and his 

 example in that respect, was worthy of a more 

 numerous, and a more active following. After two 

 years of physical privation and deep affliction, he 

 has been " gathered to his fathers " at the "green 

 old age " of seventy and seven. 



Judge Libhart was born in Kreutz Creek Valley, 

 York county, on the 6lh day of August, 1806, and 

 died at .Marietta, Lancaster county, on the 6th day of 

 November, 1883, and as a practical and versatile 

 mechanic and scientist, he perhaps hiid few or no 

 equals in the county. It would perhaps be invidious 

 to say that no other man could fill the vacuum 

 caused by his removal, but it is questionable whether 

 any other man woidd fill it. 



We accord these sentiments as a tribute of respect 

 towards one whom we deem to have been a worthy 

 co-laborer in the field of natural science. May he 

 rest in peace. 



Dr. John L. Leconte, although, perhaps, personally 

 known to but few of the the members of this society, 

 stood confessedly at the very head of the coleopter- 

 ists of the United States, and foi nearly forty years 

 has been identified with the coleopteral literature of 

 the country. He was born in the city of New York, 

 on the 13tb day of May, 18-;5, and died on the 15th 

 day of November, 18S3, having attained the age of 

 .58, hardly past the prime of life ; but he accom- 

 plished a very large amount of scientific labor, not 

 only within the bounds of his entomological spe- 

 cialty, but also in other scientific fields during his 

 lifetime. Although his relations to this society 

 were little more than merely nominal, yet in view of 

 his pre-eminence as a nituralist, the recognition of 

 that pre-eminence by the society, is the least that it 

 can afford as a tribute to bis fame. 



Dr. L. was not what is termed a popular entomo- 

 logist ; his descriptions having generally been written 

 in a dead language, he was, therefore, technically 

 contra-distinguished as a scientlflc entomologist, 

 being one of the most expert investigators, insect 

 anatomists; and structural classifiers in the country, 

 so far at least as relates to the order Ooleoptera. 

 His contributions to coleopteral literature were very 

 numerous and very learned, but better adapted to 

 the apprehension of learned societies than to popular 

 appreciation. He was one of the founders of the 

 American Entomological Society, if he was not the 

 ruling spirit that gave the original impulse to the 

 movement which culminated in its organization. 



Dr. Leconte was the intimate associate and friend 

 of Prof Haldeman, and they jointly revised and 

 addended the Melsheimer Catalogue of Coleoptera, 



