The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1879-02-07
Deer Greek Farmers Club.
GOING IN DEBT FOR FERTILIzERs.

monthly meeting at the residence of Mr.. james
Lee, on Saturday, February LIST. There were
present. In addition to active and honorary
members of the club, Messrs. Parker II. Lee,
Charles T.. Hitchcock and Bennett Barnes
Messrs. Geo. E. Silver, Ball and Bayless were ap.
pointed committee to make the customary in
spection OF the premises, sc. They reported
that they were pleased with the appearance of a
remarkably fine pure Short Horn cow, LADY
Heddlestone." Mr.. Lee has in his stables
about 46 cattle, in good condition. They
were of good grade, the kind 1t pays farmer
to have. He feeds them three times a day,
on rough food, and twice day on corn and
cob meal His mules, four or five in number,
would do credit to almost any farm. He grinds
his corn himself with Young America crusher,
and cuts his fodder. The farm Implements
are In good condition and under shelter
Everything showed that Mr. Lee is good, prac-
tical farmer The topic discussed was: "Would
farmers be justified at present prices, in going
into debt for fertilizers for the coming crop Of
corn ?"
James Lee thought they would, even at pres.
ent prices, with corn at from $3.50 to $500 a
barrel. Every 100 lbs. of bone per acre up TO
400 lbs, will increase The crop one barrel. APP
ply say 400 lbs and you Will have barrels ore
corn, worth say So. The ground is then in better
condition and will raise at least bushels more
wheat, worth 81. The increase in crops is thus
worth $40, while the bone dust will cost about
So. If yon apply half IL ton of bone the increase
will be at least 5 barrels. The bont is worth
10 bushels more wheat worth say $40, and you
have your bone paid for, with the fodder besides
and your land in better condition
II. Harris Archer said he had been struck by
a remark of one of his neighbors, that man
should bear an even hand. He thought that no
matter whether grain was high or low, farmer
should put in the same amount of fertilizers and
the same quantity of ground. 1t may be doubt.
1ul whether or not 1t pays to farm vii h CONNER
cal riliZers, but it certainly does not paw with
them. Farmers shOnll N lie nrin hos
did last spring, provided they did right
Thomas Lochary remarked that where a man
can attend to his crop properly and has land on
which fertilizers will act well, he could safely go
in debt for them but if he cannot give such at.
tentiou, or has land that fertilizers do not act
well on, he will not be benefited by going into
debt.
George r. Glasgow said 1t did not pay to raise
small crops, and therefore a farmer should go in
debt for fertilizers if he has not the money to
buy them. 1T always pays to raise good crops.
Even the past year, it paid, Notwithstanding the
low prices.
Mr.. Archer remarked that the wheat crop of
1878 had brought more money into Hartford coun.
ty than any crop raised since the war.
VIM Munnikhuysen agreed with Mr.. Lochary
That II Il man can and will give his crops proper
attention ii will pay him to 90 in debt for ferti-
lizers.
Silas b. Silver said it would pay to put on fer.
tilizers aud increase the crop In proportion
Going in debt sometimes makes Il mau work
harder, and at the end Of the year he is better
off.
John Moores thought that any man who had
been buying bone dust and puttingit on his farm
since 1861, and now has not money to buy any
more, he had better quit farming. There is a
great deal of land on which it will not pay to
put bone. The coming springa man ought to be
very sure it will pay before he purchases it, He
would advise farmers TO purchase very sparingly
this year. 1t would have n tendency to reduce
the price of bone dust, which is out of pro-
portion to the price of grain. In 1S47 or lS4S
bone was SD ton, and in May, lS47, wheat was
Sl.9O bushe. Now wheat is worth only 81 and
bone dust $50. Farmers should especially pur-
chase sparngly if they have to 90 in debt for il.
Most OF our lands have been boncd and we can
wait on them one year. He thought farmers
were using fertilizers to cXces. Mr.. Moorcs said
he had been trying an experiment in applying
bone dust to corn He runs out the lows, sows
the bone in the rows, then harrows the ground
lightly, without entirely oblitcratng the marks
OF the rows. Then sells the drill in The row. lie
has found that 400 lbs. applied in that way will
raise as much corn and do the land as much good
us 800 lbs. broadcast. When sowed broadcast A
great deal of it washes away. He could also see
no difference i'll the wheat which followed the
corn, where he applied 400 lbs. that wav and
where he sowed 500 lbs. broadcast.
X. John Rogers thought that at the present
prices II would be wiser to go in debt little for
fertilizers than 10 farm for even II single wear
without them. You had better farm corn with
wheat without fertilizers ofsome kind In going
in debt for fertilizers there is of course some
risk of failure, but you are not SO likely TO fail
with fertilizers as without. lie therefore held
with the majority who had spoken, that it will
pay to 60 into debt for fertilizers.
Dr. w. w. Hopkins said it seemed 10 be grant.
ed that we must have fertilizers or not farm
He did not see great difference between going
in debt for them and buying for cash. Ii ferti-
liZers are necessity it would certainly pay to
hnrr tn htt.,t hon /, a
the opinion that the excess Of the crop would
pay for fertilizers. He would not like TO dissent
from this. There Is less risk of loss by going in
debt for fertilizers than by farming without them
Parker IL. Lee thought farmers had better use
fertilizers ard go in debt for them if they could
not pay cash. A farmer can buy on credit and
make money; provided he does not increase
his expenses otherwise. No one can farm con-
tinualy without fertilizers, unless it is the large
grazler There is no certainty for wheat without
fertilizers. lie had seen this illustrated. Had
put in Il field of corn, with 600 or 700 lbs of bone
dust TO the acre, except on half an acre where
none was applied Raised lG or II barrels of
corn. The field was sowed in wheat and clover
after the corn. The yield was AZ bushels of
wheat, except on the half acre, where it was not
worth cutting, and he was ashamed of the poor
set of clover there. Mr. Lee said they had
changed their system of farming, and manured
ayearahead for the crop, with barn yard manure.
VIM d. Lee said he was opposed to going into
uept LOT lcrllllZers LOT corn III amQn would 90
into debt it would be better to do SO for his
wheat crop. The great objection to bone dust
for corn on the most of our lands is that n great
deal of it washes oil. We had better put ali the
manure we can make on our corn and buy bone
for wheat
Judge Waters said the question could NOT he
considered fairly with reference TO q single crop.
We should have system of manuring, looking
to improvement of the land ard stick 10 if will
out regard to crops. man can safely go in debt
where 1t VIII bring him in more than he pays out.
That can always be done with fertiliz rs A man
would not be justified in going in debt for ferti.
lizers for his corn crop alone. He might have
an unfavorable season and low prices, and con-
sequcnty lose money. Judge Walters said he
had put on his fertilizers last spring a wear and
expected them to make him crop of corn this |
year. The objection to bone dust washing away
when put on corn'was well made. 1t is safer
and better return will be realized by putting
1t ON grass and let it lay one or two years before
powlng IL up. His experience was i'm favor of
applying manure that way. AS to going in debt. |
Judge Walters said he did not believe it a good |
plan Tor farmers or any one else to go i'm debt |
but if man is justified in going in debt for any.
thing, 1t Is for manures; for the reason that Won
are certain OF q fair inter est on your money and
will get the principal back in four or five Years.
lie knew two farms on which good crops are
raised, from the effects of bone dust applied
twenty years ago.
g. Martin Bayless was opposed to going into
debt except to Il certain extent, for manures for
the corn crop. Would be willing to go in debt
for onehalf the fertilizer he needed. If he had
no money at all he would not buy any manure,
but would wait until he made his corn crop and
with it buy fertilizer for wheat
Silas Il. Silver asked if 200 pounds of bone
would do half as much good as 400 lbs. Mr.,
Aoores replied that he did not think it would
VIM. +. Hays said if the soil was not strong
enough to raise two barrels of corn TO the acre
and by going into debt for bone dust we could
raise six barrels we would have an increase of
four barrels and the land also improved. He had
applied 400 lbs: to piece of land, last year, and
got barrels of corn. He thought the land i'm |
proved, and ifhe had not applied it he would be
running greater risk.