Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-10-15
WOODLAND Agricultural Society.

The monthly meeting of the Woodlawn Ag-
ricutural Society was held on Saturday last at
n. w. Persons, IIuntley, President Gilling-
ham IN the chair.
After the reading Of the minutes of the last
meeting, an attempt was made to alter anil add
to them in some particulars, but it was unanl
mously decided that they were strictly correct,
and were therefore adopted
At roll call eighteen members were present..
J. II. Gray Of Falls Church, was proposed
and elected member OF the Society.
The Critical Committee in their report, no
ticcd favorabIy field Of rye sown among the
corn at the last working of the corn III } uly,and
recommended the plan as good one, not only
for this pccullary dry season, when the hay
crop was very much shortened, but fora sea
sons
Judge Gray stated that it was Il common
practice in Michigan to sow rye aud clover seed
among the corn at the last working. BY that
meaDs it would afford good wlutcr fccd, aud
after the crop Of rye was harvested, there would
be a coed crop Of clover to pasture off or turn
under In discussing this practice, the club
drfted into the bect Of Forage-thc topic
assigned for discussion at the last meeting OF
the club 4 lively and aulmated-or what
perhaps would be more expressive -manimatcd
discussion as the members were nearly equal
" divided iu opini0n) was held on the value OF
the lower part ut the stalks Of IN as nu-
tritious feed for cattle. 1t was cOncndcd by
some that there was no more nutrition IN the
butts of corn stalks than III 50 much woody ilbcr
of bass, or gum wood. Others contendcd that
if the stalks were cut into short pieces and
steamed, cattle would cat, digest. and thrive on
them as well as on the best Of hay Il +.
Roberts had tried the experiment satisfactorily.
Judge Gray tried al experiment this season
in cutting an acre Of corn tops, just above tho
ears and curing for fodder, then jerking Oft the
ears and cutting the remainder OF the stalk at
the root By keeping strict account of the
time. he found it took no longer to secure the
crop in this way than it did to cut the corn
stalks at the root, shuck the corn and handle
the whole stalk at once. In his opinion the AL,
vantages of topping the corn stalks were, that
it made better fodder, was easier to handle: aud
the shucks were more valuable to sell for man
utacturing purposes than for fodder.
4 committee of two, r. i. Roberts and \.
w. Harrison were appointed to act with DR..
Rowland in arranging for, and procuring Il
cargo Of pressed fish as fertilizer Tor mru
bcrs Of the club.
The President c. Giilingham read some ex-
tracts from published lectures on Agricultural
Chemistry, being a continuation OF PORTIONS Sc
lcced by him and read ut previous meetings.
\ resolution was offered and adopted to have
trial of plows by testing the draft with Il by
uamomcter- the Society owus-and de-
tcrmining which pillow will do the best work
the easiest The trial will take place Il; Il. +.
Roberts. Cameron on Wednesday, October
23d at 10 o clock a. H. The committee APP
pointed to make arrangements for the tcSt,and
determine the result are r. I. Roberts, G.,
Lukens aud A. W. Harrison.
The topic for discussion at the next meeting
Of the club is Farm Implements. Standing
committees to be revised by the Prcsidcut
The Critical Committee appointed were John
Ballcnger, Dilworth Buchanan and p llman
l'roth.
After supper the club adjourned to meet at
the house of David Ferris Novcmbcr9
y. W. PERSON Secrc tary.