Bridgeton pioneer., 1886-12-16
Board Of Agriculture.

| A|oCOAi, iCoIoCdU vi Uut
County Board of Agriculture, raped
that organization to order in the Court
House Friday afternoon.
There was a large number of farmers
present from all parts of the county
and much interest was manifested, in
the proceedings.
The business that the meeting first
proceeded with was the election of
officers for the ensuing year and new
Board of Directors.
The old officers Messrs. Morris
Bacon, President; W. O. Garrison,
Secretary; and Theo. F. Baker, Treas
urer were unanimously reelected to
bill their respective positions A new
Board OF Directors were chosen to
succeed the old Board consisting of
John Tyler, Jr., John F. Rainear, Win
field s. Bonham and Robert More.
The new Board is Isaac M. Smalley,
Thomas Ewing, Chas. E. Elmer, Thos
e. Hunt and John f. Rainear. Morris
Bacon and W. O. Garrison were elected
to represent the Board at the State
Board of Agriculture
A resolution, requesting the repre-
sentatives from this District in Con-
gress to urge the passage of bill now
before Congress, to establish National
Agricultural Experimental Stations,
was unanimously carried.
As announced by the Chair, the sub
jects of asparagus Culture was
then taken up. Mark R. Dare, of
Greenwich township, opened the dis
cussion. He told briefly of his exper-
ience with this plant and of the many
mistakes he had made since 1869 when
he planted his first bed He said that
experience has taught him that the
methods which were used at that time
were not the right ones, and that since
then he had thoroughly changed all
his methods of raising asparagus. His
method now is just as soon as he is
done cutting his asparagus he takes
his 'Acme" harrow and goes over his
ground three or four times to tear up
the weeds. He then goes over it with
his cultivator to smooth up the ground
SO that he can NOW it with machine
A1ttRa Fall when it is done growing
ground. It takes very iarge quan-
tity of fertilizer but does not need
any particular kind. Did not think
there was great deal of money in the
crop, but the crop brought the farmer
money before any other.
After Mr.. Dare came Mr.. Isaac Ridg
way, of Greenwich. He gave an off
hand experience in the raising of the
crop, but said he thought it was a
comparative easy crop to raise. He
thought it was a good paying crop.
That last year an acre and half of as
paragas paid him $67s. Did not use
barn yard manure. Always used
sturgeon fertilizer and thought it was
the best.
He thinks that four inches deep is
about the right depth to plant, al
though he set his some deeper. The
deep setting kept the plant long time
getting to the surface. He plowed
his bed in the Spring and then levelled
it with revolving harrow, and let it
go. But little second size ever grows
on his ground.
T. f. Baker then gave brief views on
the question, and also the benefit of
his experience.
Chas. E. Elmer also spoke upon the
subject.
Mr.. Thos. HI. Hunt took up peach
culture, and gave them the benefit of
his wide experience and observation.
Peach trees one year old and in
thrifty condition were the ones to
commence with. The best ground
was that upon which forty bushels OF
corn could be raised to an acre. He
thought this was about the proper
kind of land. While there was a wide
difference in opinion regarding the
time of setting out trees, he could not
see that it made any difference whether
the trees were planted in the Fall OF
Spring. The soil should be dry, moi
wet. Rows of trees should be about
twenty feet apart, and at least ten feet
from the fence. Flowing the entire
ground he could not see the necessity
for. He gave it as mistake to allow
the growing of laterals, but that il
the first year they should be trimmed
off. He thought that it would be vel
to plant corn in an orchard while
young; the third year, tomatoes OF
potatoes; the fourth year would pro-
duce crop of peaches. Manure he
did not think was needed if corn was
planted, although it would not do any
harm. He liked mineral fertilizers
better than manure. He gave as
profits from peach raising from $40 tc
$175 per acre per year. Mr. Hunts
discussion was very interesting, and
held closely the attention of the farm