The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-06-22
Proceedings of the Deer Creek Farmer


Reported for the IEgis and IntelIigencer.
The club met on Saturday, June 49, at the
home of Mr.. John b. Wysong. Active men,
John b. Wysong, E. Il. Swartz, Thomas Loeb
| airy, E. P. Moores, John ). Webster, James F.
Keny, d: G, Wharton Smith and Il. Harris
Archer. Visitors present: Messrs. Frank Wy
| song, Robert w. Holland, ]. Ruff STREET., Rev
Mr.. Sothoron and Fred. Zabriskie, of Detroit,
Michigan.
The committee on investigation of Mr.. Wy
songs farm reported everything in good shape
| and that much had been done in the way of
clearing fence rows, removing stone, etc. The
| garden was in Il forward condition. They
| mentioned fine flock of Shropshire sheep in
which there were twenty-five lambs from
seventeen ewes. They found his crops in "A
| thriving condition but some of the members
| limited that perhaps the sun had warped his
corn rows. The subject for discussion-the
! eradication Of weeds and especially sorrel, was
opened by Mr.. WysOng He said the proper
way to get rid of sorrel is by thorough cultiva-
ton and heavy fertilizing, but this is not always
practical as we cannot afford to cultivate too
| much. Thinks it originated from seed sown in
| grass seed.
Mr.. Swartz has had very little experience
with sorrel. He would advocate thorough cul-
| tiVatOn-Say corn twice in succession then
| wheat twice and then sow grass seed extra
| thick and be sure to have clean seed.
| Mr.. Holland has no sorrcl and consequently
| has had no experience. He has always heard
| lime was good and thinks farmers should use
| more of it anyway. Sorrcl is more apt to grow
| the first year after wheat.
| Mr.. Lochary thinks applying manure and
| moving far better than cultivation. Sorrc is
| more apt to grow after summer blowing for
wheat than when you sow wheat in corn
| ground. Sheep are good TO keep it down.
Mr.. E. p. MooreS said sorrel is more apt to
| grow when the ground is not well prepared for
| wheat. He has noticed it more on stony knobs.
| Mr.. Frank Wysong has no sorrel but a neigh
| Dor who has Il piece of land which was full OF
| sorrel covered it with manure and it disappear
| ed. He has noticed there is little SOrrel where
| lime has been applied.
Mr.. Kenly does not believe that thorough
| cultivation will answer and must confess he
does not know what will. He thinks when sor-
rel appears the soil is lacking in some fertiliZ
| ing element
Mr.. Webster has noticed that the richer the
ground is the less sOrre there is but sorrel and
all kinds of weeds we will always have with us.
| His sheep no doubt help to keep down sorrel.
Mr.. Street, has very little sorrel but noticed
more this year than usual. Top dressing is
better than blowing but if you do pillow, cult
waite well. Do not let any weeds go to seed.
Sodom apple is worse than sorrcl.
Mr.. ZabriSkie thinks running briers worse
| than sorrel In Michigan they have the real
Canada thistle, which is the greatest pest of all.
Mr.. Smith thinks the subject should have
more attention. All weeds should be cut be-
fore they go to seed. There should be laws
made compelling land owners tC cut all weeds
in due time. When he rents his farm he always
has it mentioned in his lease when the weeds
should be cut.
Mr. Sothoron said weeds are like original sin
they have come to stay. You may perhaps
subdue or control the growth of weeds but you
can never eXterminate them. He thinks plenty
of manure with good grass seed would be of
great benefit.
Mr.. Archer thought running briers worse in
his section than Sorrel. He thinks top dressing
with stable manure and frequent moving bet
ter than cultivation for the subjugation oil
either.
Mr.. Moores has never been bothered much
with sorrel which he thinks is due to his reglI-
lar rotation of crops and thorough cultivation.
SOrrel and other weeds do not always come
from seed.
Letters on the subject were received from
Prof w. 4. l.. Taliaferro, of the Maryland Ag-
rcuItural College, ana Charles w, Dabney, Jr,
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture of the
United States. Prof. Taliaferro does not be-
lieve that lime, considered as an alkali, has any
effect on sorrel by correcting the acidity of the
SOIL for the oxalic acid in sorrel is entirely diff
ferent from the ordinary humic or soil acid,
but does believe the secondary effect is often
good, that is. acting fertilizer. Where sor-
rel infests the land he would. if possible, cult
vate closely for at least one crop and then fol-
low by some close and strong growing crop.
The only permanent remedy is to improve the
land.
sorrel Runner dcet0settd Il specimen of W hich was
received with the letter, is a native of Europe.
but it has been abundantly introduced in this
country wherever red clover or European
grasses have been cultivated. 1t prOpagated
by seeds and also by slender perennial root
stocks which seldom extend below the Guilt
vator. The presence of sorrel in increasing
abundance so that it crowds out grass and
clover is an Indication that the land is deficient
in some fertiizing element needed by grass and
clover. Therefore to kill sorrel, cultivate the
land, increase its fertility, and SOW only clean
seed. Raise one or two crops during the sum.
mer, which will pay the cost of fertilizer, and
thorough cultivation from May until Septem.
Der, and in that month sow crimson clover.
This will probably furnish abundant pasturage
during the latter part of the winter and in the
spring should be fed closely ana ploWed under
with a liberal dressing of land plaster unless
there is an abundant supply of lime in the soil.
The crimson clover will supply nitrogen.
PhOsphates and potash should be added in some
form unless they are already present. Two
seasons of cultivation with crimson clover dur
ing the winters and the addition of needed
fertilizers to the soil should subdue the sorrel
so that the land may be seeded as permanent
pasture if desired
Mr. c. Lewis Ellicott, of Darlington, was
elected an active member. The club adjourn
ed to meet at the residence of Mr.. ID. Z. Wharf,
ton Smith on July Dist.
I have too little grand children who are