The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-01-05
Deer Greek Farmers, Club.

Jhmes Lee, Luchary, Jnnuey, Webster aud Geo
Silver. Hon1iaiy iriein 6vfs and 1i5it"is Mcsrlr
5. NJ. Lee, Edward Hall, Parker II. Lee, Bryarl
Lee, j. Thompson and George Finney.
The committee on The inspection of building
and premises, consisting of Webster, Munnik
hnysen and GOrrel, reported that as well as ih,
ice would permit them to see, they found every
thing In flrst-rate order.
The stock cattle were as fine as cattle coult
be. The only fault they could note was bettc
expressed in the words of the poet;
"a man that is married may weep and hewail;
He's just like n dog with lin to his tail.
man tha's not married may weep and may
buwl;
Hes just like dog with no tail at ALL"
The question, "should there he any fixed sys
TEN in tarming?' was then discussed.
| MIR. James Lee thought farmer should have
a fixed system about his business; then he
would be sure to succeed and get good price
| for some crop.
Mr. Archer said the farmers who kept too
| many figures oulnumbcred those who kept too
few. Figures relating to farm operations, he
| urged, were often unreliable and dScOurupinp
| to the farmer. For instance, he said | fed &c
| cattle last winter, and fed Them four barrels OF
| corn each. By one set of figures | can prove
that LOST SIS head ON them Ivy another set
that made nothing; and by II third set that
cleared SIS a head. merchant can strike a
balance sheet ut he end of the year. but far
mer can not Ynu can not tell what to credit
| the farm with. You can moi farm on n fixed
| system in this neighbOrhOnd, but must cha re
| your plan of operations according to the out
| look of the market.
Mr.. Junney thought fixed system best. A
| farmer can not be Il Speculation, and will sue
| coed If he pursues fixed system. Every branch
Of the farm should be charged with the money
expended on il, or with the provenaer ted to the
| different stock. The farm should be credited
wi h all that is produced on it. The accounts
are harder to keep than in co uniting ROOM but
it can be done.
Mr.. Ball.-It should be the aim OF every far
mer TO improve his farm while providing for
the wants of his family. 1t would be impossi-
bic, he thought, TO tell how much each field has
- proved or deterioraied during the year.
Mr.. Lochary thought il best to be cautious
about changing system of farming. He has
generally lost when he made change AS q
general thing he sells his grain as soon as he
can. He has kept it sometimes aid lost money
by doing so. He thought it no use to caculale
ahead upon higher prices for any particular
crop, and plant more largely of that
MI Willis agreed with Mr.. Archer in think
ing it impossible for farmers keep accurate &C
counts Of every item raised or spent on the
| farm. You can not tell how much to charge
certain crop for fertilizers nor how much has
gone to the improvement of the land Does not
himk that rotation of crops is always pos ible
Some of our best farmers occasionally fail in
ret ing good stand of grass, for in lance, and
hen The system must be changed to secure the
crop.
Nj. Bayless remarked that he had twenty
four acre field seeded down, cut the wheat of
and had no grass He let it lay and after the
third season it had a good set of grass. He
plowed corn ground and seeded timothy with
the wheat in the fall and clover in the spring.
His father had always broken Sod for wheat,
aud raised better crops than he did.
Mr.. Silver did not believe in adherng to q
fixed, unullerabe system. We should have
fundamental n1lprn a q q la
it as possible. He did not think farmers could
debit and credit eve"y particular item, but by
keeping accounts they could tell at the end of the
year what they have made or lost, and how each
crop has paid
Mr.. Finney 5aid he had been practcing fixed
system of rotation of crops, and had never had
any cause to change. His plan is to follow
corn with oats, aud put oat siuDble in wheat.
He occasionally put corn ground in wheat, but
then followed hat with wheat again. Prefers
to roll field when he sets it i'll grass, and get
it as even rs possible.
Mr. MuoreS thought q fixed system might
mean a certain hour IT, g. to bed, 10 Z up Ia
eat your meals, &c. III hose things he thought
II fixed system necessary. You can not, howey-
err, have any fixed system about farming your
fields-in that you must use common sense and
adapt yourself 10 circumstances. farmer
should make II calculation as to how many day,
he can afford to be away from his farm in the
course Of year, aud estimating the value Of
HIS eelNlCee ~ - u uaNi Clculi lue lallu WIN
hat.
Mr.. Glasgow said that in having fixed sys-
TEN we ought to get as near it as can, but
any fixed rule would have 10 be modified by
contingencies which might arise.
MIR. Willis asked il there were not occasions
when II farmer should depal from any fixed sys-
TEN, such us selling corn instead Of feeding il to
tile, Sc.
MIR. Glnsgow.-Ynu can't see that far ahead.
but must use your Judgment as yon find il ne
cesSury.
A discussion then arose as TO whether it was
the proper plan, in farming by u rotation sy
! TEN, 10 b cak up field on which grass has not
taken, or one on which there was sod. Mr..
Ball argued that it would be better to top dress
with manure aud bring some grass before pillow
ing. MIR. Z II. Lee said he would never pillow
up good sod instead of Il bare field.
Mr.. Webster said he believes in following a
liked system as closely us You can until you see
il is wrong. He would never break all old sod
for the sake of Keeping up II Ger ain rotation -
If lie hid field out of graes would not hesitate
thought farmer could keep rs accurate nc
counts as merchant and at the end of the
year take account of stock just as merchant
does. You need not estimate The value Of your
farm-yoQ don't want TO sell it, As for chang
Ing his system he would never hesitate, because
corn is low this year, to plant as large a crop
next year. Decide on Your system and stick to
il.
Mr.. s. NJ. Lee thought the question was talk
ing very wide range He would not like it to
go out TO the world that the Deer Creek Far.
mers' Club had no system, aud were going it
blind. SO far as fixed system was concerned,
if his friend Mr.. Ball would pillow heavy sod
for corn, when he had heavy stock Of cattle,
ii would be wrong. If he had grass enough
vii hout it he might do So and let bare field
lay. If the land had been properly farmed it
would not take three or four years to set it in
grass. By the way, he would advise top-dress-
ing for corn one year, Is months or two years
ahead. Heavy sod turned under furnished a
large amount of manure to the ground. He OBJ
jected to blowing corn ground for wheat and
| then wheat siubble again for wheat. Too much
blowing exhausts the land A farmer should
have general system, but be governed by cir
cumstances.
Mr. Thompson said that system which
would do in one locality would not in another
He would observe the system followed by the
best and most successful farmers in the neigh.
borhoud and follow that
Mr. s. NJ. Lee speaking of farmers keeping
accounts, cited the instance of farmer who
kept no accounts and grew discouraged, saying
farming did not pay. He showed him by his
own estimates that instead Of living at an ex.
pense of $500 year ii had been nearer s., 900.
Mr.. Gorrell thought it well 10 have a fixed
sys EN-, but did not believe any man born could
have fixed system in la ming. Crcum.
stances will compel him to devate from
his system. He has occasion nearly every
day TO change his opinions aud system in
carrying on farm operations.
MIR. Munnikhuysen said farmer ought to
have good many fixed rules, but as to follow.
ing any fixed system Of farming it can not BE-
| done
| Mr.. w. D. Lee did not think a man ought ia
stick to any fixed system if he can do bet.
| ter
| Mr.. Ball said farmers should have fixed sys.
tenn in view. In this section the soil will bcal
| improving, and pays for improving. The lead
ing object should be to improve tine farm if you
| can not make a statement of The improvement,
of their lands, if they improved their fences and
buildings hat should be credited to the farm
Farmers should not be discouraged at keepinp