Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1886-10-15
Our Agricultural Society.

Editor Sentinel In reading the address o
President Muncaster before the late meet
ing of the Agricultural Society, | founC
some omissions, as "reminiscences of the So
ciety, which from memory, (having no rec.
ord } may add TO the interest of the Society
The spirit of improvement commenced
among the farmers and housewives twenty
years before the Society was thought of, as
the following will show:
In my school days, about 1928, Mr.. Lyd.
dane, Gather of S. NJ. Lyddane, Esq.,
well remember, commenced hauling lime,
as return loads, by his servant, Lewis
who was his market man VIM. Tomlinson
when marketing, about the same time,
would bring old horse bones from the hills
of Georgetown, grind them, and spread on
his land, (adjoining our school house.) Ohio
Magruder, as early as 1880, would, in re.
turn loads, bring oyster shells, make bed
Of rough wood, mixing the shells with brush
wood, burn and spread on his land About
the same time Robert Dick coated his fields,
near Bethesda church, with lime. All four
OF these received large returns in crops, &c
Walter j. Muncaster, long before i846,
would send his wagon to Alexandra, Va,
for African Guano, telling me it paid better
than hauling manure from his barnyard.-
Many farmers in the Poolesville region were
using stone lime long before 1880.
1t was this awakening spirit that began
to pervade the county, here and there, that
formed the Agricultural Society of Mont.
gomery county, located at its county seat
All honor to the actors, whose names were
recorded; but many not named were equally
its friends. First | will give the name of
Matthew Fields, blowing the farmers horn
thrnnuh 10 or rrin e,
White brothers, near Poolesville | would
olso mention the names of Poole, Young,
Cissel, Williams, Matthews, and host Of
others along the line of the Potomac reach
ing to Georgetown and Washington-the
former place being my home since 1884
Ohio Magruder was the first to introduce
the mower, made by Hussey, of Baltimore
Soon followed the introduction of improved
reapers, mowers and binders, all of great
utility to the farming interest
AS merchant, from 1S47 to 1851, dealt
largely in fertilizers to sell to Montgomery
farmers, occasionally meeting A. b. Davis,
(who did not know me,) at Barrada's office,
in Baltimore, he buying for the Agricultu-
raj Society.
While thus engaged an English vessel ar.
rived at our wharf loaded with Peruvian
guano. In conversation with the captain
asked him if there was much guano used in
England. He told Inc there had been guam
titles sold until they found out, by repeated
yearly use, that it impoverished the land,
and not much was sold at that time.
AS a farmer, at that time, would on fal.
low land SOW seven bushels of unleached
bone dust, harrow in, drill my wheat, using
eighty pounds of Peruvian guano, twenty
pounds of plaster, with good results, aver
aging about 80 bushels per acre. The larg-
est yield, about 33 bushels, was from an ap.
plication of Boston bone shavings as top
dressing after the wheat was about two
inches high Darius Clagett, merchant
and farmer, of Washington city, advised me
to use all manner OF manures as a top dress.
ing, never to pillow il under experiment.
ed and found his advice good. Two appl.
cations OF stone lime, about so bushels each,
as top dressing, will show its good effects
for twenty years or more. Oyster Shell lime
is equally good, but not so lasting.
The Agricultural Society is much in.
debted to Samuel Il. Stonestreet for his I'M
firing energy in its behalf, as well as being
the pioneer in introducing improved breeds
of cattle, sheep, hogs, &c. thus stimulating
his brother farmers.
The colt, HYder Ali, bought at l.. G. Dd-
WILSON'S sale, when two and half years
old, for $50, by Ohio Magruder, by the ad-
vice of Thomas Worthington, who saw his
good points, was afterwards noted horse
in the county. As quick draft and saddle
horses, Loughborough's Rob Roy and How
sers Black Hawk were my Notwithstanding
Rob Roy best
The fence around the Fair Grounds was
contracted for and built by my self, Messrs
John l.. DuFief, Joseph Il. Bailey, N d.
Offutt and John T. DeSellum being the
fence committee. Engineer, w. r. Hutton,
laid out the trotting crack, &c. Capt j. l..
DuFief certainly worked faithfully for the
Society especially in plans for the build
ings, &c.
Having been a member OF this Society
since its organization, and looking on its
yearly gatherings of some three thousand
Inhabitants of Montgomery county and the
District, it occurs TO me the joyful greet
ings OF the many amply repay all labor
and expense attached 10 the Society, which
has an onward march, as the yearly pre-
MUM lists attest.
often enjoyed the sight Of Joseph II.
Bradley's committee testing Baker Waters
and Ohio Magruder's hams, the Huddleson's
hampers of improved fruits, and the cordials
and wines manufactured by some Of the
county danes.
Respectfully,
OHIO z. MUNCAsTER.