The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1889-10-11
The Egis & Intelligencer
DEER CREEK FARMERS CLUB

DEER CREEK FARMERS CLUB
Reported for The .Egis.
The October meeting of the Deer Greek Farmers
Club was held on saturday, 5th instant at the rest
dence OF +. w Baker in Bel Air Those present
we're Messrs James W Hanna, President George
r. Stephenson. Secretary. Il. Harris Archer. Nm.
D. Lee. Il John Rogers, john MooTe~ Edward Y.
MooreS. VIM: Il. Hopkins, Thomas L"chSIi John
II. Wysong VIM. Munnikmy>rn, James u. kcnly,
benjamin Silver. .Ir.. Dr.. = =. lee. Col. ohio :
Lee Thomas \. Hays and r ". Baker.
The subject discussed was the comparative value
Of woodland and arabic land. The members were
almost unanimous in the opinion that there Is al
ready enough cleared land IN the state Tor hgrirul
tural purposes and instead uf clearing up timber
land It would be more profitable l" improve our
cleared land.
who said We have enough cleared land and It would
he better TO improve the land already cleared lie
sides woodlands, according to scientists, retain
moisture. keep up the streams aud induce more
regular rainfall. Since much woodland has
been cleared We have heavy daShing rains, which
Hood the streams. making their beds deeper and
washing away their banks. The destruction OF Tor
csts ought to be discouraged. Woodland, however,
is no longer OF special value and the taxes on pro
Imrty OF this kind should he reduced OnuhalI
VIM Munnikhuyscn said woods may stop afapld
flow of water in time Of flood but he did not believe
they have any effect III causing ram la, ne had
been told OF man who crossed the ocean three times
and not a drop of rain Tell during either TRIP
There must have been plenty OF moisture over the
surface of the ocean.
John b. Wysong said whether it is better to clear
woodland or not depends on how much land man
has. II he has a large farm it probably would not
pay to clear more land but il a man has small
quantity Of land II would be better tocearup some
more. Much of the land once cleared i'll this cuu-
~ is now in second growth Oi bushes, &c., and had
better be cleared ii the land IS Oi good quality. If
rocky and inferior clearing IL would cost more than
II is worth. There is NOW a process by which who
trees can he taken up Stlmps aud all. II will not
pay To clear land for the timber because iron has
81 largely suppantCd wood in manufacturing pur-
poses that there Is a dull sale Tor timber. lie
agreed with the theory that forests promote rain
fall. Clearing hy land adjacent to streams les
Them.
was higher in 1855 than was ever known before. and
lie attributed this TO clearing up the Woodland
should be reduced, because It is OF comparatively
little profit. The mature and drcaying trees should
he cut out for hrcwOOd. The cheapest way tn clear
land Is to cut out the timber and wait for til"
Stmnps 10 disappear. Some lands Will produce
grass as soon as the wood is rcmoNrd and such
lands could be utilized for stock.
Thomas LOchary said there are very few eases
i where it wogld pay to clear m@re land The GrSt
good timber left in this county.
Being asked whether ii he had the choice between
adding TO his farm ten acres OF ordinary timber or
ten acres of Scdge which he would take hc said he
would choose the Scdgc.
X. Harris Archer said il the timber is val able rs
timber man would be foolish To cut 1t down. So
much timber land. however, is SaluclcSN Hs such
and If the land is good underneath it had better be
cleared The cost would not he great Is the work
can be done when there is little else To do ON tine
farm. Grass Will grow on some lands rs soon aS
the timber IS removed and i the sprouts are kept
down and stock Kept on the land 1t will clear itself
This would pay better than olr 1t remain rs wood
land.
and disturbing the subso will make land uupTO-
ductiyr.
Mr.. Archer resumng, said it is ten times easier
rich To conclude he would say do not cut down
first class timber. but ii all the good timber has |
been cut out. he would clear the land.
james +. kcnly said il is not much trouble 10 |
clear an old field but few know the difficulty OF |
clearing up woods. There are very few winters IN |
which II would be profitable 10 clear up Woodland |
VIM. Il. Hopkins said good heavy timber is worth |
with scruhhy bushes 1t had better he cleared and |
titled. II We keep on at our present rate in a few |
years will have no timber left. Ii the land is of |
good quality the timber viii pay for clearing it.
Geo. Il. stephenson thought there is enough |
cleared land in the United States tOmrct the wants |
Of the people, aud it is Improbable t" clear land at
cost of so or so an acre and raise on 1t wheat at
10 to ~ cents bilNlcl, aud tcn steer for moth
ing. II man wants land 10 farm he can get cleared
land at less cost and labor than by clearing it. In
some eases II might be advisable To clear piece Of
land to add TO the beauty OF place convenience
in working It. Many farmers. too, have woodland
yielding nothing on which they pay taxes. llthcy |
intend 10 hold ii he would say clear it up and get !
1t IN grass. His conclusion was that no definite
rule could he laid down and each man should judge
Tor himself what course would pay HIM best
X. John Rogers said there is not much timber
land in this county which 1t would pay to clear If
you have piece Of land of no present prospective
value II would he well to Kill the growth on it and
let II produce grass. II he were going To buy
farm Of one hundred acres he would rather have it
all cleared than 10 have - acres al 1t in wood. The
latter would only be sufficient for ircwOOd and the
interest on what the land costs would amount To
more than the value OF the hrcwOOd. Fencing tim
Der land is Il great item of cost. Timber land has
ceased to be valuable since the introduction of wire
fences. Chestnut rails 20 Years ago were worth $50
per 1000. Now they can he bought at from So to
so Besides there Will bc lCsSening demand for
chestnut for telegraph poles as the day will proba-
bly, come when these will be laid under ground.
Large timber, particularly white oak is not always
an evidence Of good land, but poplar, ash and hcE
DRY may be so regarded. 1t is difficult To get any
money out OF woodland in this section. Mr. Roger,
said he had observed Il tendency of young timber |
to die out when ten or twelve inches III diameter
III many eases timber is great protect ion To farm
Benz silver, Jr, SAID II timber is ripe and there
Is market for it a farmer had better sell it, Iron
islargcy taking the place OF timber and the latter |
Is getting cheaper every year. White oak. which |
WAS worth $40 per ltO0 feet. Il few years age, can |
not now be sold IN quantities for SIS At the pres
clear land. Poplar is the only kind OF timber now |
worth anything. He had sold 81 600 worth, at 81 |
per cord. from a small piece Of land
Thomas A. Hays said that the advisability Of |
clearing woodland depends on the location, the |
quality of the timber aud the quality of the land |
II close to railroad and the timber consists OF |
large, maturcd trees il would pay To cut IL. not !
otherwise. He would clear up land If il would |
make a field work better. ii is not necessary |
to grub out the Stunps The cheapest way he ,
ever got rid of StunpS was by dynamite. In |
Southwest Tennessee he had Scrm whole forests |
killed with the trees standing and the biggest corn
cllncd to think that forests induce rainfall because
the leaves and roots retain moisture longer and aid
in producing rain.
+. +. MOOrcS said 1t would pay a man to grub ont
grub Il farm out of the woods Nothing will grow |
where You grub out Il tree.
Col. q. >. Lee also thought il does not pay now
to clear land
The next meeting will he held at the residence Of
Mr.. X. John Rogers, November I'd.
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