Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-09-24

foI !T nressure light winds, mostly from south
csst 10 southwest, warmer weather with ineref'
ing cloudlness. :,..:,ss': !
WOODLAND AGRICULTURAL SoclErY.-ife
regular meeting of the Woodlawn Agricultural
Society, for September. was held at the ho IF
Of MIR. N. w. Pierson, the Secretary, VIE
Saturday. About seventy.iive meu'efs sailu
friends of the too ho,ts"" assembled an d:scISs-
ed matters connected with each oEher We!'1'e
and tho public at large. :. ~, ruGAy ;pmlJ,,
The President, C. Gillpghau,l Feaal'aT Yi =.
lowing annual inaugural address :.,tt1".4H
h ,,' r s@ ''emRss ref Of s %
In taking the chair again to preside over the
proceedings of this Interesting meetllog OF
Intelligent farmers, | feel grateful Ior t1e
honor bestowed. We have passed onward i!F
the past eleven years, since its oIgaaZ alton IN
1866 very tremendously, and have faith to
bonc i NAV continue 80, and [ hope you Will
eli helm TO keep this same harmony and good
fccl;nr 40 wo may be mutual henttts TO each
other. There is yet much to do and to lcarn,
Notwithstanding tho great progress that mas
been made ia agricultural sclencn and practice
since the present century has been ash Fed 10,
for [ can remember tho wooden pillow, The SICK lc
for cutting grain the luJwlog scythe aud inc
hand rake. as the ouly imp leuicnts to be ne d
IN that direction for preparing for, and har-
vestiug the crops. The farmer. more than any
other. has to use more forethought and planning,
and changing plans, according to circumstances,
Of rain and sunshine, &c, than any other PEG
plc; he may lay his plans over night Tor the
next days labor, and shower OF raln, or a
cloudy, damp day. or some other unforeseen
occurrence takes place, and he has to entirely
nd
hn has to consult his soil and sec what 1t needs,
chemically and mechanically, for every thorough
farmer IS practical chemist, whether he knows
tor not his whole life is devoted to dealing with
clements, air, earth aud water. i'd chemical
compounds. His business also requires more
,hnirht, investigation, reflection and clicmicI
cxncriment than any other knowa business
ousiic OF tho chemical labratory itself. lie
should therefore put himselfinto the day light.
and know % far as possible aUhy he does so and
80, The artizau, the merchant, and to greater
or less extent all others in business lille, cla
carry out their voeations with regularity, and
are enabled to make their arrangements be.
lorchanl for all Tor nearly sol OF their BUSINESS
TRANSACTIONS. without regard to the outward
clements, uulcss it IL something 10 be pcfiurin
cd out of doors The farmer can make no such
ARRANGEMENTS to be relied upoG he cannot al
have to deal with on the morrow one "i say
| cannot prepare for my grain sowing untIl We
have rain another says c,Euot 80 on With
what | have to do until we have some days ii
sunshine to get my land 10 proper coUdtloA
another wants the ground lrz'u lii order 70
SOW his grass seed, and some other ,oatcrS. nr
"a harden his roads 50 he can draw heavy loads
PROGRESS and Improvement staulI be the watch.
word OF every farmer, for every other trat'c'!
Of business draws its life blood fiom this, aud
am bold 10 say it is lifting its head so as to
stand where it properly belongs--to take It's
proper rank among the lodustrlai pursuits,
rendering it not only more surely prohtahlr,
but by comparison, quite as dgnted, attractive,
and Intellectually amusing as the so called
learned profc ssions. All the improvements
which have been made IN agriculture are as
much the result of the application OF mGd aud
knowledge TO the sub ect as any OF the Improve
mcnts made 10 manufactures or the mechanic
arts. | say let us 90 on, therefore. III seeking
out improvements 10 our profession, provide
ourselves with books Oh chemistry and geology
ard take advantage OF other men discoveries
and apply them to our own advantage. Thus
may We reap the rich fruits OF our labor, and
"Wbere some would find th0rns but to torture
the flesh,
Wen gather ripe clusters our souls to rcir sl.
The question Of paramount Importance at
this time, "How much wheat shall we SOW Z
was discussed, and articles read from several
English papers. giving doe(ul account Of the
bad condition of the harvestin that country,and
The very limited sources OF supply to make up
their deficiencies, in consequence OF the war 10
the East. the Ian inc In lndia, aud the snort
crops in France aud the northern part Of Rus
STA. Their Gully hope Of supply was from the
United States where there was an abundance.
Wheat is bringing in Liverpool 33 per CT. more
than it did year ago. The prospect seems
encouraging to SOW largely OF the cereals this
fall, yet caution was urged that too much re-
lance should not be placed upon the newspa'
per reports Of the bad condition OF the harvest
in Eogland while the crop was being gathered;
also that sowing any greater areas than can be
properly managed should be avoided.
The Secretary read several communications
asking for space in the exhibition fer horses,
cattle, swine, &c; from the engravers, saying
that the Certificates of Merit would be sent
on Monday also ono from Mr.. T. j. Pullman,
photographer in Washington, offering two
premiums for The best homemade bread and
best butter exhibited at the coming fair, each
premium consisting OF six cabinet sized photo
graphs of the successful competitors, or any
person they may designate.
DR.. Jancy, photographer of the Corcoran
Art Gallery, laid on the Secretary 8 table twelve
gems of art of this celebrated gallery which he
had previously offered as premiums for the
best domestic household products. These OK
quisitely beautiful pictures we're greatly ad mred
and unanimous vote of thanks given to the
generous donors. The Ladies Housckceper's
Association passed q similar resolution which
was sent to the club. These reso utioos were
duly recorded by the Secretary aud copies sent
to these gentlemen.
DR.. Suodgrass, Secretary Of the Potomac
Fruit Growers Association, made staten ept
which was encouraging to fruit growers and
farmers, which was that ice can now be made
by machinery ct a cost of ono dollar and ninety
cents ton that it can be made on board a
ship out of sea water, SO that the surplus pro
ducts of this country can be cheaply sent 10
other parts of tho world in perfect prcserVa'
zion.
The following ticket sellers and ticket re
ceivers were appointed for the exhibition