Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-05-29
EARMERa IN COUNCIL.
Meeting of the Knox Ceunty Farm ers'
Club.

On yesterday at " O'clock meeting of the
Farmers Club of this county was held at the
court house
G. W. Mabry, Esq, was called to the Chair.
and Rev. 9. w Charlton, appointed Secretary
Captain j. ;. Boyd expressed his gratifca-
ton at seeing so many farmers assembled TO.
gether for mutual improvement in the noble
ealing IN which they were engaged, when they
while on this subject would like to hear some
thing on the subject of raising grass.
Mr. Mabry impaired the desired information,
stating that it was his custom to harrow the seed
in, roll II and apply one bushel of plaster to the
acre.
1t was moved and carried that this Farmers
Club be auxiliary to the Farmers Convention
of East Tennessee
Mr.. Charlton read the constitution prepared
for the government of the club, which, on mo-
ton, was referred to a special committee of
five for approval or amendment. The follow
tee Q w Charlton, j I Doyle, Jas S Boyd,
DR. b Frazier and Samuel Cathrell
The President stated that some time ago he
had received letter from the Commissioner of
Agriculture, at Washington, offering seeds of
different kinds and he hoped that hereafter any
person receiving rare seeds or plants would eui-
tivato them with care and let the result be
known.
DIR. Frazier gave his views in favor of an
early organization. The Chair coincided with
his vicv and expressed the belief that the in
telligent farmers of the county would cheerful
ly devote few hours each month to counseling
ono with another on matters in which each and
all were vitality interested.
Esquire Doyle stated that Aourishing Farm
ers club had Been organized south Of the river
Composed of residents in the 18th and 10th
civil districts of this county, and in SEWER
county.
Mr.. Charlton moved that the regular meet
ings of the club be held at the court house on
the last Saturday in each month. Carried
Mr.. Cattrell, whose skill in the cultivation of
watermelons is we'll known, gave his expert
encc on the subject. He used stable manure
composted with leaves orstraw in preference to
commercial fertilizers. He did not like pas-
ter though others might. He believed in the
vine having a thrifty growth, but was opposed
to forcing them unnaturally, rs they did not do
half so well. On being asked what was good to
rid the vines of bugs, Mr.. G. stated that lime
would do So but il must be renewed. His ex-
perence was that meal, or anything that would
stick to the vines would do as well, if it pre-
vented the bug from taking hold. He prepared
| his ground with tho hoe and generally was sue
| cessful. The largest melon ne raised weighed
| hfty-two and one-half pounds, but his crops
| averaged we'll.
Mr.. Mabry broke up the land for watermel-
ons in the fall and in the spring, using manure
each time. He believed in clipping the vines
| when too luxuriant He agreed with Mr.. Cat
| trel in changing seed and that medium sized
| melons were better for seed than those of large
| size
| The discussion then took a general turn and
after very interesting session the meeting ad-
journed, subject to the resolution offered by
| Mr.. Charlton.