Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-24
For THE EVENING STAR
FARMING IN VIRGINIA.
April Meeting OF the WOodDaWn Clu

rHK LIME auEsrIoN-ARE GENTLEMEN FAxn-
ERs UsEruL.-rHE QUESTION OF TEEclEo-
pEsrRABrLTrr OF DOING AWAY wTru rHIs
Expensive ApJUScr TO rARnrSo.
The Aprfl meeting OF the woodiawn Farmer
club was held at Dilworth Buckman's @ the
18th instant, President Pierson In the chair.
The threatening weather OF the morning gave
place 10 a bright and pleasant afternoon whom
a goodly company assembled 20 discuss the
lime question. which was introduced by read
ing an article from the "Practicsl Farmer" or
Philadelphia. wherein &c was stated that the
former practice of lining on sod for corn. or
between the ploughing and narrowing. had
been abandoned In a large degree In that vicin-
lily, the light OF experience having shown that
II was more advantageous 20 apply the lime on
the young grass amer the wheat was taken on
this being received as gospel. as the idea came
nom small body OF gentlemen-farmers,p prom
inent among whom was W. NJ. singerly. OF the
Philadelphia Record and that they were not
practical men, but Harmed by proxy, without
regard TO cost-more tor recreation than profit
ana ,nat they were not safe guides for those OF
This brought out several members on the
other side OF the question, who though, such
men were benefit 10 agriculture, ~ they had
and Investigate.
progress was being made in agriculture, and the
class referred 10, including such men as IAwes
ana Sulloert IN conjunction with the adyAnced
agricultural chemists OF the times werO doing
much good In lifting farmers out oi the old ruts
Iaen followed an inquiry as TO the dement's
that had resulted from the use of lime I'm this
section, and the experience given in showed
rather conclusively that where lime had done
the most good was on land well supplied with
vegetable matter, and generally had the most
marked effect on loamy or light soils Several
stated that they had used IT without much or
any benefit, but nearly all such instances were
where the land was thin. The cases where
lime has benented poor land have generally
oeen exceptional and owing 60 local conditions
Samuel Pullman had used gas lime viii good
results. Its cheapness was It's recon nenda alton
lie had used IT ON wheat 70 the INJURY oil the
crop, out the following grass crop had been
greatly benefited. 1t was not best To put on
too much lime OF any kind at one time-litIlo
ana often Is the motto. An instance where i've
hundred bushels per acre were used was cited
and poor crops for several years was the result
A vote was taken on the question whether
stone lime could be used TO advantage I'm this
section IL IL could be had price not exceeding
fifteen cents per bushel, delivered at the nearest
favor OF lime, and five thousand bushels would
9e wanted the present season upon the con-
From the reading OF the critical report IL an
pearea that the farm Of our host contains ls9
acres, the most OF il now under cultiv alton and
the larger portion having been covered by the
primitive forest when he took possession some
80 years ago. He follows mixed farming. and
i has butter dairy, with stock Of IL cows and
also work horses and nice 2-year-old colt
several hogs and one grown-up pet lamb thai
heu ionSsonc-aii the STOCK III good order.
lhere are 80 acres In wheat which compared
very iavorsbly with that OF his neighbors. and
ABOUT the same amount In grass-l4 acres man
ured and plowed lpr corn, az also land for earIy
ana late potatoes. II was thought that The corn
crop OF the past year AUST have been heavy, a.
the crib was forced several degrees from the
perpendicular by the heavy weight Imposed
upon IL. IL was noticed that the farm WAS rather
devoid OF fencing, and the question was raised
AS TO the desirability OF doing with less OF that
expensive adjunct to farming and grow more
soHihS crops There are many advantages in
TINS course, and there is an evident tendency
ia mat direction as the years 60 by. IN conciu.
sion, our friend Buchanan was commended for
the Industry and energy that has been dis
played upon this farm, placing him in the
TANKS, TANKS OF the public beneiactors, and II was
Inought that II his example was more extern
dred evils would cease to flourish. The next
meeting at sam Pulman's, May 10th. Critical
COMMITTEES: L. W. Blunt ID. Buchanan aud
WAIVER Waiton. w. GILLINGHAN, Sec.