The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-08-11

The next day after we were at the nur-
sery we, in company with a literary gentle
man from Erie, Pa, went to see the East
ern Experimental Farm. This farm is the
result of the appropriation of the Congress
of the United States made some years ago
to the States for agricultural purposes, and
is under the control of the State College in
Centre county, and is under the immediate
supervision of John ]. Carter, who appears
to be kind and obliging gentleman, well
versed in all subjects connected with agri-
culture.
Thirty acres of this farm are laid out in
plots of one eighth of an acre. These plots
are each worked according to different
programme for a number of years and the
amount of the different kinds of grain,
etc., raised upon each plot carefully and
accurately ascertained and the result pub
lished for the information of the agricul-
tural population of the State.
Mr.. c. promised to send one of these re-
ports to The Cecil Wing in a short time, and
| hope you will have time and space to make
and publish some extracts from it that will
be both interesting and beneficial to the
readers of The Cecil Wig.
The Eastern pa Experimental Farm
Club met at the farm the afternoon we were
there. The character of this Club and the
objects it has in view can be learned from
.lo ,,roo,,bla ,pd constitution Of tha Club
which we were allowed by the courtesy of
the officers to copy. 1t is as follows:
"The undersigned being DESTROYS of ad-
vancing in general knowledge on subjects
connected with farming, and of availing
themselves of the facilities offered by the
Eastern pa Experimental Farm and its
operations, and DESTROYS of aiding, if pos
sible, in digesting subjects suitable for de-
tailed experiments, and concentrating, by
correspondence or otherwise. the valuable
agricultural information elected by the sur
rounding local clubs, and after digesting,
to disseminate it again more etfectually and
generally by thorough system of report
ing, agree to organize an association in
furtherance of the above objects"
We understand that the State of Penn
one thousand dollars for the purpose of
experiments in agriculture and collateral
subject at this farm, and that the farmers
of this part of the county raise considera-
BILE sum for the same purpose by private
contribution.
This farm gives evidence Of the good
taste of the gentleman who formerly owned
it, the ground around the house being shaded
by many varieties of trees, each of which
is now tabled with the English and scientific
name Under the shade of these noble old
trees the meeting of the Club was held, the
President, Nathan Sharpless, calling it to
order at 2 p. NJ. There were two other
wandering sons of Bohemia there to report
the proceedings of the Club, but as we
were only an amateur we kept ourself in
the back ground and kept quiet-not SO
quiet, though, as our literary acquaintance,
who quietly stretched himself at fnll length
on one of the benches and for awhile was
locked in the arms of Morpheus.
We were told that the oxford Press, VI
lage Record, and the paper published at
Kenneth Square, the name of which we dis
remember, usually had reporters at the
meetings of this Club. This shows a com,
mendable spirit of enterprise on the part OF
these journals and speaks we'll for the agri-
cultural interests of Chester county.
This meeting of the Club was not very
largely attended, but what the meeting
lacked in numbers was supplied by the
energy and devotion of those that were in
attendance, who all seemed to be men OF
energy, intelligence and perseverance, and
wholly devoted to the objects set forth il
the preamble to the constitution of the
Club.
Among the many subjects that the mem
bers discussed was the best manner of get
ting rid of "horse sorrel." This is the
plant that makes the Octoraro hills have
such a sanguine appearance when in bloom
and the seed of which our friend Alecl
thought was brought there in the Western
| bone
DR.. Kitchener, an old patriarchal looking
man, whose life has been spent in scientific
pursuits and researches, thought the growtl
of sorrel indicated sour condition of thu
soil in which it grew. He said it could no
be pulled out of the ground, owing to thu
strength of its roots and the weakness o