The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-08-28
DEER CREEK FARMERS, CLUR.
Farm Implements.

DEER CREEK FARMERS CLUB.
Farm ImDlements.
The August meeting of the Deer Creek Farm
ers Cup was held at Friendship Farm. the resi-
aence OF Mr.. VIM. b. Hopkins, August I'D. This
farm formerly belonged to the late Col VIM n
Stephenson. 1t is situated on the "riyer his' Of
Hartford, from whence magnificent panorama is
spread before the eye, taking in the Susquehanna
river ana u long stretch of Cecil county, with
FORT Deposit nestling under the hills. The farm
contains 800 acres of rich land, of which l35 are
III grass' % IN corn, ~ were in wheat this summer
ana the remainder is in woods The land has been
mighty improved and it is no uncommon thing
for the fields TO produce from Is to 20 barrels of
corn to the acre.
The meeting was largely attended by active
and honorary members and visitors from the
neighborhood. In the absence of the President,
MIR. John Moores was called to the chair Mr.
HargraVes Spalding Secretary.
Messrs. k. Harris Archer VIM. Munnikhuysen
ana James W. Hanna were appointed a commit
zee to examine and report upon the condition of
the farm and premises.
Mr.. Archer, on behalf of the committee. said
that the farm, no doubt, had had more fertilizers
principally bone, applied to it than any other
| farm IN Hartford county. The barn is very large
| and II Mr.. Hopkins succeeds in filling it once a
year both he and the place will be doing their
duty. Inc lower part of the barn is arranged for
stabllng 5O cattle and more stalls could be put in
1ol Stephenson however, never stabbed his cat
| tie but once. The cattle stable and part of the
barn yard are paved. There is a pump in the
yard and hydraulic ram from which water can
be brought from spring. MIR. Hopkins has Il;
stock cattle grazing on splendid sod. One of his
permanent pasture fields has not been plowed
Tor % years, another for % and another for II
years; Inc grass is rank and luxuriant and
would suffice TO pasture much more stock than is
on 1t. The farm has on it much stone fencing,
Wnicn Col. stephenson had built Immediately ON
the surface OF the ground, believing that to be a
better way than digging a trench for foundation
for the fence. Some of the stone fencing was
erected more than so years ago.
The subject previously announced for discus
sion was Farm Implements"
Mr.. m. b. Hopkins thought that the improve
m INN ~
years mas Deen as great as in anything else. The
plows OF That period would not Slip in any soil ;
now now they are made TO do good work, and good
blowing is essential to good farming. The moving
machine, too, is great labor-savng implement
compared with the old scythe. There is also a
great advance from the sickle to the self-binder
bnt he did not know whether the self-binder
would work on the steep hil-sides on his farm or
not. The improvements in farming implements
nave been SO many that it would be impossible TO
enumerate them. He had used a double riding
corn worker ON steep hill sides and il worked ms
well as IN any land. To carry on any. farm pro-
perry 1t IS necessary to have good implements
VIM. q: Wilson said that the best implements
are the kind for farmer to buy. The improve
| menti plows has been one of the greatest lie
uses Crawford mower, but thinks nearly all of
those offered for sale are good. 1t will nav 10
have the latest improved labor-saving machinery.
put ne would not advise farmers going too much
| in debt for them.
E. @. Hopkins of Lee said that to be successful a
farmer must Keep up with the times. Judgment
however, should be used in buying machinery, as
what would suit some farms would not suit
Others, and many farmers make MISTAKE in this
direction; especially in buying poas. Buy one
kind of pillow and stick TO that. The Oliver Chill.
ed is good for smooth land, but on rough land he
prefers the Wizard or Syracuse. A man on a
small farin is apt to BUY too much machinery
He thought 1t would be good plan for persons
owning small farms to buy some machinery to-
gether.
VIM Stephenson considered that money ia saw
ed by having the best machinery. Hands work
with.
Geo. r. Stephenson said that from observation
he considered it economical for farmer to have
a mower a horse rake, a hay fork and a corn
sheiler. IL would pay farmer to go in debt for
these. Other machinery, such as a reaper a bind
er, wheat drill, &c, are not SO essential He had
as from drilling. 1t is cheaper to buy the best
machinery even at higher price than to buy in
DR.. W. w. Hopkins said every farmer ought to
have good machinery. In buying, also, he ought
to look to the source of supply in repairs Other
things being equal, he would rather give $40
more for mower or S25 more for binder If it
were convenient to get repairs for it. In buying
machinery a farmer should consult with his
what is best, before buying.
John Craig said he wanted good implements on
the farm. He regarded the Oliver chilled pillow
as the best and was the first farmer in his neigh
borhood to use one. He had never broken n
point and his land is rough. mower is so i'm
portant that 4 necessary he would 20 in debt
Tor one. On hily land he thought the cradle al
wheat.
.. Is. having
best farm implements He considered the mower
as the leading labor-saving machine and the hav
fork next. The self binder does good work but
the high price asked for them makes them objec-
tionable. The Oliver Chilled pillow is the best he
had yet tried.
james Lee said that before buying much ma
chinery 1t is important to have a proper place in
which to store 1t. He approved of buying the
best but di "a not approve of buying everything
worked on any hill side.
r. Harris Archer said tho average farmer is in
eined to buy too much machinery. Three
fourths of them are in debt and he would advise
them If they have good self-rake reaper to use
that instead of buying binder. A poor man
with only pair Of horses can frequently buy for
90 cents pillow which would have been consider
ed good one a few years ago, and Mr.. Archer
argued that he had better do this than buy an
wheat drill, which is better than going in debt for
one. The poor farmer, also, had better begin by
working his corn with the ordinary cultivator in
many bushel OF wheat to pay for binder or
corn worker.
OF the day we must use improved machinery
The amount of land to be farmed must be con-
sdered in buying machinery. We should have
such plows as do their work properly, whether IL
takes more or less power to work them. He
often has to get out pillow he made 20 years ago
to take the place of plows of the present day
X. John Rogers said that farmer can not get
along without improved machinery. and the best
is always the cheapest. A man with small means
should buy as little as possible Farmers are too
provements, often throwing aside good machine
for one more expensive and doing no better work |
The kind of machinery to buy is a matter of
opinion He doubted whether there was much
difference. Above all things 1t is important to |
take proper care OF machinery. The binder APP
pears to be a success. but there did not seem to |
be last enough in them to justify an ordinary |
farmer IN buying one. The saving In the use OF |
binder is tritiing over a reaper.
VIM. Munnikhuysen said farmers ought to have |
labor-saving machinery but not too much of it, |
Almost all kinds of plows are good, but he would |
in addition recommend a Mccormick mower, a |
Mccormick binder, Thomas hay rake, a Thomas |
hay tedder and Superior grain drill Flowing |
is done better now than formerly and with mora
ease to the team and the plowman
Thomas Lochary said there is economy in get
ting the best implements and keeping them in |
good order. Hands work more cheerfully with |
good implements and do more and better work
than with poor tools. There is such thing, on a
small farm, as getting too much machinery. IA |
farmer ought to consider whether his place will 1
justify him In getting certain machinery or not.
VIM. ID. Hopkins asked If 1t did not require some |
of machinery to run a self-binder