28 



THE LANCASTERSFARMER. 



[February 



things observed in a cocoou taken near San 

 Francisco, C'al., and composed of a fine 

 blackish silk. The large, jet-black spider that 

 was collected close to this cocoon was proba- 

 bly its owner, and had been named Epeira 

 atrata. In this case, as in that of A. riparia, 

 the lower portion of the cocoon contained a 

 number of cocoons of ichneumon flies. On 

 these chalcidians were parasitism was carried 

 further still by the presence of smaller chaicids 

 parasitic on the larger ones. The tenantry of 

 the nest was completed by the presence of 

 several larvte of a small beetle, and two or 

 three active ants of the genus Solenopsis. In 

 this case a considerable colony of young had 

 survived the ravages or the ichneumon larvse, 

 but this was not always the case, as the 

 speaker had found the cocoon of a laterigrade 

 spider entirely occupied with those of the 

 parasites. 



Our Local organizations. 



LANCASTER COUNTY AGRICULTURAL 

 AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The Asrricultural Society of the county met stated- 

 ly on Monday afternoon, February 4, in their room 

 in the City Hall. 



The following members were present : S. P. Eby, 

 C. A. Gast, J. M. Jol.nston, F. R. Diffenderffer, 

 Israel L. Lai^lis, of this city, and Henry M. Engle, 

 Marietta ; Johnson Miller, Warwicic ; Joseph F. 

 Witmer, Paradise ; C. L. Hunsecker, Manheim ; 

 Casper Hiller, Conestoga ; John C. Linville, Salis- 

 bury; Levi S. Reist, Manheim; Calvin Cooper, 

 Bird-inHand ; John H. Landis, Manor. 



In the absence of the President, Vice President 

 Engle took the chair. 



On motion, the reading of the minutes of the pre- 

 vious meeting was dispensed with. 

 Crop Reports. 



Mr. Hiller said some persons apprehend the com- 

 pact covering of snow will harm the wheat, but as 

 the ground is open the thawing snow will find Its 

 way into the ground and do no harm. In Conestoga 

 township the peach crop is all right, the thermome- 

 ter not having fallen below zero. 



John C. Linville did not believe the wheat was in- 

 jured. He never saw so much damage done by mice 

 as during the present winter. They seem to have 

 injured all trees less than four inches in diameter. 

 He also feared they have hurt the clover. 



Israel L. Landis believed the winter was favorable 

 to the wheat crop. 



Johnson Miller reported the thermometer was 15 

 degrees below zero at one time. The tobacco is be. 

 ing rapidly stripped ; cattle have been doing well. 



H. M. Engle also said the mice had done much 

 damage both on trees and clover. Peaches are en. 

 tirely destroyed in his neighborhood . The cold and 

 hoar frost coming on the same day did the work. 



S. P. Eby, Esq., read an interesting paper on 

 Labor-Saving Farm Implements. (Bee page 34 of 

 this number of the Farmer.) 



L. L. Landis commenced the essay and moved a 

 vote of thanks to the essayist, which was given. 



Casper Hiller thought the essay was timely and 

 hit the nail on the head. 



John C. Linville believed inventors should be al- 

 lowed to exhibit their machinery. He believed such 

 exhibits would be of value and interest. 



H. M. Engle thought that if such machines and 

 inventions did not take up too much of the time of 

 the society they should be allowed. 



The opinion seemed to be general that exhibits all 

 kinds of farm implements and machinery should be 

 encouraged. 



Calvin Cooper thought It would, perhaps, be Judi- 

 cious to make some provision in the by-laws allowing 

 for the examination of agricultural implements, and 

 he moved the adoption of a resolution allowing such 



exhibitions during the time set apart for testing 

 fruits. Agreed to. 



Joseph H. Witmer believed in making haste slow, 

 ly. We may overdo the matter. We may be over- 

 run by the patent right men, as tiiey were in New 

 Xork. The result there was that the local society 

 was compelled to shutdown on the agents. 

 The Oil Remedy. 



Casper Hiller read an extract from an old almanac, 

 as follows : 



I have here in a German almanac of the year 1884, 

 a few items that are worth repeating. The first says 

 " Tanner's oil, or Linseed oil, kills surely and quickly 

 the worms that attack the apple tree. You need 

 only put a little of the oil where the worms have lo. 

 cated themselves to get rid of them." The second is 

 about preserving peach trees : " Make a box about 

 a foot wide and deep, around the tree, and fill it 

 with tan bark. This will keep the worms that are 

 so destructive to peach roots entirely away, as no 

 worm will ever go into the tan, no matter how old it 

 will -get." 



The oil remedy has of late years become popular 

 for destroying scale or bark insects and for a preven- 

 tion of blights in pears. The apple tree borer, the 

 most destructive of all worms or insects that infest 

 the apple tree, is a later importation than 1824. Our 

 almanac compiler would hardly have found it prac- 

 ticable to eradicate the borer with oil. There is, 

 however, little doubt but that the application of oij 

 around the base of the tree would be an effectual 

 preventive against the borer. 



Most oil sold under the name of linseed is as little 

 the product of flaxseed as oleomargarine is the re- 

 sult of cow's milk. Science converts petroleum into 

 so-called linseed oil. These petroleum mixtures are 

 so dangerous to plant growth that we should be 

 careful not to use any oil unless we are quite sure 

 that it is pure linseed oil. 



The box " idea " around peach trees is a good one, 

 and has been tested successfully ever since. I do 

 not think there is anything in the tan that is 

 especially obnoxious to the peach borer. Experience 

 has shown that these boxes should be filled in Mav, 

 before the time that the perfect insect deposits its 

 eggs. This filling may consist of coarse sanl, black- 

 smith cinders, tan, bark, etc., and should be re- 

 moved in September. The borer usually lays its eggs 

 near the ground where the bark is tender, and by 

 covering this half hard bark, makes it difficult for 

 the insect to deposit its eggs. Besides, should a 

 borer find lodgment, it could easily be seen and re 

 moved when the box is emptied. 



I was under the impression that the peach borer 

 was a later introduction. 



My knowledge of 59 years ago is that peaches were 

 plenty. The trees were planted along fence rows 

 and out of the way places — received no care what- 

 ever, and got to be old trees. But the above extract 

 would show that even then the borer was known. 

 Tan Bark Remedy. 



We also read an extract from the almanac recom- 

 mending the use of tan bark around the lower part 

 of the trunk ; on which he commented as follows : 

 Is Pig Raising Profitable. 



Joseph H. Witmer believed that a .sow can be kept 

 at the present price of food for $13. At such a cost 

 the raising of pigs can certainly be made profitable. 

 As to what profit there was in growing pork, if any, 

 he was not prepared to say. But his stock was of 

 the best and he got large prices for all he had to 

 sell. 



Casper Hiller believed hogs can be raised here at a 

 profit. He now breeds the Jersey Reds. The meat 

 is not so fatty as other breeds and is decidedly the 

 best he has ever had. The hogs he killed this year 

 certainly did not cost him so much as the meat 

 would have cost him in the market. 



H. M. Engle believed it proper that a committee 

 should be appointed to formulate a set of rules offer- 

 ing premiums to farmer's boys for the largest crops 

 grown on a certain portion of ground. He further 

 -dvocated offering premiums for competitive essays. 



Resolution of Thanks. 



On motion the following resolutions were unani- 

 mously adopted : 



Jiexolved, That the thanks of this society be ten- 

 dered to Hon. A. Herr Smith, oui representative in 

 Congress, for his prompt attention to our farming 

 interests in urging before Secretary Folger a recon- 

 sideration of the decision respecting the admission of 

 foreign leaf tobacco under low rates of duty. 



Resolved., That the thanks of this community are 

 due Senator Mitchell for voting in the United 

 States Senate against the proposed treaty with 

 Mexico, which would virtually open a door for the 

 importation of foreign tobacco free of duty. 



Resolved, That these resolutions be communicated 

 to the gentlemen named. 



On motion, the Society adjourned. 



FULTON FARMERS' CLUB. 



The Farmers' Club of Fulton township, met at the 

 residence of Joseph R. Blackburn, on Saturday, 

 February 2d, all the members being present but Mon- 

 tillion Brown and Josiah Brown. The visitors were : 

 Layman Blackburn and family, H. H. Haines and 

 wife, of Rising Sun, Md., Edwin Stubbs and wife, 

 Marchal Hesbit and family, Elwood Stubbs and 

 family, and Wm. Hains, making in all quite a large 

 company. 



The minutes of last meeting were read. Grace 

 King stated that her answer to the question " Could 

 100 bushels of corn be raised on an acre of ground 

 where (iO bushels was an ordinary crop," reported at 

 the last meeting read as if intended to mean one 

 acre. She understood the question to include seve- 

 ral acres and her answer was given accordingly. 



Minutes were then approved. 



There being no specimens to exhibit E. H. Haines 

 asked, " Does any one know the real value of cotton 

 seed meal of feed for stock ?" No one present had 

 ever used any for feed. Some had heard it spoken 

 of as a good substitute for corn. 



L. Wood asked, " Has any one noticed more cream 

 on morning than evening milk ?" Esther Haines 

 had noticed this to be the case but could not give no 

 reason unless it be the milk is warmer through the 

 day than it is during the night. R. D. King thinks 

 it is because the cows are always quieter at night 

 than through the day. The secretion of milk is al- 

 ways greater when they are quiet than when they 

 are stirring around or excited. 



R. D. King asked, " Can you test the quality of 

 new milk by weight." E. H. Haines replied that 

 cream is lighter than milk, and milk that is rich 

 with cream would consequently be lighter than that 

 which contains a less quantity of cream. 



Wm. King asked, "Will creameries be likely to 

 supercede the private dairy." Sol. Gregg thinks 

 they will as they have better facilities ; could make 

 a more uniform quality and with their improved 

 machinery make it cheaper, and by selling in large 

 quantities command' better prices. 



Ed. Stubbs : If creameries can make a better arti- 

 cle the dairy will have to go. 



E. H. Haines : In getting large quantities of milk 

 there is always some of it that will be of poor 

 quality and by mixing it together it will affect the 

 butter. He thinks there will always be a demand 

 for dairy butter no matter to what extent the cream- 

 eries may tie carried. i 



Club adjourned for dinner, and after gratifying 

 the wants of the inner man, the male members took 

 their usual stroll over the host's farm. 



After the call to order at the afternoon session, the 

 minutes of the last meeting held here were read, and 

 in answer to the President's call for criticism, Sol. 

 Gregg reolied that they found things in their usual 

 good order. Wm. King spoke of an improvement, a 

 bay window, which adds much to the appearance of 

 the host's house. E. H. Haines spoke of the host's 

 new departure from the old way of ploughing his 

 stock ground in the fall. He thought it was a good 

 idea. He noticed that cultivated oats has been do- 

 ing better than if the ground is ploughed in the 

 spring. But the great obstacle to cultivating has 



