The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-12-18
THE FARMERS CLUB.
AN INTERESTING DEC. MEETING.

AN INTERESTING DEC. MEETING.
A Farmers Protest Against High
Beef ana Costly Burials.
The December meeting of the Cecil
Farmers Club was held on "Wednesday
at the fine old homestead of Henry :.
Coudop, Esq, near Perryvile. Although
the weather was not propitious, it being
in striking contrast to the mellow autumn
nal atmosphere OF the November meet
ing, yet chilly winds could no. dampen
the ardor of these devoted sons of We
honorable craft of husbaudry. The meet
ing was called to order by Mr.. Joseph
Coudon. the vice president of the club.
Judge Frederick Stump, Thos. {. Bond,
E. Noyes, Adam r. Magraw, William
Moore, Stephen r. Magraw and Samuel
r. Carson being present; Messrs. Duyck-
inck, Michner, Tome and Cooling being
unavoidxby absent. The Rev. +. X.
Miller, and Messrs G. Moore, +. Z. Ew
ing and H. r. Torbert were present by
invitation. The regular routine business
of the club having been transacted, the
following paper was submitted by the
host, it's reading being received with such
evidences of approval as generally meet
the productions of its author:
THE ESSAY.
| Few subjects have of late years been
so fully and freely discussed as the one
OF farming. Not only has it furnished
| a favorite topic Of conversation to those
| Immediately interested, but others who
| have had no practical experience, and
who might be supposed to have no par
| ticular Wedge or interest in t, have
| expended wonderful amount of wind in
its consideration. Large space has also
been accorded 1t in the press. Nor has
| this been confined to the periodicals that
are strictly speaking agricultural. AL
| most all the papers, agricultural or oCn-
erwise, secular and religious, surrender
. considerable portion of their columns
to the eGliyiug OF the farmers. TINS
shows the high estimation in which our
vocation is held by the world at large.
| aud no doubt assists materially in dltfus
| ing much useful knowledge amongst it's
| member But at the same time we
must rememb Der, that large proportion
| OF these writers are men who know "A good
| deal more about the use of the pen than
the pillow, and Who are able to get up
captivating and plausible articles upon
different branches of our business, of
| which they are almost utterly ignorant.
Thus it is that deep seated prejudice
has arisen against what is called book
farming The majority OF farmers do
not spend much time in reading, and
when they See certain opinions and direc
lions spread before them-Wnlcn are d.
rectly at variance with their own exper-
| Ienoe-they do not read the Counter
statements, and endeavor by comparison
to arrive At the truth, but condemn all
book learning. This is short-sighted
policy. When We thresh out wheat a
large part of the pile is useless and is
thrown aside. We winnow the chatf from
the grain and reserve only the latter. So
ought We to do in readiug-discard the
larger part and reserve for use only the
kernel This indiScrimiuate writing is
not confined to farming. 1t is universal
and is practiced just as much III all the
affairs OF lite. The worlu is flooded with
books aud periodicals upon medicine.
theology, law aud all other professions
But must get down to the subject as
signed me, which is substantially this:
Have any OF the mem bers of this club
made both ends meet III last years ope
rations, aud If so, by what means"
This is pretty difficult and delicate
question to answer. My native mOuesty
Iorbids minute investigation into the
affairs of the members of this associa
| ton, even if the data were obtainabIe.
And besides am little timd about I'M
dertakIug the job. Suppose | should
single out Mr.. Moore OF Mir. Ma sraw Tor
instance, and endeavor to demonstrate
that they had been toIliug these last l ,
months for uaught. | might get rebuke
that would be very unpleasant, or what
is worse, an upper-cut such as Sullivan
gives. | can only answer for myself. and
| nave no hesitation in answering. III the
negative. But | feel safe III asserting
that no member has made anything in
raising grain that will Justify the amount
of labor expended, il the grain was sold
at market price, in other words that
wheat cannot be profitably raised at 50
cents per bushel, and coru at one hall
that price. 1t is almost impossible to
get at the actual cast of producing crop.
A number of little items must be cnnSid
overlooked man by careful observa
ton may tell with good deal OF certain
ty what it costs him to prepare the
ground. plant the seed. harvest, thresb
and market crop of wheat-although
oven in this, the very first series of the
necess.l data, there will be considerable
difference of opinion even amongst the
most careful calculators. Then comes
~ b..f for nd
item it is almost i'm poss. BILE to determine
just how much of the outlay should }.
charged to the first crop. Farmers sci
dom apply mauures with the sole inten-
ton OF getting one return. They look
further ahead, and when planti, L wheat
have also in view the grass that is tn
succeed it. and hence We caunot sccu-
rately divide the responsibility of the
outlay between them. Then comes the
straw, which, although not much nriz-d
yet is of considerable value wheu prop
erly handled. enough SO at least to war
rant US IN giving ii place in our account
Of profit and loss. The same general
reasoning will apply to raising corn.
xhatever mauures are used i'll its pro
duction, must III part be charged to the
oats or wheat that are to follow, aud the
fodder also is to be entered on the credit
side. But reason as we may. there Is one
thing certain, the success or failure in
conducting farm depends almost en-
tITely upon the business capacity of the
farmer himself 1t is so in all other pur-
suits. Why not in ours? Why should
we be exceptions? Look at the merchants
in the different parts of this county.
Those men who stand behind their com
tiers and await your coming as the spider
in his web awaits the entrance OF the Nv |
Som, of them are making success of
their business and are becoming rich;
some are merely holding their own, whilst
others are going behind. Take the pro
fessional men and you will see the same
inequality. Observe the lawyers swarm
ing IN the different county towns of our
State. A few, a very few, are at the top
of the ladder large number are some
where about the middle, aud a much
larger number are at the end nearest the
ground. | could mention Que in our
county who has his position at the top,
one who towers above his fellows men
tally but not physically, because, like
| the Dutchman' S COW, he is biggest wnen
lying down. The same holds good of
doctors and even theologiaus Amongst
the former you find some who are emf
| nent for their skill with the kuie aud
who are called in, in all the important
| aud difficult cases even from long distan-
| ces, whilst others VINO We're their class.
mates and enjoyed the same advantages
are entirely overlooked. Amongst the
clergy you find some who in point OF
| ability and attachments are far in advance
| of their fellows and are sought after at
high salaries, whilst others lind their