Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-08-02
THE JOINT-wORM CONVENTION.

THE JOINT-WORM CONVENTION.
AS a measure of very deep Importance
10 the farming community and to all inter-
ested in the growth OF wheat, we publish
below the official proceedings of the con-
vention at Warrcnton, on Thursday last,
which we regretted much onr inability to
attend. A correspondent who was pres
'ent gives US the following sketch Of its
proceedings:
The meeting was pretty we'll attended
consisting principally of farmers from Fau-
Quier, with representatives from Prince
Williams, Fairfax, Culpepcr, Rappahan-
mock, Albemarle, and Spotsylvania. The
convention was organized by the appoint
ment Of James K. Marshall as chairman,
and w. NJ. holland Of Albemarle, as secrc-
tary. Mr. John II. Garter, of Prince Will
liam, opened the discussion with char
acteristic speech explaining the object of
the meeting with point and humor; and
while protesting that no one could be elo-
Q"t"+ on " bu0oIogy." made some pretty
determined h0urishcs, and after instan-
cling the case of Napoleon and the Rus
slams at Moscow, stated that he like the
Russians had determined to fight the devil
with fire. a hearty response showed
that this literal as we'll rs fgurative, de-
termination was participated in by Il large
majority present. In conclusion lie pro-
posed plan of organization which con-
templatcd the appointment Of committees
for every magisterial district, and gen
eral committee to be composed of one per-
son from each county in the infested dis
trict. DR.. r. E. PcytUn then briefly eX-
planned his object in calling the meeting
corroborated Mr.. Carter's history Of the
insect,-and moved the adoption of Ger
tain resolution and by the decision OF
the meeting, a committee Of twelve from
the different counties present were appoin-
ted to report resolutions. After a noisy
and protracted session in which many
speakers took part, the committee re-
ported resolutions affirming the impor-
tance of the wheat crop, the danger Of its
forced abandonment from the destructive
attack Of the ioint-worm and rccommcn-
ded careful use Of the straw, the burn
ing ofthe stuble, the sowing of early and
hardy wheat, the free use of guano, the
sowing in large bodies as the best means
of averting the threatened calamity but
they proposed no plan of organization fol
carrying their resolutions into effect. AT
ter a lengthy debate, in which Messrs
Carter, Forbes, Robert E. Scott, Col.
Payne, J. Jones, Jno. @. Marr, John Mar
shall, and others participated. The words
<'some fertilizer" were substituted for Gu
auo. After the passage Of the resolution:
proposed by the committee, Mr.. Jno. IL
Carter proposed the appointment of com
mittees for every county, which was car
ried. After having requested the putll
cation of the proceedings in the papers o
the State generally, the convention ad
iourned sine die.
There was independent Of the discus
sion of the joint,worm, a lengthy discus
sion of the Joint propriety of memoralzins
Congress and the Executive On the i'm
portancc of some steps being taken o.
otherwise of reducing the price of guano
which WAS participated in by Col Payne
John II. Carter, Nj. Forbes, and others
Yours truly, S.
Our cotemporary of the Piedmont Viii!
who has manifested lively interest in thu
movement furnishes the following report
When we entered, the question Of bur
ming the stube was under consideration
Mr.. j. F. Jones remarked that one grca
obstacle in the way of gaining the conSen
of farmers to universal burning Of thC
stubble, was the idea, which is very prev
HISuI1 tIldG IIIc young NlO'NA "OUIN W ia
iured BY the burning. Mr.. j. felt very
sure that it would not, but as SO many
were of different opinion, he would asI
if any gentleman present had any infor
nation on the subject.
Mr.. Richard Payne had seen field o
wheat stubble--Mr. J. Q. Marr's-burn
pretty thoroughly, and the clover was no
at all injured.
Mr.. Marr said that it was an accidental
fire-that one spot was left unburnt, anC
if there was any difference, the clover Oh
the burnt portion was superior to that Oh
the portion which escaped the flames
Similar facts were stated by others.
DR.. Peyton made some interesting re-
marks upon. the natural history of tht
Joint Worm. He had observed it closely
in different stages ofits growth. 1t comes
out Of its habitation in the straw of the
preceding year, between the first and las
Of May. The tenderest wheat uniformly
is attacked. From about eight to ten eggs
appear to be hatched in each stalk. Ma
ny persons are Of the opinion that the
"kneed stalks" are the only ones attacked
but this is great mistake. 1t is to the
young, small stalks, which do not bend
over, that tho most damage is done. Up
on an examination of these many believe
the mischief to he done by the old fash
ioned fly. DR.. p. gave his opinion strong
in favor OF burning, as the only hope
Mr.. Noland spoke of the remarkable