The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1883-10-26
The Egis and [ntelligencer
Bel Air, Md. October 2G. 1853.
Deer Creek Farmers Club.
How to Improve Poor Land.


pointed committee to examine and report upo
the condition of Mr. Lees farm and stock Thei
report was complimentary III every respect MI
Lees farm consists of PIG acres of highly imprOv
ed land, and being chiefly a grazing farm, III
ture and has not been plowed for 40 years MI
Lee le "ly sold lot of fat cattle, some of whic
were snIpped to Europe. The committee regard
ed this as a compliment to Hartford county graz
ers, since Il few years ago Hartford could no
raise corn enough to feed her people. Mr.. Jane
Lee has 80 head of stock cattle which are tn
finest ever seen in Hartford county. He ha
number of registered Short Horns and a pei
bushels of wheat on 30 acres, He also farme,
200 acres of land in the neighborhood, his entir
wheat crop on 6S acres being lGs7 bushels, or owe
% bushels per acre. Mr.. Moores, of the commit
make one like MIR. Lees. ,Mr. VIM Webster ,fel
proud that there is such farm in Hartford
county, and regarded it as model.
The subject discussed was ,"The best rotation o
crops to improve poor land
James Lee.-The trouble with poor land is the
lack of vegetable matter. You must get that il
the land In some way. In taking up poor land M
would first pillow it in the spring, sow buckwhea
or early peas turn them in late in the summer OF
in the fall and sow wheat. If his bank account
TO get a stand of clover. When you get land Il
growing clover there is not much trouble to i'm
prove it; He would pasture the clover the first
ground two years and then plow it again fol
wheat returning the straw Immediately to the
ground. AS soon as the land would grow corn he
would plant it, get stock to eat and tramp up the
rough feed, returning the manure to the ground
years, clover, wheat and grass, leaving it in sod
length of time for pasture. In applying fertili,
Zers would prefer to use them on wheat, blowing
early; SOW bone Immediately, broadcast, striking
1t in lightly with harrow. would apply barn
yard manure to sod. For wheat 1t makes too
much straw, throwing the wheat down and kill
ing the grass.
VIM. Il. Sawyer thought the best way would be
to cultivate something that would be available
Tor plant food and get the land in clover. Would
apply bone early in the season and make growth
of clover, even If not strong. Glover will grow
on thin land, but heavy, clammy soils do not suit
It well. His rotation is corn two crops of wheat,
followed by grass: He plows wheat stubble to
get it in good condition. Let the grass remain If
he can, four or five years, moving the first year.
Pasturing may set the grass better.
Geo. f. Silver said the best rotation he knew of
TO make poor land fertile is barnyard manure and
bone dust. But the cost must be considered and
farmers like to make the ground pay its way while
improving it. We are limited, to certain extent,
as to rotation of crops, to corn, wheat, hay and
grass: Giovofis great help to the soil and on
ures. 1t is necessary to put the land in some crop
and that depends on the ability to apply manure.
His rotation would be corn, wheat, clover. Let
and put in wheat, Follow With grass. Nov it
dressing. In this way the land can be brought to
good state OF cultivation in n few years, and
Judge Waters said he did not attach the same
Importance that many persons do to systematic
rotation of crops. We sh uld manage land SO as
to keep it in that condition. TO make land rich
we must use barn yard manure and bone dust to
had a poor land to improve he would first get in
condition to raise clover, then apply aquIck fert-
llzer, raise eropof wheat and start grass to grow
ing. He could SOW clover, and when that was
set would sow bone dust on it, letting it rest until
nature dissolved the bone dust 1t would then be
ready to raise wheat or corn. BY occasionally
blowing down a crop of grass you supply organic
matter and improve the soil. In using raw bone
theory and practice both point to putting it on
grass and let it lay year. Better results are OBJ
tanned in this than in any other way. The rotation
a hQU N ha MIR wv
out of its order.
John Moores believed that the system generally
adopted here by farmers is the BEST that is corn,
wheat, followed by wheat again and grass
But with poor farm and poor farmer the best
would first sow buckwheat, put the land in wheat
the same fall, followed by wheat the next
year Then SOW in timothy. but the latter is not
improving to land.
Parker II. Lee said when he first took the farm
on which he lives the land was very thin and
nearly all in commons. He began with good plow-
ing, and depended on clover and pasture to i'm
prove 1t until lime came into use. Any Deer
keeping grass on it, If he intended to make a
poor farm improve itself he would SOW no grass
but clover Would NOW the clover the first and
pasture with sheep the second year Then pillow
the clever under for corn, and follow with wheat
r. John Rogers said that in taking up poor land
he would like to get ii in clover as soon posi-
bic. The surest way to set clover is with oats.-
After sowing the oats sow the clover, giving the
ground brush with harrow and you will be
pretty sure to get a set Use some fertilizer,
even Tor oats. with good crop of clover as a
starting point follow with wheat and clover again.
There is poor chance for corn on poor land, but
wheat is more certain. With free use of clover
possible to follow up strict rotation of crops
He asked if any one had found blowing buck
wheat under beneficial.
Thos. A. Hays said the best crop of wheat he ever
raised was by blowing in buckwhoat. Last year
he sowed acres of corn ground with peas using
some fertilizers. They made Il rank growth which
he plowed under and had an increased CROP
The Gale is the only pillow that will turn under
harrow it, Get the land in clover as soon us pos
sible, and keep it in clover as long as you can.
VIM. Munnkhuysen would try to get some kind
of grass growing first and then use Orole phos-
phate on wheat, following with clover.
Thomas Lochary said that in bringing up poor
land he would Try to keep the land in clover as
much as possible. He was not as much in favor
of making ground rich by resting it as he used to
be. After land is in clover two years follow with
corn and wheat, sowing clover the next spring.
He has clover growing three years out of four,
and a crop of wheat and corn every four years
Keep little stock in summer and much in
winter as possible. Haul out the manure as
soon as you can.
outside means he would run or and let somebody
else improve it. Clover and commercial fertilizers
should be used TO begin with.
Edward p. Moores said his rotation would be
corn, followed by wheat two years in succession,
theu sow clover. Fertilize the corn and wheat as
and pasture the second. If he wanted to pillow he
would try to put on a covering of stable manure
first.
Il. NJ. Allen said he never saw crop of green
clover plowed under fail to bring good crop of
wheat. Glover is great fertilizer and is not
used enough.
John Moores said $40 worth of bone dust would
improve the land more than ton of clover,
which might be sold for So The worst crop of
wheat he ever had was from blowing under green
clover.
r. Harris Archer agreed with MIR. Moores in re-
gard to blowing under green clover, If you apply
half ton of bone dust to sedge field it will
bring it up at once, but it is easier to
make poor land good than to make good land
rich.
VIM. f. Hays had tried to improve poor land by
several plans. He had sowed buckwheat, cutting
it of and blowing it down, following with wheat
He had also broken up land in the fall, summer
fallowed it, sowed wheat the next fall and grass
seed on the wheat. He applied 400 lbs. of bono
dust and 60 lbs of Peruvian Guano.
VIM. Webster regarded clover as the basis OF
Improvement to all the old farms of the county
He did not see why farmer could not follow q
rotation, and could judge from experience what
crops would best aid in improving the land He
referred to lands in the Forest that had beer
made rich by putting the manure in one place
and claimed that any land could be made rich. 2
Bennett II. Barnes said his experience will
timothy hay differed so much from that of othe
members that he hestated to express it. He hat
cleared a woods, ten years ago, plOwed 1t in thu
fall, the next spring planted it in corn, followed
by buckwheat and bone. No fertilizer has beer
with timothy and never missed a crop. He be
leyed land might be improved by cutting tlmo
thy. Pure bone will improve land without stab
manure, but it Is better to use stable manur
with it.
S.B. Silver, the President, said he thought it
good plan to pillow down green crops. If he had
turing sheep on it would bring it up quicker am
at less expense than anything else. When tn
clover is gone better grass will take its place.
Adjourned to meet at S. b. & Geo. f. Silver's
November 10TH
For he 1fEgiS.
The Duty of Democrats.
ic 90 ia nf h, Pc ,,o,ty by en,no r