The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-04-03
The Egis & Intelligencer
Bel Air, Md, April 3, 1885.
DEER CREEK FARMERS CLUB.
DISCUSSING THE WHEAT CROP.


II. Barnes, James Lee, WIN. ID. Lee John Moores
WIN Munnikhuysen, Il. John Rogers, Geo. e
Silver, S. Is. Silver, VIM. Webster, Judge Watteri
and H. Spaldirg, active members, and Messrs. e
Z. Monks. Israel Wheeler, Frank @. Norris ant
James Smithsun.
The subject discussed was the condition of the
wheat crop and what can be done to benefit it..
Mr.. Lochary thought that wheat sewed early
might make fair yield, If the weather should be
favorable from now until harvest. Unfortunate
ly, however, from the fact that so much corn
ground was sowed in wheat but little was planted
early. On account of the drought, too, 1t got but
little root before winter set in, and being bare the
severe winter xii ed out much OF it, Putting
corn ground in wheat seems to be the best way,
Notwithstanding the ground can seldom be seed.
eli before October. He saw little reason for
complaint. Getting crop of from IL to 10 bush
els of and 30 bushels of wheat per
acre otf the same field in a little over a year is
for the present crop. He had narrowed and
roll, wheat, but thought it of very little advan-
tage, Wheat fields have been washed more than
usual. A thin coating of straw or coarse manure
spread before the wheat comes up would prevent
washing, but it should be spread thinly or the
wheat will not stool out so well.
E. c. Monks knew of nothing that would help
the wheat but would leave 1t to the rain and sum
shine.
condition. Most farmers were late getting 1t in
and it did not get fair start. Fields that were
put in early and in good condition look better
Than those sowed later. The last two months
have been especially unfavorable to wheat, from
the freezing and thawing and the rains washing
the soil away from the roots Most fields look
yellow and dead. He hardly knew what remedy
To suggest. Some quick.acting fertilizer applied
broadcast. and rolling the ground, might help !;
but after ALL it had better, perhaps, be left to the
rain and sunshine.
f. p. Moores said he never saw so poor pros
pect for wheat A few fields look green but more
are entirely dead. He did not see how sowing
fertilizer on 1t could bring it TO life II dead. Not
only the blades but also the roots seem dead.
+. o. Norris said that in his section wheat looks,
as 1t does elsewhere throughout the country, in a
bad condition In many s PLACES i has not only
ground. Rolling might be of advantage and it
also might help to sow some quick-acting phos-
plate on it. but whether 1t would pay or not is
questionable. The roller would press the roots
in the soil aud enable il to start in the spring
weather. He had noticed that wheat on southern
exposures and where sheltered by fence rows or
timber shows more signs OF life. The hard wealth.
er when the wheat was bare did the damage.
opinion that wheat looks badly, particularly the
late wheat, but he hoped farmers were more
scared than hurt. The yield will depend upon
the season from now until harvest. He could
suggest no remedy, He had observed that wheat
northern exposures was not thrown out
probably because the ground has been hard froz-
en- ali winter The ground in some fields is pack
ed and has run together. Such fields should be
narrowed. Rolling might also help. Washes
should be stopped with straw, &c.
H. Spaulding said wheat is certainly looking
very badly but did not know how to remedy it.
X John rogers said i was difficult TO suggest
a remedy against failure in the wheat CROP
Farmers are inclined TO complain. but when we
consider that we have had fair, average crops for
the last ten or twelve years and have had pecu-
liar season we ought to be pretty well prepared
for failure. Thorough tillage is very important
Thing IN ensurng wheat but loo late for
wheat looking so badly. Scarcely field shows
any signs of life Rolling might be of considera-
BILE benefit. great many fields are washed bad
ly, These washes should be checked with some
manure as soon as you can get on the ground.
Judge James ID. Waters said it is almost too
early to determine whether the wheat crop is de-
stroyed or not. The blades are certainly dead but
he was inclined TO think that the roots are alive,
and a few days of good weather will make a
N the ADDearanceO fields,
roots are dead nothing can be done to revive them.
II not there is no more reason to manure the
wheat this spring than any other. When the
ground settles something may be done by rolling
and narrowing the ground. He thought II would
be mistake for farmers to SOW wheat very much
earlier than usual. Some years ago many farm
ers sowed in August, but the danger of the fly
was greater than of winter-killing. The last of
September or LIST of October is early enough and
the best time to SOW wheat.
He did not know what to do with the wheat but
not go i9 as b mpea THIS
W. ID. Lee did not think any thing could be
done for the, present crop except, perhaps, roll
ing. He had noticed on Southern hill-sides that
a few warm days have already made the wheat
begin to look green.
JAS. Smithson thought good deal of the wheat
would come on when spring opens, especially
S. d, Silver said the condition of the wheat
crop had been fairly represented. The prospect
is not brilliant He has one field which is not in
jured 1t is level and sheltered by woods. He
considered it good for 25 bushels to the acre. 1t
was sowed early and put in well. A hilly field on
the south side, has very little wheat on 1t, having
frozen and thawcd three times. Healows sheep
to run on his wheat every spring. believing that
tranlping is as good as rolling The prospect in
the spring for wheat is generally not very good,
and he hoped the yield this year would be better
than farmers anticipated. If wheat is rolled it
should be with a roller made in small sections so
that the wheat in every part of the field will be
pressed down. He thought 1t too late for any
fertilizer to be of use. If field is found to have
failed there will yet be time TO put it in oats or
corn.
and warm weather wheat will look more promis-
ing. Where The ground was powed early, har-
of September the wheat came up. Late sowed
wheat did not come up, the ground being too dry
and light. An old commission merchant had
remarked to him that speeulators never Judge OF
the wheat crop by the way it looks in March. He
hoped the yield would yet turn out better than
ia expected.
James Lee had examined great deal of his
wheat and found 1t hanging by one root. He did
not see how it was possible 10 do it any good.
fertilizer might benefit it but the harrow might
do harm by pulling 1t out of the ground.
b. H. Barnes said that he did not see how wheat
could be helped except by rolling. lie had OBJ
served. also, that vn northern exposures it has
stood better than elsewhere. He thought north
lying land better for all crops. He had also found
il Of advantage to top-dress wheat on low grounds
with manure. His corn ground wheat looks as
well as that sowed earlier. In short, he believed
John Moores thought wheat looked as badly as
it could and that under no combination of cir
CumStanceS. OF warm rains ana sunshine, COulu q
crop of wheat be produced in Hartford. Where
the ground was well prepared and the wheat
sowed early there may be a chalce, If the season
is good, but on poor, stalk ground the wheat is
gone 1t is attached to the ground by the tap
root only and he had seen some Of the plants
blowing about in the fence corners He always
rolls his wheat ground in the spring. 1t is of
some advantage to the wheat and it rays to have
asmooth surface to harvest over He did moi
think narrowing would be of benefit, as there Is
enough out of the ground now.
While he had seen good crop OF wheat where
1t was thin on the ground, but healthy-ooking
he had never seen wheat looking as badly as now
at any season OF the year. In some fields IL is
hard TO find green sprig. How they can make
crop he could not tell. This winter will try
the different varieties and let US know which Ii
best. Farmers can seed battle-ground early by
planting an early variety Of corn.
that the appearance of the wheat crop is deplora
bic and under the most propitious circumstances
there sa be tbs county
In the first place you can not raise a crop Of
wheat without straw, and there will be little
straw, for no farmer ever saw wheat stool ou
where the tap-root is injured:
There are some good fields, but these are excer
tlons.. Rolling and narrowing with a Thoma'
Smoothing harrow would be of advantage. L
would disturb the soil and cause 1t to fall arount
the roots. He had rolled stalk ground whea
advantage by packing the earth to the roots. H,
intends to apply to one of his fields, this spring
l50 lbs. per acre of fine bone on another he woult
put ashes. He advised farmers to seed the
ground heavier with clover this spring thar
usual. Two gallons of seed, he thought, woulc
not be too much because the timothy has beer
killed out. Harrow the ground before sowing
the cloverseed, and after sowing roll the ground
Another reason why the crop will be short is tina
he never knew wheat that was injured In winte
TO produce as well as that which has stood WE'LL
III field is washed he would certainly stop /
now by a load Of manure, which would make
break and turn the water oil.
Israel Wheeler said he had some good wheat TO
this season. The ground was plowed early. wei
worked up and the wheat sowed on the 10th o
September. Bone was sowed about the middle o
August and narrowed In.
An election OF officers for the ensuing year wa
held, Mr.. Benjamin Silver, Jr., being electe
President and Hargraves Spalding Secretary AM
Treasury.
vote of thanks to the retiring President. MI
Thomas Lochary, and the Secretary, Mr.. Edwar
p. Moores. was passed unanimously.