Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1892-01-14


Mr.. DAVIS PAPERs-
A man who is trying TO run farm in
the same way his father and grand father
and great-grandfather did had better sell
out, for his failure is certain. The old
time methods are past and gone and can
not be made successful a; the present day.
Men in all professions and branches Of in.
dustry are tending towards specialties, and
if farmers want to keep up they must do
the same. In my opinion if we farmers
would fence less land and pay more at
tention TO fertilizing the land we work and
keeping ii from washing away, we would
not need so much land and our expenses
would be less and there would not be 50
many farms over-run with burrs and weeds.
1t is not the number of acres Of land we
work or half work that makes us Success
ful farmers, but the largest possible yield
from the smallest number of acres.
How can the fertility of our soil be main
tlined? I will aim to set before you the
real nature Of the problem and to show
YOU something of its range and scope. aud
if you will follow me you will, think, be
able to see that the question needs to be in
vestigated. Some say the fertility can be
maintained by a rotation Of crops. Rota-
ton of crops is indispensable in skilful ag-
riculture but rotation of crops in the wisest
possible manner will not preserve the fer
tility of the soil. In fact, under such q
system the soil will be left poorer. You
may pasture cattle upon a field and when
they have eaten off all grass they will no
longer thrive on it. Then take them of
and turn in other stock, sheep for instance,
and they will gain for awhile, but will the
pasture gain by such course of treatment
The field will be all the barer in the end.
The blowing in Of green crops especially
clover, is one Of the most efficient aids man
has discovered. Clover is happily adapted
for restoring fertility and it is not likely to
be discarded or superseded. But, clover
cannot save the soil from exhaustion. You
can raise wheat as long as you can raise
clover, it is true, but what if the clover re-
fuses TO grow? Then, we must resort to
other means. First, TO maintain the fertil-
ity of our soil, we must learn to increase
the quantity and improve the quality Of
the fertilizer now in use. The application
- 49, -xnrements Of domestic. animals as
fertilizer has C0rnv <ror IN - krv
early period. In fact, it is az old as civiii-
iZation. 1t serves US many valuable pur-
poses in the soil and will continue to hold
its place as fertilizing agent in all time
to come. When we learn to set higher
value upon it than We do now we will in
dustriously devise ways and means TO in
crease and protect it. To maintain the fer
tility of our lands we must preserve and
use the fertilizer nature provides for us and
save that which we now neglect to save.
Club met, January 0. 1892 at George Fl.
Paynes-twelve members present.
On motion of J. G. Cryer, H. NJ. II. Yates
was made temporary secretary.
Report of examining committee follows:
ave the undersigned committee have
carefully examined the farm and surround
ings and report as follows: wheat crop
looking very well; barns and stables in
fair condition; tobacco neatly handled;
stock and poultry show good attention;
dwelling house and surroundings looking
neat and tidy.
J.C. CRYER,
J. G. ABELL,
]. S. ALVEY.
The subject for to-days meeting, was:
What is the effect of lime on the soil, and
the best means of exterminating noxious
weedsl
Mr.. J. 9. Abel thought that all land
would be benefited by the application of
lime but great care should be exercised in
the application of it as for instance where
land has but little vegetable matter in IL,
only a small quantity of lime should be
applied and the quantity increased as the
of vegetable matter is increased
Mr. ]. G. Cryer, read q paper before this
meeting which was intended for q previous
On motion the Club instructed
the Secretary to send it with the proceed
ings of this meeting to the BEACON for
publication.
On motion the Club Endorsed Mr.. ]. q.
Cryer, for tobacco inspector.
The next meeting will be at Mr.. z. T.
Mattingley, the second Saturday in Feb
uary.
Examining committee. Mr.. ]. ]. Alvey,
J. Sam Spalding and J. c. Abel.
ii. NJ. II. YATES,
Sec. protein.
MR.. cRYER's REMARKS.
My. President-Not being present at our
November meeting / did not know your
subject for discussion at our December
meeting, therefore / beg leave to present
the following ideas. The subject was,
what system could we adopt that would
improve our farms and our condition gen.
orally? First we have get TO stop seeding
our corn land in wheat the first fall as it
is much bother in the fall and loss of
money at harvest and to properly avoid
this and arrange il 50 as to have grass we
will have to divide our farms into five
fields. BY doing this We would do well TO
seed our corn fields in spring in cow peas
and of the amount of bone or fertilizer we
intend TO use on our wheat crop, put one
half on the peas at time of seeding. This
would prove TO be more benefit 10 tho