The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1880-01-30
Deer Creek Farmers Club.

WHAT is THE BEST SYSTEM OF FARMING?"
The Deer Creek Farmers Club met at the farm
OF Mr.. K. John Rogers, near Bel Air, on the 2ith
instant. and gave their ind: opinions ami ex-
perience as to the best system of farming with a
view TO profit and increasing the productiveness
OF the farm
Mr.. Rogers remarked that so much had already
been said upon the subject that nothing new re-
manned He thought that proper system of rota-
liberal disposition to ferilize properly consttu-
ted the main grounds for success In farming. As
little working stock us possible should be kept,
especially horses An idle horse in the stable is a
continual loss: A great many farmers keep too
much capital invested in horses He finds most
profit in cattle and wheat. They always bring
cash BESIDES cattle convert great deal of rough
1000 mo manure, lie was not inclined to raise
the land more than cutting hay.
James Lee said he agreed with Mr.. Rogers about
Keeping as few horses as possible, and also to
wheat and cattle being more profitable than any
thing else. He believed in fertilizng heavily for
wheat. When he does that he raises heavy crop.
Last year his yield was AZ bushels and for three
years the average has been 40 bushels per acre.
HIS plan Is to pillow clover sod and use 800 lbs of
well in proportion as large quantity. heavy
application leaves the ground in much better con-
wheat will pay for the fertilizer He applies 400
lbs broadcast in August and generally drills in 400
he drills in 400 or 800 lbs to the acre with the wheat
There is great profit in feeding CATTLE besides the
Improvement to the land His experience was
that ned pastured every year would improve
s. Il. Silver said the main point in farming was
to make the land produce and he thought top
dressing the proper way to apply most manures,
even bone. To make profit after the land is in
condition grazing cattle or Sheep according to the
quality OF the land, is the proper thing to do
Light land should not be grazed with sheep
Would apply manure on sod the year before plow
ing for corn Sod land plowed once should be re-
plowed so as to leave the sod on top He had had
no experience in applying bone dust to grass, but
believed the result would be good If he had 100
acres OF good land that would raise heavy sod,
he would not keep cattle, but would keep sheep -
If situated three miles from railroad would go
into the dairy business There is more money in
COWS than in any other stock. On IA small place
there is more money in sheep. They only require
feeding ~ or months of the year From $50 ewes
$1,000 n year can be made, and one man can attend
to 300 sheep. 1t requires 70 ~ acres of land to
graze25O sheep and the land would improve so that
many sheep are kept the land deteriorates. They
should not be allowed to Craze the land too close
nest-cattle, sheep and large crops of wheat
There is no money in corn. BY means of clover
and top-dressing farm will grow rich sooner than
George L. Silver said he believed in rotation of
crops ana in keeping cattle and sheep. Land
should be well manllred and sufficient stock kept
to turn all the rough food into manure. lie would
also apply fertilizers, such rs bone, &c. His
method is to pillow sod for corn, and generally puts
corn IN the second year. then seeds TO wheat. He
has discarded oats. Instead of putting in the
second year would prefer wheat, but that is not
always convenient If he succeeds in getting a
good catch of grass he lets it lay for 10 years 1t
is better to SOW clover, because II lghtens up the
ground and Is better for stock, except horses,
and especially valuable sheep. lie regarded one
ton of clover better than ton and half of tmo-
| thy. He sows clover after wheat and then seeds
| to wheat and then topermanent pasture of mixed
| grasses He did not think that farmers should al
ways follow in old ruts, but if they could find any
thing that would pay better they should follow It..
In our county the canning of fruit had grown TO
be an extensive business. Tobacco raising is also
something that our farmers will all be interested
| in. We can raise as good tobacco and get as good
price for as the farmers Of Lancaster county, Pa.
| lie had tried, as an experiment. one acre of to-
bacc1 and sold therefrom l,lGO lbs, at ~ cents
| pared with Lancaster county. Oneman there had
raised on fouracres $500 lbs per acre. His tobacco
was sold at an average of % cents per h., making
him 5000 per acre A profit of $3.50 to 5000 an acre
was common Some of the members suggested
| that where such crops were raised the tobacco
| patch was fed with manure while the rest of
| the farm deterorated. Mr.. Silver thought that
| was not the case. Sod land was plowe1 for corn,
| which was followed with tobacco and the tobacco
| with wheat No manure is applied for wheat, but
| it is used for the tobacco.
| A NJ. Fulford said the best method of farming
| depended upon the location and the character of
| the soil, and one set rule would not cover every
| case. Near u city, where the dairy business can
| be prosecuted, that would pay best but ut a re-
mote distance raising diversified crops, and using
the produce on the place in order to save hauling,
| would be better. Success depends on the manner
of farming, doing everything promptly and thor
| oughly ON high manuring, so as to raise on one
acre what Others raise on two. Attention to
| tools and all the mnutin of farming is very inn
portant. All that can be reduced in expenses goes
| to the side of profit.
JullcS H. Dali tIOllPHl Ut our from
| railroad It is bad policy to do much hauling
| Farmers should not keep too much team. There
| is more money in sheep and cattle than in wheat
raising. wheat brings ready money, ii is true but
it costs labor and fertilizers to raise and prepare il
for market. member of the club once remark
ed that to improve laid farmers should burn then
plows and spread the ashes. John Quincy Adams
| is credited with saying that the agricultural
wealth of England is on foot, while grain growing
tons. Feeding cattle tends more to the wealth of
the land and of the farmer than too much crop
| bone was used here, English farmers had used il
| to supply the waste from milk, beef, &c. Apply
ing it to grass he thought the true plan here. II
| nomically without bone to supply phosphates
which are continually drawn from the soil. Pro,
badly the reason why beef can be produced with
profit in this section is because the land has been
| boned for other crops.
John Moores said he supposed the man who
makes the most money out of his farm is the one
who is thought to be improving it most rapidly
Last year he sold 800 worth of hay from 25 acres
| What other crop would have made that much out
| OF the same land, unless it was tobacco? In this
country we must practice mixed husbandry TO i'm
| prove the land, or it will become poor Grazing
cattle, raising wheat using plenty of bone dust tc
| improve the land and living economically is the
right plan. Itmay be profitable some years to raise
to have little of both. For the last 20 years hay
has paid. One year he sold $1,000 worth of hay
from ten acres. Very fine bone applied 10 a good
thick sod will improve it, but if the bone is coarse
no good effect can be seen. Coarse bone will moi
decompose on the surface.
most profitable crops. lie did not believe in graz
ing, except to rest the land. Would buy cattle
rough food and make manure, and sell them in
the spr ing. 1t takes three acres of grass to fat
steer besides The feed they ana the net
| cut seven tons of hay, worth at least 800. In
Lancaster county, Pa, where they have the best
| farms in the United States, they keep only Il few
cows. Wheat is certain crop, year in and yeai
out: Hay is the best paying crop we can raise
VIM: Munnikhuysen said he only knew one sys-
mr. N "A inf in
Bennett II. Barnes was of the opinion that there
| is more money in wheat and cattle than anything
else. lie would not Craze but feed during the
winter There is no profit in hay, because it takes
an extra amount OF team and costs eonsderaby
to harvest and get il, to market. He would only
cut enough to feed the cattle.
James W. Hanna said he had been farming all
his life and only made something to eat and little
to wear. Last year he had II large crop of corn
portion of the field was dressed with stable ma
| nure year before it was plowed and the remain
der just before blowing. No difference could
be seen in the crop. On one-half of the field bone
applied at the rate of 400 lbs. in the hill Nc
difference in favor of that portion could be seen
| when it looked greener than the other.
| George w. Grant said that year after year hay,
Fl ha can 10 be S o % ay as VII
| ford county he thought was two tons per acre.
You can haul two tons at II load and get $40 for
it. A load of wheat will scarcely ever realize so
| much and the expense of raising II is greater.
discussion took place as to the cost of har-
could be placed in the NOW for 50 cents a ton, if
| n man worked his ordinary farm hands and his
| own team. Mr.. Grant concurred in this estimate.
| Mr. Grant also thought farmers should raise oats.
| crop of oats can be raised without interfering
with the corn and hay, crops and all that is rea-
| liked from the oats will be clear profit.
| VIM. Il. Hays said he endeavored to follow a
| rotation of crops that would improve the land and
| make as much money as possible. Never cuts
any more hay than he wants for his cattle be-
cause he does not think 1t profitable to haul away
| the farm by the load. To make money out of
land it must be improved. You not haul the
crops away, but drive them OIL in the shape of
| he believed in also. AS TO applying bone dust on
| grass Mr.. VIM. Woolsey had told him to apply it
with manure. He had spread it with manure and
bone dust and manure separately on grass
Where the two were mixed he was satisfied it
mid three fold pOmpnppl with tho