The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1888-10-26
The Egis & Intelligencer
Bel Air. Md, October go. 1855.
DEER CREEh FARMERS CLUB.
Does High Fertilization Fay ON Rich
Land?

Messrs' John and F, P. Moores, X. II. Archer
b. II. Barnes, Geo K Stephenson, Ihos. Loch
AIRY, d. G. w. Smith, X. John Rogers, VIM. d
Lee, James Lee, James W. Hanna, Geo. T.
Silver, Jas. B. Kenly and F. w. Baker.
Among the honorary members and Others
were Messrs. David E. Wilson, h. VI. Allen, D
NJ Street,, John b. wysong and VIM Munnik'
huysen.
Mr. r. Harris Archer being called to the chair,
appointed Geo X. Stephenson, Thos. Lochary
aud VIM. D. Lee a committe to examine and re-
port upon the condition of the farm.
tour of inspection was made by all Of the
members present In large wagon drawn by
two mules. The wagon had attached to 1t one
OF Mr.. E. NJ. ALIENS patent automatic brakes.
1t worked well, locking itself on going down
grade, the lock being released upon level
ground or in ascending a hill.
Upon reassembling the committee reported
The result of their observations. Nj. Moores'
Essex hogs were considered well-bred and in
good condition ; his cattle fat and he has fine
lot OF sheep. His fencing was good and his
grass good TO look at, one field, which had been
in sod Tor - years, being the best the commit
tee had ever seen. In some of the back fields
Mr.. Moores has provided shelter for stock in
the way of straw rlcks. Mr. Moores has a field
of large corn which promises good yield. Two
stalks were shown, the ears on which were ten
feet from the ground.
Mr.. d. {. W. Smith said there was a remarka-
BILE absence of weeds on Mr.. Moores' farm,
Tor Wllcl he ought 10 De commended.
Mr. Moores said If farmers would try to raise
their own seeds they might have fewer weeds
iu their grass fields
The question for discussion was as 1t pro-
itable 10 endeavor 10 increase the YIELD of corn
above 10 barrels TO the ~
The majority OF the members were in favor of
making land as rich as II can be made, and none
thought there was any present danger of over
enriching land.
John Moores said land is either growing
richer or poorer, and therefore he believed in
a regular and constant system of fertiIiZatiou.-
Bone IL his standard fertilizer, but he uses lit
tie phosphate on poor places. Land that has
not been steadily grazed for some time will not
produce l6 barrels OF corn to the acre. Where
his heaviest grass is the land has not had moro
than two tons of bone 10 the acre, while some
of his other fields have had in the course of ro-
tatiOn, four tons, and the grass Is not as good
Grazing has made the difference. 1t will pay
in the end TO make ground as rich as the farmer
can afford to make ii. His farm In 20 years had
doubled in productiyeness, and he would keep
up the same system as long as he farmed 1t. If
you can raise 90 barrels Of corn 10 the acre ii
is necessary TO continue to apply fertilizers TO
prevent the land from going back.
ID. g. Wharton Smith thought fertilizers
should be applied with judgment. You must
know the character and wants of your land MIR.
Moores' policy of applying as much as you can
judicously and keeping The production as high
as possible, is. the true one, to say nothing OF
the satisfaction of seeing the improvement of
land and nice crops. lie would say 1t pays TO
give land as much fertilizer as will bring the
greatest possible yield.
David L. Wilson was In favor offertilizing
continuously, SO as TO make the ground
little better all the time Whether that course
would pay after you reach certain point of
productiveness or not he could not say.
Z. NJ. Allen judged it would pay, for be had
observed that farmers who had gone far beyond
has of th..n t..I
more than those who have raised less.
Thos. Loctary said the'quantity of fertilizer
most profitable to be used would depend upon
the kind of land. fthe land is naturally of good
quality you can apply fertilizers more heavily,
with profit, than on land of poor quality. Much
depends, also, on how the crops are attended to.
II u man lives near city and is raising vegeta-
bles II would pay to apply 100 tons OF manure
10 the acre, as some truckers are said to do;
but with wheat at so cents and corn at so cents
1t would not pay to enrich your land beyond
Il certain limit.
Geo. X. Stephenson believed 90 barrels of corn
to the acre is profitable limit and it ia possible
to make land produce that in good seasons On
such land you could get 30 bushels of wheat
aud tons OF hay to the acre. You could not
expect, with the average rainfall, in this sec.
tiOn, to get more than that, no matter how
much fertilizer you put on. The best result
from high fertilization Is in the increased yield
of grass. Mr.. Moores' field has on it as much
grass as can be grown. Would it pay TO pillow
that field and get 20 barrels of corn to the acre,
or apply 500 lbs of bone to the acre and get %
barrels of corn lie thought it would not pay
TO apply the bone. 1t would pay TO spread
manure on the grass, because ii the season
should be a little dry there would be more grass
on it than If none were applied. That land will
Craze one steer to the acre, which is the best
that can be done.
James Lee did not believe it pays to 90 on
with heavy fertilization TO raise few barrels
of corn over 10 to the acre. Land which will
produce lG barrels OF corn will Craze good
many cattle and bring big crops of wheat. 1t
would be at great cost to make such land bring
from to 10 bushels more corn. Some fertili,
lizer must, of course, be put on TO prevent the
land from going back.
J. NJ. Street, thought the profit of the in.
creased yield would depend on the relative cost
of the fertilizer and the value Of the product of
the farm. The experiments made By the Agri-
cultual society, some years ago, showed that 40
barrels of corn can be raised to the acre, and
the question is whether it would not cost too
much to do that.
John B. Wysong said the profit is at least
double In bringing land from 10 barrels up to
20 barrels TO the acre over what it would be
to make 1t produce above that much. We can
not, with our mode of planting, produce over 20
or p barrels. Land that will bring 20 barrels
of corn could be iertilized and made profitable
for cattle.
You'd which we can not go with profit, but none
OF us have reached that limit.
K. John Rogers said 1t would not require any
great effort and expense to make land produce
90 barrels of corn to the acre, If 1t brings Is,
Ifyou can make land bring 20 barrels the pas
ture would be worth more than ii the land
would bring Is barrels. That would be a
source of profit because land can be kept up at
less expense when in grass than In any other
way you can have it. A man should farm with
view of improving his land all the time.
There Is no risk in iertlizng heavily If 1t is
Coae judiciously.
Geo. +. Silver said most money is made off
of the best land. Your fencing, blowing, seed
ing and cultivation must first be paid for, be.
fore there is any profit If the yield is small
there is little or no profit. The larger the yield
the greater the profit lie did not see why
land producing l6 barrels can not economical
ly be made to produce 20 barrels. To get this
result he would not put on halia ton of bone
10 the acre, but would apply say 400 pounds
per acre, and the continued application of this
quantity would in the course of time bring the
land up TO yielding 20 barrels. A man must
live while improving his land, and by the
steady application 400 to 500 pounds OF bone
TO the acre he will get some profit and improve
his land.
JAS. b. Kenly believed there is limit be-
yond which 1t will not pay TO put on fertilizers
TO raise bigger crops. ltyou can raise l6 bar
rels of corn to the acre you are almost sure TO
raise fair crops, even in dry season.
VIM. Mupnikhuysen's idea was that ifa man
has land which Will bring 10 barrels of corn TO
the acre, the application of 500 pounds of ferti-
lizer might bring ID barrels; but the applica-
ton Of 800 pounds more would not make 20 bar.
rels. Therefore 1t would pay better to put fer.
tiliZers on poor land than on rich land. Ii a
man had no poor land il would pay better to
buy some and apply his fertilizers on 1t. The
most economical way TO apply fertilizers is on
grass.
L. P. Moores said a certain amount of ferti.
lizer is necessary to produce crop of corn,
even II the land is rich. 1t will pay in all cases,
in this county, to use fertilizers, but they may
be used to an extent where they would cease to
pay.
K. Harris Archer said the profitable applica.
ton OF fertilizers on rich land would depend
upon where person is located. In this county
it pays better to handle steers from two TO
three years old. These steers are then taken
to Lancaster county, Pa, and fed another year,
and no doubt with profit SO with land, when
we get our land to produce l6 barrels of corn
per acre it would pay better to buy uuimproved
land and improve 1t.
Geo. II. Stephenson wanted to know whether
al a m hat far tn, inv ia,