Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-03-26
The Practical Farmers Club.

AC loOtAOAA \ "a AANAS OAe%~'
Club met at the residence of Joseph
Thompson, on the 18th inst, at 10 o'clock
After the usual routine of business,
Mrs. Rebecca Shepherd read a most ex
cellent essay entitled, "0ver work and
unoer rest"
Miss Mary Lib. Hogue, selection
Henry Ward Beecher's Idea of Farm
ing"-by Mark Twain.
Mrs. Sarah Lodge, selection-"Land
Poor"
The topic for the day-Drainage-
with sub-topics:
1st. the kind of land most benefited
by drainage;
I'd, cheapest and best method;
Sd. Sanitary effect of drainage;
Opened by Leaman Miner. Said should
have experience, or at least some obser :
walton, in order to discuss any subject
in drainage he had not had either. In
Eastern Ohio, at an expense of perhaps
So an acre, most land could be sufficient
ly drained, while in some parts the ex-
pense would be almost equal to One-half
the value of the land. Clay soil most
benefited; sandy land does not require
it. Ia ditching, would use plow as far
as possible; not in favor of stone drains;
hard burnt glazed tile the best. In san
itary view, most benefit derived from
proper drainage of surplus water around
wells.
R.G. Hogue This was a practical
farmers club; members should speak
from practice; had never bought a foot
of tile; had experimental some in drain
ing: cheapest method was to plow ditch
two feet deep, then with mattock dig 3
inches wide and inches deep, and cover
with slabs. In this country, where horses
sink in plowfng, land needs draining.
In Western country, ague was caused by
improper drainage.
Abner Lodge-The time was coming
when all would be compelled to resort to
drainage. Tile was the best method.
NIB. Nicho!s-Leyel country requires
most drainage; God drained sufficiently
the billy country. In some level coun-
tries it was an absolute necessity. BY
proper drainage some sections of counr
try had been utilized where it was
thought to have been entirely useless.
Standing water will destroy crops in a
short time; also impure water generates
disease; should be carful about waste
water around wells. Tile the best; not
too small, as it will become obStructed
with grass roots. To stop wash in the
land, use brush with top uppermost in
the ditch.
]. A. Atkinson Our country does not
require so much drainage; level land
most benefited. In bottom land there
should be an open ditch the entire dis
taece through. Springs should be con-
Quoted to it by 4-inch tile. By proper
under drainage all wash from the hill
would be retained, thereby enriching the
land the same as by the overflow of
streams; had sufficiently drained land
by sub-soil blowing.
Calvin Pollock The subject of drains
age was yet but in its infancy in this
country. There is scarcely a ten-acre
field in Belmont county but contains
some land which could be materially
benefited by drainage; where water is
retained on the surface, crops are soon
destroyed. The reason assigned for this
is, by evaporation of the water the heat
is consumed from the soil to such an
extent as to entirely check vegetation.
Cheapest and best method is that being
adopted ali through our country-the
use of tile. Ague, chills, fevers and all
malarious diseases, much more frequent
in low swampy land; this is one of the
most important matters connected with
the subject of drainage.
John Shepherd, SRA spring of water
always the cause of spouty. land; in
Iu6 dUScuC6 VI Iuio, uOCo uOI 1CqulLS
drainage. To prevent the washing of
land get it sodded over, and do not plOw
where bitches are liable to form; to
stop wash, fill with hay in order to sod
over.
By motion it was decided to introduce
questions and answers as part of the
program in the future.
Next meeting at the home of Mrs.
Esther Miner, second Saturday of April,
at 1 o'clock. Subject for discussion,
"The need of a better road system for
our ceuntry"-to be opened by Thomas
Lodge. Subject for discussion by the
ladies, Economy in housekeeping"-te
be opened by Rebecca Shepherd.
After adjournment, some choice music
on piano, by the Misses Mamie Thomp-
son and Orie Shepherd.
THE reported death of General Grant,
which was sent out from New York
early on Tuesday morning, Was happily
without foundation. 1t is certain that
the General is slowly losing his vitality,
and tho hour of his dissoluti0n ia almost