Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-05-02
AGRICULTURAL.
rur suCIErY,s MONTHLY MEETING.

Johu c. Linville, Gap; Peter Hershey, G
c;tv :: Levi C. Reist, Mannheim; S. p.
Eby. city j. Nj. Johnston, city B. B. l.
Haus, Boston w. w. Griest, city l
Washington l.. Hershey, Chickies ; John
Monk, West Hempfield-
John Mouk, of West Hempfcld, was
proposed and elected a member OF the So
ciety.
S.P. Eby, ESQ.,, from the committee on
fences, reported progress and asked to 10
continued. Request granted. |,
Crop Reports.
II. NJ. Engle reported the prospects OF
tho wheat crop from fair to good, some
fields very tine, some others not SO well
SET There arc some very pooc c.oVer
fields, but there may bc a fair crop.
Peaches and plums bloom profuseiy
there will be large crop. The apples arc
no. vet in bloom, but tho trees look healthy.
The cats aud potatoes are more backward
than is usual at this time of year. The
fall of rain during February was nearly
four inches during March three and one
eighth inches, and April not quite three
inches.
Levi S. Reist reported all kinds of fruits |
very promising clover very poor.
Peter Hershey reported an almost COM
plcte failure of the clover, in tho eastern
end Of the county, cvcn Oh the best land
and, singular Us it may appear, tho better
the ground the poorer the clover.
john G. LinnvilIe reported a similar
state of affairs in Salisbury. Some iieids
OF clover are entirely bare lie has one 1lcid
of iiinty, clayey ground, which was burned
last summer as hard as a brick, and there
the grass is better than elsewhere. The
wheat is good in Salisbury not so good III
East Earl, and worse 4 few miles east OF
this city.
5. Z. Eby said in loose soil the clover
is frozen out, while in hard soil it looks
better.
J. G. Rcsh made a similar statement.
The poorer the land the better the clover
He suggested that fields, i'll which clover
had missed this year, should be sOwn in
rye in the fall and tho rye be cut for hay
before it comes into head, and then plOw
tEo land for clover.
III, NJ. Engle did not think tho above
proposition would work well. Rye makes
a very rough hay, though it is valuable as
~, "cn feed. For some years past our
.,r,ss =, ii hay crops have been very short.
Iuc ca,,ss ,,,r this is the long drouths we
haye had during the early summers: Inc
same NAV be said OF oats; but VIC sho"lo
noi desmond on this account perhaps VIC
nay have favorable weather for years TO
come. But there must be other causes,
for some farmers have heavy crops ever,
during unfayorablc weather. lie believed
the failure is sometimes due to late anu
close pasturing.
,.,tcd promising in Paradise the grass
backward but fairly good some corn has
been planted, but not much there Is :
rood deal of last years tobacco yet OF
land. The young tobacco plants looi
well. none of them being injured oy tht
irGSt.
How to Raise Corn.
Tho questions, "What is the bas
uethod to raise a good crop OF corn
md "What is the best variety Of corn!'
we're taken up and discussed.
II. NJ. Engle said that good land WEI
prepared good seed of good variety p"
into good ground at the proper time an'
under favorable conditions would bring TIL
answer. Ii should not be planted too earl!
nor too deep, nor when the ground IS coiu
the seed should not be covered too deeply
not more than an inch at moss. In
question of drilling or hillng is = moote
o;c. The largest special crops have bee
crown in drills, but tho largest averae
crous in hills, where it can be worked bot
ways Cultivate up to tassciDS time, Dt
not too deeply. Sucker the corn CAREFUL!
as the suckers draw the substance !ro
tie stalk, and if the suckers are allowed
tasscl the pollen from them vii! lmpre
nate tho main stalks and deteriorate u
crop.
s. p. Eby narrated his experience
cuItiyatiug Arabian corn. lie planted
hills. soaked tho seed i'll tar water III
sprinkled it with plaster. 1t came I
sooner than dry seed and escaped u
ravages of birds.
Join G.. Rcsh did not think Lancast
county farmers should make corn sro'
ing specially {; we. can buy it cheap
than we can raise it. More attention
the growth of wheat and tobacco will p;
better.
Peter Hershey regarded the corn CT
as q very important one more lmpotIa
than wheat, rs it is moro certain or
and requires less manure. Hc plant
his corn in rows, three feet apart, wi
hills two feet apart, two stocks to t
hill, and cultivated only in one directlf
lie agreed with Mr.. Engle that tho sc
should not be covered too deeply, neitl
should tho plowing nor cultivating be
deep.
.John Mouk asked for information as
the value of the Chester county mammt
variety of corn.
President Wilmer had tried it and {
not like 1t 1t grew well, prO0uceu ial
ears. but required too long time
ripen, and the grains shriveled very mu
after husking.
NJ. Englc endorsed what Mr.. Eby S
about soaking and tarring and plaster
the seed corn. lie preferred gas tar
ta, water. lie did not agree with
i;csh that it was necessary to manure
corn fields. lie preferred to seed his CO
in two-year-Old clover-sod, with'
manure. The Chester county manm'
is nothing more than the large gnuvt
rety. 1t has big stock, big cob and Zig
weight grain. 1t moulds in the crib ;
will not bring rs much per bushel in
market as the smaller varities. In ans
:oa question by Mr.. Reist, Mr.. Engle S
trat "the yellows - in corn is caused /
small black or blush aphis, somcth
like the apple aphis knew of no rem
Cor it, but thinks that salt applied to
roots might be a remedy.
Commercial Fertilizers Potatoes.
"Can commercial fertilizers be pr
ably used on the potato crop, and
should they he applied?'' Mr.. Epg]e
swered that any good fertilizer prop
applied will pay. But there are SO m
varieties of commercial fertilizers j
necessary to select the best. He belle
any fertilizers containing potash and p
phorc acid to be valuable. A great q