The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-06-23

was favorable personally as we'll as Pre-
fcssonally.
Diuner boiu. announced, N 3sE;'. JOIN
r. Fond, \. L. Magrav aud toha Z
Wilson were designated the committee
TO examine Mr.. C1ud ou's premises.
Upon &c assembling after linuer The
committee TO examine premises reported
that Mr.. Coudon was not now engaged
in farming, aud spoke OF the beautiful
location OF his property.
Through Mr.. John p. Wilson an invi,
tation from the Practical Farmers Club
of Chester county, Pa, to take part in a
Harvest Home to be held on the grounds
of Lincoln University near Oxford, Pa,
on August l55h was received.
The invitation OF the Practical Club
was acknowledged win thanks, and
Mssars John p. Wilson, Col. John r
Bond and Col. Enoch Noyes were desig-
mated as the representatives of the club.
Prof. James S Robinson of the Mary
land Experiment. Station whose address
| e. @ -b%tS t-A'bSt'ts "a tI'' NiAip vac 81
favorably received was then introduced.
Prof. Robinson said that this period OF
the worlds history was marked in contra
distinction from other periods of the
past, by present practical thought Eela-
tive to the facts Of natures surround
lngs. This is pre-eminently the ultili.
tartan age, which finds its expression in
| development Heretofore, the expecta-
ton was exactness in mathematics,
accuracy IN languages, the other depart
ments being the side shows. johns Hop
kins University lead off in more atten-
| ton u the natural sciences. The older
| educational Institutions of tho country
were following its leadership.
The important question with agrcul-
turists of today, was not how to debut
why. One means by rote, the other
| means by Intelligent thought direction.
In reply to a previous question relative
| to the quality aud uses OF land plaster,
he said there are certain uses to which
plaster can be applied. 1t fixes the
| ammonia where otherwise it might in a
large measure escape. For this purpose
of fixing the ammonia in manure the
phospho- plaster is the superior of the
| ordinary plaster of commerce. Benjamin
Franklin when he wrote his name
with plaster on the grass of park in
Philadelphia fixed its value as a ferti
iizer, in the estimation of the farmers OF
that day.
In reply to question of Mr.. Joseph
Coudon as to it's color being test OF
quality he said, color would be mislead.
ing, as no lines We're found in pure
state. The Inns of baltimore county
would show high percentage of alum,
Wrightsville lime high per centage of
magnesia. In the sections where the
alum traces were found, the uses of mag
nesia would show better results. And
per contra, since the absence of the
necessary ingredient was to be supplied,
and not the super-abundant presence of
an existing Ingredient.
Prof. Robinson then cited two analyses
of recent samples of plaster at the
Experiment Station, one of which con
tanned large per centage of chalk, which
would give a misleading idea Of its value
as to color. The other sample from
farmer in Howard county-Mr. Prough
contained a large percentage of carbon
ate of lime.
Prof. Robinson referred incidentally
to the Fertilizer law passed recently by
the Legislature, as measure protective
of the farmer, then passing again to the
consideration of vegetable life he spoke
somewhat at length about atmospheric
nitrogen, and how plants are instrumen
talities through which it is availed of.
With "a twig in his hand he demonstrated
the mechanical operation of propagating
plants by cuttings, explained intelli-
gently the function OF tho leaf of the tree
or plant, showed how the root grows
from the plant, and not the plant from
the root as popularity thought, and very
entertainingly showed how the seed of
every plant when disseoted, bore the
impress and outline Of the developed
plant, visible with the glass only in the
case of small seeds, but in the water
melon, pumpkin and similar seeds
visible to the naked eye.
He then took up the subject of straw
berries and instanced thu recent failure
of a Cecil county farmer to secure
enough fruit for his family from five
rows. 800 steps long, simply because he
had ignorantly set out two pistilate
varieties, instead of pstilate and a
staminate variety.
Human intelligence, said Prof Robin
syn is focusing its thought along the
line of practical utility. In celebrating
this point of his address, the Professor
INDUCED several eloquent flights, using
Soomon's temple and its ancient priest
hood, as basis of illustration, of mans
priesth ood of modern thought in the
grand temple of Nature.
Prof. Robinson was listened to with
very great pleasure, his talk being
scientific, practical, historical and rhet-
orical by turns.
Mr.. Jos. Coudon (of JOS proposed, Mr.
Henry s. Coudon seconded, and the Club
passed unanimously vote of thanks TO
Captain Sylvester and Prof. James S.
Robinson for their instructive and enter
tanning addresses.
M9ssrs. II. Arthur Stump and VIM. X.
Reckefus having forfeited their member
ships by four successive absences, the
former by unanimous vote was rein
stated in his mem bership.
After a pleasant meeting, the Club
adjourned at p. m. For its August
meeting, the time and place are to be
designated hereafter.
Warwick Items.
w ARyyTCF June 2l 1884.