THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



59 



deluges. This argues a bad balaucc of the 

 results that come from man's operations on 

 and alterations of the face of the country— 

 to whatever degree those are his work, or 

 within the rL-ach of it. In some stretches of 

 New England couutri' the side hills show 

 only bare rock or blackened stumps stand- 

 ing out against the horiz<m line ; and 

 thence we hear from the leveller country in 

 that vicinity of "baked" and "<rracked" 

 fields and " falling springs " summer after 

 summer. These phenomena go in pairs. We 

 can see and hear of the same juxtaposition of 

 the naked facts up the Schuylkill and along 

 the upper reaches of the Delaware every 

 spriug and late summer. Still the process of 

 tree slaughter goes on, and only here and 

 there do we find thoughtful people who plant 

 trees or who attempt to repleuish their de- 

 cayed and despoiled woods as help, if not se- 

 curity, for the future. 



Trees do something more than wo have yet 

 indicated — they supply something beyond the 

 banks of water capital. When in fairly 

 spread " woods," they are equalizers of tem- 

 perature and moisture, as the sea is. They act 

 in some degree for stretches of inland coun- 

 try, as the ocean does for its adjacent shores. 

 They temper the high heats of summer by 

 most refreshing coolness in their shades ; and 

 they moderate the intensity of the cold in the 

 winter. They are barriers to the sweep of 

 the winter winds and to the rough blasts of 

 March, that come along with the vernal 

 equinox in our latitude, and they are beauti- 

 ful sources of pleasure besides. And what is 

 going to be done about the matter, conceding 

 all these things to be true ? Why, in the 

 first place, every landholder who has "woods" 

 or groves of trees should keep them intact, 

 and every one, everywliere, should plant new 

 trees at least to the extent that they cut ex- 

 isting trees down. State customs encourage 

 tree planting in the West by their " Arbor 

 Days" (an admirable institution), and the 

 United States Government is encouraging it 

 by laws for its own lauds. Forestry as.socia- 

 tions also are coming in to help. The ques- 

 tion is not so much what arc you going to do 

 about it as it is to get the people of the agri- 

 cultural districts of the country wide awake 

 to more thought on the subject. Earnest and 

 intelligent thought will lead straight to the 

 only action that remains within practicaljle 

 reach — every one to do his share in the effort 

 to preserve the remaining woods on the At- 

 lantic slope from unnecessary damage, and 

 every one to unite in securing Slate regula- 

 tion, like that prescribed by Penn, in order 

 that selfish or thoughtless individuals may be 

 kept within fair bounds from such spoliation 

 as is a damage to the body of the State— and 

 this in every SVAlf.—I'hiladflplna Ledijer. 



Our Local Organizations. 



LANCASTER COUNTY AGRICULTU- 

 RAL AND HORTICULTURAL 

 SOCIETY. 



The regular nuiiitlily meeting of the Laneaster 

 County Agricultural Society was held .Monday after- 

 noon, April 7, in their rooms in the City Hall. 



The following: members were present: J. C. Lin- 

 vill, Salisbury; Henry M. Engle, Marietta; Dr. J. 

 P. WIckersham, city ; Joseph F. Witmer, Paradise ; 

 Johnson Miller, Warwick ; Martin D. Kendig, Cress- 



well : S. Lem Fry, .J. li. Bu(?kwaller, Salisbury; J. 

 M. Johnston, J. B. Hippie and F. R. DitlenderlVer, 

 city; A. C. Baldwin, Salisbury ; Levis. Relet, Man- 

 helm ; C. L. Hunsecker, Manheim ; ur. W. H. 

 Bollinger, city ; Peter S. Relst, Lltltz ; Israel L. 

 Landis, city ; Cyrus Neff.Manor ; Ephralm S. Hoover, 

 Manheim; W. H. Brosius, Drumore ; 8. P. Eby, 

 city ; Mr. Landis. 



In the absence of the President, Vice President, 

 Henry M. Engle was called to the chair. 



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

 vious meeting was dispensed with. 



On motion, Mr. J. R. Buckwaller was elected to 

 membership. 



The committee appointed to formulate a plan to 

 award premiums to boys who succeed in growing 

 the best crops of corn from a given tract of ground 

 reported progress. 



A Farmer's Institute. 



Dr. D. P. Wicke'sham, as chairman of the com- 

 mittee to consider the advisability of holding a 

 Farmer's Institute, made the following report : 



The committee appointed to consider the advisa- 

 bility of holding a Farmer's Institute respectfully re- 

 port : 



1. That such an Institute should lie held in the 

 city of Lancaster during the latter part of .May or 

 early in June and continue in session not less than 

 two days. 



2. That the exercises should consist of essays and 

 discussions by practical farmers and of instruction 

 and lectures by leading agriculturists from abroad. 



3. That the subjects to be considered should be 

 such as relate exclusively to the diiferent branches 

 of practical farming. 



4. That an invitation to be present should be ex- 

 tended to Governor Pattison, Dr. Loring, United 

 States Commissioner of Agriculture, Thomas J. 

 Edge, Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture ; 

 President Atherton, of the State Agricultural Col- 

 lege ; Rev. Dr. Calder, Lecturer of the State Grange, 

 and other leading agriculturists from our own and 

 other States. 



5. That an executive committee of five be ap- 

 pointed to arrange the time and place for the meet- 

 ing of the Institute, to advertise the same, to invite 

 speakers and prepare the program and to conduct 

 the proceedings. 



Johnson .Miller advocated the advisability of hold- 

 ing such a farmers' institute. He hoped a commit- 

 tee would be appointed to carry the project to a suc- 

 cessful conclusion. 



Dr. WIckersham had talked with a good many 

 farmers, and he found they were favorably mcllned 

 toward such an institute. He believed if the best 

 men In the State, the leading agriculturists, were to 

 be present at such a convention, it would draw to- 

 gether a large number of the best farmers in the 

 county. But It required an active committee to carry 

 the matter forward. Can such a committee be got 

 together? Can the small amount of money lequlred 

 to pay the expenses be raised ? These are the im- 

 portant points to be decided. 



.VI. D. Kendig thought highly of the plan. There 

 was no doubt about its propriety, and the only thing 

 was to enlist the willing aid of the farmers all over 

 the county. It will require one or more active dele- 

 gates in every district to work up the matter. If this 

 is done Its success Is certainly assured. 



Henry M. Engle believed his township would show 

 a handsome turnout oi farmers. 



Joseph F. Witmer could not see why farmers can 

 not take as much Interest In their own business as 

 politicians do in theirs. One trouble Is, that most of 

 our farmers, after leaving church on Sunday, go 

 about and visit each other, and discuss current farm 

 and agricultural topics, and in this way become in- 

 different to meetings of a purely agricultural charac- 

 ter in the city. 



Dr. WIckersham believed both Governor Pattison 

 and Dr. Loring would be here. Others of equal 

 prominence and reputation can be secured, and on 

 the whole a most desirable array of talent could be 

 brought here. He was assured that the papers of 



the city would lend the scheme their most hearty en- 

 dorsement, and do all In their power to further the 

 plan. 



Johnson Miller guaranteed at least twenty Ave 

 progressive farmers would be present from Warwick 

 township. Other members gave similar guarantees. 



Jose|>h F. Witmer was for golner ahead. There was 

 considerable money In the society treasury and the 

 pecuniary risk would be comparatively nothing. Let 

 the committee be appointed and the society go ahead 

 with the matter. 



C. L. Hunsecker also advocated the plan. It was 

 In the interests of agriculture and he believed It 

 would do good. Our numbers are small, but the 

 society, in spite of the paucity of its numbers, has 

 done much good. 



Mr. Buckwaiter believed that if, for Instance, an 

 able lecturer on the hol-se was announced as one of 

 the speakers at the Institute, be alone would draw a 

 large audience. 



On motion of Mr. Linvill the present committee 

 was continued to carry the scheme of a Farmers' In- 

 stltute forward. 



Premiums for Corn Growing. 



The committee on formulating a plan for award 

 Ing premiums to boys for corn growing submitted 

 the following : 



The commltece to arrange a list of premiums to 

 boys for the best crop of corn on one-eighth of an 

 acre beg leave to report the following : For the best 

 lot of corn, $15 ; for the second lot of corn, JIO ; for 

 the third lot of corn,?.5 ; for the fourth lot of com, 

 ?3. 



The length of the plot must not be more than four 

 times lis width and the measurement outside of the 

 rows must not exceed one-half the distance between 

 the rows. 



The contestants, who must not be over fifteen 

 years of age, must enter their names with the secre- 

 tary on or before the first of June. 



The reports of results must give method of plant- 

 ing, variety of seed and when planted and harvested, 

 and mode of culture, and the fertilizer used. 



The corn to be shelled and weighed, and the re- 

 port to be accompanied by affladavits of vouchers 

 from the growers, not later than the 15th of Novem- 

 ber. 



Crop Reports. 



Henry .\I. Engle reported that it was a pleasure to 

 him to say that not all the poaches were killed in his 

 locality. On the tops of :hc trees there are still 

 some uninjured buds. 



Johnson Miller reported rye frozen out very badly. 

 Grass is also hurt in some places. The peaches arc 

 mostly destroyed. Wheal looks well. 



Farmers' Co-operative Associations. 



J. C. Linvill had no practical experience In co- 

 operative associations, but of the advantages of 

 wholesale purchasing there can be no doubt. We 

 can buy lumber, clover seed and fertilizers cheaper 

 by the car-load than at retail. It is advantageous to 

 work together. All classes have such assoiiations 

 except the farmers. What is to be guarded against 

 Is the politicians. They try to benefit themselves 

 and not the farmers. 



Dr. J. P. WIckersham never Investigated this 

 question as applied to farmers. He could easily see, 

 however, how the interests of agriculture could be 

 advanced thereby. Purchases can be made more 

 cheaply in this way than where every man goes on 

 his own account. Sales can also be more cheaply 

 made where there is union. Cooperation is a 

 medium whereby capital and labor are likely to be 

 brought more nearly together than in any other way. 



H. M. Engle was a believer In co-operation There 

 are, however, two sides to all questions. The 

 Grange movement has done much to educate the 

 farmers. It has been a source of profit to those be- 

 longing to it by cheapening all kinds of supplies 

 needed by farmers. 

 Several bills were presented and ordered paid. 



Dr. WIckersham related some Interesting facts 

 concerning agriculture In Europe, in many parts of 

 which grain is still cut with sickles by women, andig 



