Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1883-01-19

peared to be but one opinion from thos,
who had tried the plan. Mr.. Robt +. Rob
erts, of Fairfax, Va, who had been using
ensilage three years, said he had put away
three hundred tons last year, was feeding
from fifty to sixty cows, and could pro
nounce il q decided success. Mr.. Ed. p
Thomas also pronounced ensiage success
but thought corn was better than rye to put
in the silo. lie had heard no complaint on
account of flavor, and thought it decided
advantage to dry feed. Philip T. Stabler
George l.. Stabler, Llewellyn Massey (son OF
Auditor Massey, of Virginia) and others en-.
dorsed ensilage very highly, Mr.. Charles
Stabler saying he thought it the biggest
thing out; and Mr.. Massey, that he never
had anything better.
Mr.. Samuel Hopkins thought tiaxseed
meal was excellent for fattening cattle in
winter and Mr.. Robert f. Roberts, who
had fed cotton seed meal for two years, but
never separately, thought it kept cattle in
condition, and improving both the quality
and quantity of milk.
Barbed wire fences, in the experience of
Mr. Charles f. Kirk, VIM. w. Moore and
others, were a good protection against the
invasion of horses, cattle and other animals.
On the question of whether self-binders
had proved success there was no voice in
the negative, and they were, therefore, pro-
nounced satisfactory Colonel Dorsey and
Others spoke most iavorably of binders in
general.
Mr. John M. Smith, of the Committee on
Use of Ground Limestone, reported that he
had tried some of the stone, but had failed
to find any results from its use,
The Sandy Spring Farmers Club-thc
oldest club in the country, organized in
1S44-was represented by Mr. VIM. ii. Far
quhar, who, in the outset, referred to the or
ganization of the convention, ten years ago,
from the four farmers clubs of the county,
and its continued usefulness since that date.
From twelve farms managed by members of
the club, wheat was reported AS averaging
26 bushels to the acre, and corn 11.6 barrels.
The Enterprise Club, organized in 1865,
was represented by Mr. Arthur Stabler. In
the report, ensilage was said to be no longer
an experiment. Local option or the failure
of the apple crop had affected the manufac-
ture of cider. The average of wheat to the
acre ON farms managed by members of the
club was placed at 1863 bushels, 81 barrels
Of corn, 1856 bushels OF potatoes, 30 bushels
of oats and 254 bushels of rye.
The Montgomery Club was represented
by Mr.. Robert ii. Miller, who reported the
average yield of the farms managed by the
members of the club, which were about the
same as those of the Enterprise Club. Mr..
Edward p. Thomas presented u special re-
port on ensilage, in which it was stated that
five new silos had been built in the county
during the past year.
A report was presented by Mr. Allen Far.
quhar on the weighing OF hay in Washing
Ton, and Mrssrs. BENZ II. Miller, Allen Far.
quhar and Col. Dorsey were appointed Il
committee to look into the matter and re-
port at the next convention.
A question MS To whether the Chicago
dressed beef now sold in Baltimore would
affect the raising of beef cattle in Mont
gomery county was unanimously answered
in the negative, on the ground that first
class beef would always be in demand. Mr.
Edward Gilpin said he found the whole
matter of competition was in freight rates.
When the Chicago beet was first introduced
in Baltimore, IA car of dressed beef, holding
thirty five carcasses, was run through at the
same rate as livestock, $l25 per car; but
the railroad saw its mistake, and had now
advanced to 1920 per car for dressed beef.
Messrs. Asa M. Stabler, Mr.. Aga, of Prince
Georges county; II. A. Farquhar, Geo. M.
1dtum, ii. ~. Hallowel and +. Pue also
4 spoke on the question, the latter being of
the opinion il was II question affecting the
&
than the stock rasers, Of Montgomery coun-
/ ty, Mr. Aga stated that the first grade of
beef shipped from the West went to foreign
markets, the second grade came Fast on
hoof and the third grade dressed. It was
claimed the dressed beef was Texas or
Cherokee cattle, which looked nice, but was
Of inferior grade. Various other questions
of interest 10 farmers were discussed, after
which the convention adjourned until Jan
uary, 1884.
The convention was largely attended, fully
one hundred or more of the most prominent
farmers Of Montgomery county being pres
ent The farmers claim, and there can be
no question that it is so, that these annual
conventions are productive of much good,
not only as the means for an interchange of
experience and ideas, but also in a social
way. The convention was the tenth an
nua meeting of the society.