The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-05-17
THE CECIL FARMERS CLUB.
An Interesting May Meeting at
"Orkney" Farm the Residence
of EnOch Mccullough, Esq.

An interesting Way "cclihs "o
"Orkney" Farm the Residence
of EnOch Mccullough, Esq.
One of the most charming locations III
Cecil County is that of Orkney farm
which overlooks the valley of the roman
tic Octorara about two and a-Ealf miles
north of Port Deposit Mr.. Mccullough
has shown most excellent Judgment III
selecting the site of his residence, its 10
cation upon the summit of prominent
hill, commanding a view of unusual pam
oramic beauty. 1t was positive pleas.
ure to visit it on such bright and iu
spiriting morning as Wednesday last. The
rain of the night before had lent add
tional beauty to the early summer foll-
age, while the fragrance of flowers and
the music of birds, heightened the charms
of this beautiful rural home. Mr.. Nc
Cullough's residence is in itself the per-
lection of a modern country homestead,
it's deep and ample verandahs suggesting
the realization of domestic ease and COM
fort. Here as early as ten O'Clock the
members of the Club began to assemble.
At half past ten a quorum of members
was present, when Joseph Coudon, Esq,
the President of the CLUB directed the
call of the roll and the following mem
bers responded to their names: Enoch
Noyes, Henry S. Coudop. Thos. G Bond,
Aaron Kitchener, John R Bono, John
p Wilson, Joseph Coudon (of Henry
Enoch Mccullough, William w. Moore,
Horace Duyckinck, and Henry r. Tor
bert. The visitors present by invitation
being the Reverends jas. Conway, j p
Otis and John Squier, and Mr.. Lloyd
Balderston.
The minutes OF the last meeting having
been read and approved, there being no
unfinished business. the reports of exper
iments were called for.
Mr. Duyckinck said that be had a mat
ter of experience rather than OF expert
ment to report. Some six wears ago very
early in March he had plowed a very wet
field for oats. He didu't notice very
much difference III the oats crop, nor in
the wheat that followed bus when he
came to NOW the gra IS the next wear he
had but little timothy. Tie fault he
thought laid i'll the preparation OF the
oats ground. l1a. ing plowed it very
wet, the soil WAS li:mpy AID coarse, and
there being no OPP unity for frost to
break up the lumry coalition OF the soil,
the grass seed had n,t aiken because the
soil had not been properly rllverized.
Mr.. Wilson dskei how We would ex-
pect to get cas- g,ouu1 in lat he con-
sidered proper Condition under certain
unfavorable contiugeu cies Of weather and
of seasons. This yea: the ground plowed
like sol ground, breaking np behind the
pillow and not being msllow at all, on &C.
count Of there having been no frost last
winter.
Mr.. Noyes said that last fall he had
sown fine barn yard manure on prepared
wheat ground before seeding on the Dor
est spots of the field on which an artiti-
cial fertilizer had been used. lie reported
an excellent wheat crop, an / a fine stand
of clover.
Mr.. Heary S Coudon asked whether
the bad &3ndition of the soil referred to
by Messrs. Duyckinck and Wilson was
not solely attributable to tie fact that
= ba ,l had rlnnnl yrh
wet. That frost was not necessary to
mellow soil When it had been properly
prepared.
Mr.. Duyckinck said that he had never
had trouble2 in any case when he
had plowed land when dry, if afterwards
| followed by necessary moisture. Ii you
don't plough ground when wet, it can be
| worked successfully any time Mr..
Duyckinck held Mr.. .Coudou's idea that
frost is not necessary for the proper con-
dition of the soil if blowing is done when
dry.
| MIR. Wilson said that the condition of
the ground this spring was hard and not
susceptible of pulverization on account OF
not being frozen, the soil becoming tough
and hard if not frozen no matter in what
condition. He believed that freezing was
necessity to our soil IN this latitude.
Mr.. Kitchener corroborated Mr. Noyes'
experience as to the value of top dressing
wheat ground with barn yard manure.
| He invariably secured better stand OF
grass than by plowing manure under.
Mr.. Thos. C.. Bond said the question OF
top dressing had been frequently dis
cussed by the Club, and he called the
at meeting of the Club, held at his (the
chairman's) house, he had stated that be
was top-dressing about 40 acres of his
wheat ground. That he (Mr. Bond)
would like to hear the report OF the chair.
mans experience. Mr.. Coudon expressed
himself as favorable to top dressing, as
the yield of the acreage referred TO by
Mr. Bond IN de an excellent crop. Mr.
Coudon agreed with Mr.. Wilson as TO the
benefit of frost in mellowiEg groand, and
was a decided opponent OF wet piuwiug
Mr.. Balderston believed that frost was
natures timely pulverizer and he could
not conceive what the condition of the
soil would be were a number OF success
sive winters to occur without frost. As
to blowing wet ground, contingencies
often arose when farmers were compelled
to plow when the ground was not il
proper condition as to moisture. til
when such couti gehciHs bad arisen, il
his experience, had IS 4! the harrow sue
cssiully to break up soil winch were tot
moist TO pulveriz prupeil.
Mr. Conway thought It's ia this l.:li
tude frost WAS nee rs +! 40 /. proper
pulverizer OF the soil.
Mr. )hn S Bond slii u 1t pu'r ,rizing
of soil either BY frost or other means il
absolutely necessary Tor the proper cult
walton of soil. Iu the E st Indies thu
soil was pulverzed by frt qucnt blowing
The finer the soil was pulverized th'
more readily the plant assimulatad the
plant food contained in il,
> The essay being in order Mr.. Mccall
Tough stated that his business engage
ments had prevented his preparation o
an essay, ard he beg sei leave 10 submit
to the Club the foil wing article from
recent number of the CuLti0at0r ant
Country GentlemnH:
THAT vEXATIoUS SURPLUS.
Eds Country Gentlemen: An euor nou
surplus confronts us-noT the surplus in TIL
7 Treasury at Washington, but one far NOR