The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1873-02-05
Reported for THE RECORD.


The Union Farmers Club met pursuant to
adjournment at the Mount Airy school room,
!. at 2 O'Clock, P, NJ, on Saturday, Feb. 1. The
I President, L. Il. Holcombe, in the chair. The
Secretary read a communication from the
Agricultural Department at Washington, in
regard to the distribution of seeds, and a
uniform cooperation of Farmers Clubs in
reporting to that office, The Secretary gave
notice that he had received some Agricultural
Reports from Washington for the use of the
! Club. ~ ~
The question laid over from last meeting
for discussion was then taken up, viz -
"What is the best crop for farmers to sow
and plant?" and was answered by f. S. Hol-
combe, as follows:
The question takes broad scope, and |
suppose is meant to apply to the present time,
to the present prices, and to the future
prospects of the farmer In answering the
first part of the question, | would say, 500
economy everywhere. Although / do not
practice what | preach in this answer it is
very evident to my mind that the farming
community must practice it to a great extent,
or we will be a community of bankrupts. Take
for instance the farmer who has purchased a
farm a few years back, when land was selling
at ruinous prices-when grain was at war
prices-who paid one-thrd or one-half for his
farm and mortgaged the other half. He now
finds in raising a family, that he cannot meet
the demands against him in the matter of
interest and supply the wants of his family,
according to the style and times in which we
live at the present.J1'he farmer who now pays
large interest on his farm with the present low
prices for grain and the high prices paid for
wages, cannot keep down the interest account
and maintain his family in the present style of
living, unless he lsows that spoken of at the
commencement Of this article Economy But
| did not intend to get so far from the question.
But to come to the point aimed at by the
author of the question. I'd. | would say, SOW
grass seed more than usual. The present price
of hay will bring the farmer more money per
acre than anything he can raise from the land,
taking the expense of tilling and gathering in
the crops which we SOW. Next to grass,
would say SOW oats. The seed costs much less
than other crops, excepting buckwheat which
/ would also recommend. l mean by these
remarks to practice sowing more grass seed in
oats and buckwheat than we formerly have
done. Now as to planting would recommend
the farmers to plant more of small fruits than
we ever have done-such, for instance, as the
strawberry. 1t is healthy for the system. and
can be made very profitable. If the crops are
large, the price will not be so high, but the
quantity will bring large sum of money to
the farmer II the crop be small, the price
will be higher, and the crop will be made to
pay well and / have never known so large q
crop in this community but what all could be
sold at a fairprice. Weasa farming community
do not plant vegetables enough. We have the
best market almost in New Jersey, close by,
and if we have surplus, we have railroad
facilities close at hand to send to the large
cities, where we can always dispose of 1t at
some price. One Of my neighbors sold some
$3.50 worth of tomatoes the past season from
three acres. Another sold 5000 worth of
strawberries from one-half acre. and the
coming season, from one years growth, he
expects from $25 to $50 from two hundred and
fifty hills OF strawberries from ali ordinary
season, and may get $50 worth. Therefore
would say finally, plant small fruits and
vegetables.
The Club then discussed the answer, and
commented uron that portion Of 1t where 1t
spoke of sssowing economy" N. X. Young
thought oats was injurious TO the land lie