The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-02-26

for Spring Crop.
RoNEY's POINT, Feb. %, 1880.
Editors 1ntelIgeneer.
AS I have not seen anything in your pa
per from this neighborhood for some
time, thought would give you a few
notes.
There is farmers club organized in
this vicinity, called the Roney's Point
Farmers Club, composed of some Of the
best farmers in this community. AT
their meeting for organization the follow.
ing officers were elected: President, ].
NJ. Bell; Vice Presidents, James Orr aud
George E. Sisson; Recording Secretary, 7.
J. Orr; Corresponding Secretary, L. P.
sisson; Treasurer, John Robinson. The
object OF the club is to try and further the
interests Of agriculture in this neighbor.
hood and for social intercourse.
AT the time OF organization, February
l, 1850, T. ]. Orr was appointed to read a
paper on the best mode OF preparing
the ground for spring crop, and on last
Saturday the paper was read as follows:
air. President and gentlemen Of Ge club:
S 1t is with no little difIidence that at
tempt the task imposed on me by your
committee, and i'll fail to entertain you
for the short time l shall claim your at
tention you will please accept my mex
,perience as my excuse for the failure.
Agriculture has engaged the attention
ofour race from the earliest history OF the
world. is progress has been varied. AS
nations advanced in civilization and in
telligence, agriculture kept pace with the
Improvement, and rs agricultural declined
national prosperity followed in its wake.
Step BY step It has advanced until to-day it
stands in the front rank OF professions and
bids fair ere long to mount still higherand
occupy that exact position intended by
the Creator. ~
Within tho memory OF those now living
agriculture in the United States has risen
from a mental employment to one con-
Quoted on scientific principles engagingthe
minds OF the best talent our country can
afford. Look ut 1t in whatever phase you
please advance is the watchword all along
the line. 1t Is true, that some are content
TO trudge along in the cutters worn BY
their fathers, but such must inevitably be
left behind in the race, and see the
husbandmar's reward snatched from their
grasp and placed in the hands Of their
more enterprisiug neighbors. One has
said that eternal vigilance is the price Of
liberty, and we may also say that it Is the
price Of success in all departments oil
agriculture.
The subject proposed for discussion this
afternoon Is one which is fundamental 70
all successful agriculture, and yet 80 much
depends on the character OF the soil, the
season. the amount OF rainfall, &C., thai
| 1t Is hardly possible to establish pre-
cedent that will answer under all circum'
stances. 1t Is, believe, o conceded poin'
that in the preparation OF the soil for
crop thorough pulverizing ID absolutely
necessary, and yet perhaps we all NIGH
recall instances when the opposite OF thu
course was more successful. / might re
cite one instance that came under my owr
observation. In the spring OF 1871 thu
early part OF tho season was unusually
favorable for preparing the ground foi
spring crops, and most Of our tarmei
| friends were congratulating themselves OF
the fine condition Of their corn ground a
planting time, It was not 80 howeve
with neighbor Supler. he had been max
ing roads and did not get his blowing don't
until some time in May. The ground hat
become so dry and hard that 1t took TIT
best efforts OF heavy yoke OF cattle Z
drag the pillow on Its weary way. IN In
blowing was at last accomplished and tn
harrow dragged oyer the ground Wlthou
any perceptlble effect. The corn wa
planted on the 18th Of May on the Glodies
piece OF ground that | ever walked over
ON the next day rain began to fall and con
tinued to pour down almost necessarily
ior week, thoroughly soaking and pack
ing our smooth ground, rendering 1t I'm
possible for the corn to come u
through the crust without assistance
It was now Supler's time to laugh
, his clods absorbed the surplus water
mouldered down, leaving the ground loos
and in fine condition for the young cor
, to make start. The result was one
the best crops OF corn that l ever 50,
/, raised, II was estimated at over 50 bushel
shelled corn per acre. Yet notwithstane
. ing this result ! do not think that neigt
Dor Supler, or any gentleman preser
.. would care To 'accept this as Q precedent
govern them at all times. / cite this cas-
: as an illustration Of the proposition, thl
we cannot establish precedent that wi
answer under all circumstances. l al
satisfied that fall or winter plowing Is 81
/, vantageous when our soil Is OF clay
|. Limestone character. Land ofthis descril
. ton rloyed in the fall or early winte
u and stirred Just before planting, with
donble shovel pillow or cpltyator, max
me best preparation for planting col
= that i have ever seen. 1t has been thong