Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-09-24
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
VIRGINIA FARMERS IN COUNCIL.

irving new and high priced seed
at the present depressing juncture
in wheat growing. Several OBJ
iected to the variety on account oil
its being bearded. a. w. Hanson
asned if it was worth while to raise
wheat at all. g. Lukens querled
whether it paid to raise anything
Before we recovered FROM the effect
of these knotty questions j. W.
Roberts asked if we could Afford
1of IN raise wheat. That seemed
TO disorganize the reflections again
and gave rise to Il multitude Of re-
marks So the secretary failed to
discover whether the grave ques'
ton was settled at all, as a DRIFT
Immediately followed into that
phase of the subject relating to the
proper preparation of the soil for
wheat. and an article was read
recommending a thorough stirring
of the soil before seeding to the
depth that it had been plowed.-
This rather aroused those who
favor compact and solidiilod seed
bed for wheat, when Valentine
Baker suggested that perhaps the
party referred to did not pillow any
deeper than he did, which was
three or four inches, so this lead
tailed to pan ont anything definite
1t was then suggested that the
member who raised the best Gro p
this season tell US how he did it.
John Ballinger, being the fortunate
one. stated that his best field was
wheat stubble plowed twice, a
light coat of stable manure between
the plowings, last blowing shallow
The wheat was drilled in with
about three hundred pounds oil
phosphate to the acre. lie used
three different kinds Of fertilizer,
but saw little difference in the
yield, which was about thirty-hve
bushels per acre. He had another
field after corn, which produced
about twenty-one bushels.
THE SUBJECT OF ROADS
was touched upon, and an article
relative thereto read from the New
York Tribune. The Importance OF
good roads was strongly urged
and it criticised so sharply the
roads of New York state that 1t
aroused one of the club members
who is a native thereof, who de
clared that the writer could moi
possibly have ever been in Duchess
county. In Illinois state con
yention had been held to consider
this road subject, and among thu
reforms recommended was county
superintendent Of highways. A
committee, consisting of &. Lukens
L. Gillingham, and the secretar,
was directed to procure from Ma
| ior IIine a copy Of the road law fol
this county, that was prepared las
winter, and report it to the mex
meeting, with such changes a
they might deem advisable.
CORTLAND Lukens, who had jus
returned from the Williams Grow
fair, in Pennsylvania, called mp tn
subject of lime again, and sue
rested that we make an effort I
get it from COckeysville, Nd, q
railroad communication with tina
place was quite direct. Charles ;
Taylor, it,, who was present, hay
ing business relations with tn
freight official of the y. G. railroad
} kindly offered to ascertain the hes
: terms for transportation.
The report of the critical CON
mittee was read, showing that til
barns were bursting with the heay
, crop of hay, besides a number
e stacks that were scattered over I'll
farm (the result of the use
oyster.shell lime.) There had bee
marked improvement since IL
. last club held here, and as Mr..
y had nearly gotten through wit
b. his struggle with bushes an
stumps on the home place, he ha
, lust added about seventy-five acre
more of wilderness to his farm, an
n was losing no time IN clearing th'
+ off.
n The stock was reported as loo
:. ing well, though not as much {
Y the place perhaps as might be kel
n to advantage. There we're not
= many potatoes planted as usua
by reason of the wet weather, b'
, those growing looked healthy.
The next meeting will be at Mr.
Rebecca n. Ballenger's on the 9I
of October.