The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-08-25
CECIL FARMERS CLUB.



3 Duyckinck's Near Calvert.
The regular August meeting of the
: Cecil Farmers Club was held on Wednea
day last, the 22d inst, at "Lickingbank'
far,u, the homestead of Mr.. Z. l.. Duyck
lnGk, neal Calvert. At II o'clock A, NJ.
' tho president of the club directed the
call of the roll of members, when the fol-
lowing responded to their names: VIM.
w. Moore, Henry S. Coudon, A. j. Mich
liner, George ". Sutton, Colonel Enoch
NoyS, Colonel John r. Bond, john P.
Wilson, Thomas q. Bond, E. L. Duyck-
inck, and II. r. Torbert. The visitors
present by invitation were the Rev. D. Z.
Shaw. Mr.. John j penuell, Of Lancaster
county, Pa, Messrs. Il. Waters, II. /.
Pyle, j. NJ. {. Carhart Amos Martindsie
and a. L. Duyckinck.
Unfinished business being in order, Col.
Noyes and Mr.. Wilson reported to the
club their visit as committee to the
meeting Of the practical Farmers Clubs
at Oxford. The occasion was an inter
esting one socially, as we'll in its discus
sions aud literary entertainments.
Reports of experiments being in order
Mr.. Wilson stated tina. the past season
he had sowu ten acres in timothy. five of
which had bsen planted iu potatoes, the
| remaining i've acres was in Hungarian
grass the former yielding two tons to
the acre, while the latter yielded but one,
with equal conditions in regard to fertili
zers each having ole-half ton TO the
| acre.
| The regular essay being in order, Mr..
Duyckinck submitted the following short
paper, explaining that be had expected
the pleasure of an address from well
| known lecturer on agriculture, but failing
| to hear from him ia time he had hastily
prepared few notes on
THE APPLICATION OF BARN YARD MANURE
1t has not been fully determined as to the
proper method or time, to- applying barn yard
manure, though it be the oldest standard manure
Of today. The object OF the application is an
| important fact for consideration. In times
enters largely into the component elements for
| the foundation for a wheat crop. The writer's
experience is that barnyard manure Of itsci is
not sufficient to insure Il paying crop of wheat,
| and will go further and say anything else wholly,
for various reasons. A too heavy application of
barnyard manure renders the soil too loose, and
doubly susceptible to drought in comparison to
lands treated with less quantity, accompanied
by more concentrated fertilizer, all treated the
same way. The more recent, and in some Sec
lions, approved method, is to apply barnyard
manure after the ground is plowed. The writer
fails to note any especial result from this mode,
and denounces the custom Of rolling the ground
before applying the manure, preierring the
ground rough from the pillow, that much as
possible Ofthe manure be slightly covered with
earth, by which means much Of the ammonia is
taken Up by the soil. When the surface is made
smooth and level, the action of the sun expels
every particle OF ammonia, which enters largely
into the production OF wheat crop, being to
very great extent subject to climatic action II
however, after being spread over the ground a
succession OF showers fall upon the manure, giving
to the soil in liquid form al; the elements therein
contained, it makes the iertlizing influence much
more susceptible than when lying on the ground
in perfectly dry state tor any indefinite length
of time, all fertilizers have first to be converted
into liquid form before becoming available
for plant food. In the raising and preparation OF
a wheat crop, we have two fold object First a
crop o wheat, to be followed by a succession of
grasses. This is the only satisfactory way OF get
ting permanent grasses for hay. Ground may be
seeded to timothy late in the summer, but the
second year it tends to become trashy. We, as
farmers, need not abandon the idea of raising
yb pf ha l1y pripa pit
We expect to realize much larger figures than at
present, for two reasons With the present aero
age and average, we are raising Is bushels per
capita which is one-third more than the yearly
consumption in breadStufts. Now since corn has
led off in price, much of the surplus is being
used as feed. But aside from this, since 1892
corn has steadily been marching up the line in
competition to the foreign demand for wheat
ever since the Board OF Trade sent in the
shape of meal, and taught the people on the
other side how to use it, has it been declared
King, and mans ingenuity has not yet attained
that perfection whereby corn can be as economic
ally raised and put into market as cheaply as
| wheat. As to applying barnyard ma nure to corn
ground, the writer has had sad experiences,
though they limited. This question often
suggests ITSELF that element is deficient in the
SOIL or in the barnyard manure. But it is at this
day unsafe to depend wholly on the barnyard.
| In the days of my bOyhood plaster was freely
| used every week in the yard, being at that day
one OF the old customs OF my ancestors, and can
not in the least doubt but that the same practice
| would be equally beneficial now as then. AS to
| the proper time for applying this manure in the
opinion Of the essayist it depends greatly the
| climatic conditions, as well as the condition of
the manure. The opinion of the essayist is, that
tba oil
it should lie on the ground, owing to the fact OF
the greater length OF time required to be CONVEX
ted into plant food, while on the other hand, the
| finer the manure the shorter time is required to
| convert it into liant food. Another thought
| as TO the way or l may say correctness of apply
| ing. Much time is taken to evenly apply on the
| ground, which is only within of fancy. The
| plow and harrow very efiectually do this work,
as eifectually as by hand and the results will be
| equally US satisfactory. 1t is by no means the
| opinion of the essayist that barnyard manures
| are not worthy OF consideration, and giving
chemical fertilizers all credit for agricultural
| results. but my opinion is we cannot compound
| enough OF the chemical elements ourselves, which
| make by far a cheaper a nd much higher grade
| than the same money will buy OF a cheaper grade
| put up at the factory. As for myself, am COM
pounding my own fertilizers most suitable to the
| crop to be applied, and all experiments thus far
| have proved most satisfactory. though only in
| conjunction with barnyard manure. But If bene
| fetal in one instance or circumstance, in any
other it would be equally the same.
Comment on the essay being il order,
Mr.. Wilson said there were one or two
questions he would like to ask the
essayist First, should all fertiliZing
clements be reduced 20 liquid form to
become available as plant food. Second,
could not corn be raised as economically
as wheat?
To the first question Mr.. Duyckinck
replied that it was the chemical fact that
fertillzing elements must be reduced to
liquid shape to become available.
Mr.. Wilson said he was not prepared
to dispute the proposition, but he had
always thought the contrary, and was
open for information.
On the second question he thought Mr.
Duyckinck's proposition that corn was
more expensive than wheat is untenable.
He thought it cost only one-half to raise
bushel of corn, that bushel Of wheat
cost, because with the same quantity Of
manure and the equal conditions of ferti
ity of soil, double the quantity of corn tc
that of wheat can be raised on an acre oil
land He stated this as result OF hi:
experience, and cited a recent compare
tive statement given IN figures of raising
the different cereals as published from
tho Prasident of tie Climb which com