Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-05-18
FARMERS CONVENTION,
Addresses by Prominent Gentlemen
SECOND DAYS PROCEEDINGS.
MORNING SESSION.

President Rhea in the chair. Inc meGunS Was
opened with prayer by Rev Mr.. Lord. The
number of delegates in attendance showed no
diminution Of interest.
The committee appointed to arrange a pro-
o,ramme or order of business reported through
their chairman, Mr.. Rodgers, which pro-
cyramme was adopted by the convention.
ANCESTRAL FARMING.
Mr. Charlton addressed the meeting on the
probable future of East Tennessee as an Ag-
ricultural region" He showed how, by inetfi-
Gent surface farming praCtiCed by our fore
fathers, the splendid soil had been worn out
until now large areas were almost totally bar
rem. The old farmers had an antipathy against
book farming" an enlightened prejudice that
prevails to some extent TO this day. Expert
ments were never made, fertilizers rarely II
ever applied, while the strength Of the soil was
annually absorbed by growing crops.
He would divide his subj ect into three ads
Soil, Climate and Markets" Railroads were
of comparatively recent introduction in this
section ald were now an indispensable adjunct
of farming, In providing transportation for sup
plies to market and advantage our fathers did
not possess. The hope of future agricultural
wealth was the reCuperatiOn of our worn out
lands. Beneath the surface was Il fine clay sub
soil, and the application Of fertilizers with
deep blowing, would restore the land to Its VIZ
gin fertility. The speaker alluded to the adap
tation of the climate Of East Tennessee for the
3,
ing lands of Kentucky, which were really not
so good naturally as our own and mentioned
the meadow Of Mr.. Meek, of this county,
which had been set for sixty years IN grass
and was still valuable. The subsOil Of East
Tennessee was immeasurably superior to the
soap stone Of Virginia or the sand Of the cotton
States, which would not retain any fertilizers,
however valuable.
Educated farmers from the highly cultivated
agricultural regions Of the North had become
!. i ,yl,.al
looking to this section. He wanted them to
come, and had advocated the ida for some time.
We had the natural adVantages-let us use
them.
RECESS
Judge Temple presented the President with
a basket Of lucious strawberries, which were
received with applause
On motion, a recess was taken in order to al
low the delegates an opportunity of examining
the Jersey cattle from Judge Temples farm.
GRASSES.
The President invited members to make five
minutes speeches on the subject Of grass Cul-
ture.
Mr. Hubbard was Of the opinion that it was
one of the most important questions brought
before the convention Clover was the best for
Il start He had within the past year planted
large area in grass and would plant more yet.
The hope of the country was in the grazing in
terests.
Mr. Lee had been farming in this State four
years. He had bought farm that had been
under the plow for years and scratched over
until the surface soil was exhausted. He had
applied plaster and seed and the result had been
most satisfactory. The manure heap was the
farmers chief bank, and he believed in APP
plying it literally.
Mr. Matthews, of McMinn county, said that
Red clover and plaster were good applied with
the grass Clover was a great feeder for grass
of all kinds.
Mr. Hubbard asked which was the better
season for setting grass-in the spring or
fall?
Mr. Matthews answered that fall was better
for setting grass if had a good fall rain
Mr. Mathews, of McMinn county, showed
two specimens of wheat taken from a foot of
ground each. One specimen was very fine and
was taken from land that had been heavily
manured for two seasons, and the yield of
which would be enormous. The second was
planted on land on which crop of corn had
been produced and would probably not yield
exceeding two bushels per acre.
PROF. ATwATER's LECTURE.
He said there were difficult problems in agri-
culture, some Of which chemistry was able to
solve. On lands that formerly produced fifty or
sixty bushels per acre, now only fourth of
that amount was produced What was the mat
ter? The general answer was that the soil was
exhausted.
This was the case. Each crop absorbed
certain amount of plant food He showed by
a series Of interesting experiments, and from
the ashes of plant the presence of the va
rious ingredients of different kinds of plants,
and also by chart suitably colored to repre-
sent the different fertilizers required to repro
duce what was taken from the soil by various
crops.
The lecture was delivered in the Professor
happiest vein, and he frequently requested
that the delegates ask any questions they saw
proper, which privilege many awaited them
selves of to their profit.
Mr. Rhea asked what would remove sOrrel
from clover? A delegate answered that lime
would do so.
Mr. Hubbard wished to know why clover was
more affected bv plaster than any other plant? |
This question was not definitely answered. |
though many delegates had observed the fact, |
In answer to question, Prof Atwater urged |
saving manure, the breeding of fine cattle and |
the erection of good barns. It was a saying |
with German farmers No manure, no crops; |
no crops, no money; no money, no progress.
On motion, Mr. Atwater was allowed suH-
cent time to explain the relative value of the
different kinds Of manure
The Professor said that the best that could be
used was stable manure Illustrating by his
chart the adaptability
A delegate asked what to do to kill worms in
manure, which was answered by G Lord, of
Blount that mixing with muck would kill
them.
Professor a stated that stall DRAWINGS would
do well. Bone dust was also good, though diff
fcult to grind.
Mr. Lee said that mixing with unleached ash
Is one saved all nitrogen in bones which wore
decomposed by the ashes
He had seen a model farm in GERMANY of
eight hundred acres, worth SS,C2O,Ccl, whe-e
everything was saved and returned to the sol
that was possible, and thus it was kept in high
state of fertility.
lie had mingled with young men who were
going to College to qualify themselves for
farmers, who stood higher than those studying
for learned Observation-Disclosures is good
thing. Applause.
The chairman stated that he had used chick
en- manure advantageously with compost in al
ternate layers.
Colonel Crozier then addressed the conven-
ton on the subject of small economies, in which
he alluded to the facilities afforded for wheat
and vine growing, and wool raising.
Col. (. s. Heiskell introduced resolutions re-
commencing County and District Farmers
Conventions in each county, to report to the
present associations and that the proceedings of