Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-03-05

by the weather. Gen. Harding remarked,
in conclusion, that he did not claim to
know more on this subject than any one
else; ne only gave his experience, and was
himself merely a learner, as he obtained
additional experience every year.
He also stated that in agriculture it was
a very difficult matter to reach perfection
much more so than in any other profess
sion.
In answef to a question, Gen. Harding
stated that he pastured his timothy
| meadows, but there was one objection to
| this practice that the stock introduced
blue grass, which would tend to root out
the clover.
In reply to several other questions Gen.
Harding stated that he would prefer, as q
general rule, to SOW timothy in the fall, as
early as possible in September. he had
tried plaster with timothy, and did not
know that he had discovered any great
benefit from it; but plaster was
very beneficial on clover. The best
blue grass land was the best land for tim
othy, and he would prefer rich limestone
land. He wished to qualify remark made
by him at former meeting to the effect
that he had never seen good blue grass on
beach land. He then had in his mind
lands On which beach had been the only
timber. But where there was mixture of
the beach and sugar-tree and box-alder and
walnut he had seen very fine blue grass.
He wanted yellow, tenacious clay, that
would hold water, but where the soil was
gravelly and porous, without any tenacious
clay, he did not think it was good for any
kind of grass.
Question by a member-Do you consider
the land in Franklin and in Maury county
as good blue grass land as land that has
elm and walnut timber?
Gen. HI don't consider it as good as
the blue grass land in this county. There
is a belt of land running around this city,
from the Cumberland to Mill creek, that is
the best blue grass land that know Of
In answer to other questions Gen. Il.
said that he would manure his timothy
with leached ashes in preference to stable
manure, as the latter would introduce blue
grass and weeds.
Mr.. Mark Oockrill remarked that broom
sedge could be killed by burning it in Au-
gust.
Gen. Harding said that~there was an
other very pernicious weed, the wild tanzy
or yarrow, which was a most ungovernable
enemy and would never yield He would
recommend every farmer to fight it with
fire, by piling logs and brush upon it, for
merely burning the ground over would not
kill it. He was rarely in such hurry that
he would not jump down from his horse to
pull up or otherwise destroy stray sprig
of yarroW.
Mr.. Ben. F. Oockrin said he was not
prepared to make any lengthy remarks,
but he would give some of the views of
Liebig. He stated that timothy had only
thirts-fve per cent of nutritive matter,
while clover had sixty per cent
Mr.. Tanning said he thought that L ie-
bigs conclusions would not apply to this
country. In Europe, including England,
vetches and other grasses were Cultivated
that were very rich, but it could not be
argued that thsy would be as nutritive in
this country. He also stated that the best
time to cut timothy was when it was in the
dough"
Mr.. Ben. Cockrill stated that he did not
agree in some points with Mr.. Tanning.
In this country there were some as fine
cattle as in England; ard he stated that a
gentleman at the North had a COW, the
Twelfth Duchess of Geneva, for which he
had been offered 500, 900, and she was as
good as any COW in England, if not better.
QUESTION FOR DISCUSSION.
On motion, the Chair appointed COM
mittee consisting of Messrs. Mark Cock
rill and McGavock, to select a subject for
discussion at the next meeting.
After consultation, cl0Uer was selected as
the subject.
THE LABOR QUESTION.
Rev. Mr.. Tanning then read the follow
ing:
Resolved, That the Farmers Club of
Davidson county, Tenn, IN view of the
sad deficiency of labor in our State to de-
velop the vast resources of the country,
consider it as wise and very important to
take steps for establishing, under the aus
pices of our Club, in conjunction with like
Clubs and organizations throughout the
| State, disposed to cooperate with us,
THE TENNESSEE LABOR AGENCY,
with the following purposes in view, viz:
l. To encourage a united effort to ex-
| cite our African fellow citizens to the vol
untary adoption of the laboring profession
as their highest earthly interest, and as the
only hope of the race.
2. To employ all proper means for stim-
ulating and exalting very many Of our own
race, now in idleness, dissipation and ex-
IRENE poverty, to the enobling profession
| of industry.
8. IN the event of not securing ready
labor from these sources to encourage the
immigration of such classes as, in our
| Judgment, may be best qualified to devel-
Cd the resources of the country.
Resolved, That a committee of five
1 1. I'LL I, ted hryf haT lr1h 10
take the subject of
| THE TENNESSEE LABOR DEPARTMENT
| Cnder consideration, with authority to
adopt such measures as to them may seem
most prudent, and report at the next
monthly meeting.
Mr.. Tanning then remarked that the
question of labor was very important. he
wished to have everything done that could
be done with the African race in this coun
try. But he would be more pleased to SET
our own people brought into industrial
habits, and he thought it possible tina
something might be done to stimulate the
youth of the country to take hold OF thu
laboring professions. 1t requires talen
and vast amount of information for |
man to succeed in any department, anC
there was no avocation in which more
talent and more thought was required thai
in agriculture. And last of all if the
people of this State had finally to depend
upon immigration te this State, they ough
to have something to do with the di
rection of it. He himself thought We would
finally have to depend, to a cOnsi derable
extent, upon foreign labor, but he never
theless had a prejudice against in'n1igra
ton. 1t had appeared to him that pecula
ton, speculation, money-mSking and rob
berry had a great deal to do with immigra-
ton as at present managed; still, this
Farmers Club ought to do what could be
done to furnish this State with labOring
population. He had simply offered the
resolution, and would like to have the
opinion of members upon it.
Gen. Harding remarked that it was al
ready getting late, and he would rathe
postpone the consideration of this ques
ton till the next meeting, as he desired tt
make some remarks upon the resolution
There was ND man who was a greater frienS
to honest industry and honest effort thai
himself, among all classes and condition
of people. There was no man so learned
| SO honored or so rich as not to be honOreC
by labor.
The consideration of the resolution wa
| postponed till the next regular meeting
and the Club then adjourned till the frs
Saturday in April.
| Held for poSfaOa