The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-11-02
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CECIL FARMERS CLUB.
THE REGULAR OCTOBER MEET
ING.
Mr. Waters Reads Paper on the Man
ural Influence of Clover.

Port Deposit, on Wednesday the 23d inst, the
club being entertained by Mr.. r. b. Waters
of Zion, who on account of sickness in his
family was unable to entertain the members
at his home.
At 11.30 a. M, Col. Enoch Noyes. the presi-
dent of the club directed the call of the roll
of members, when the following responded
to their names: Henry S. Coudon, Col. John
r. Bond, Jos. Coudon, (Jos), Thomas C.
Bond, Alfred Kirk, George W. Sutton. Col.
Enoch Noyes. L. L. Duyckinck, r. B. Waters
and H. r. Torbert. The visitors present by
invitation were. the Rev. Giles B. Cooke. of
North East. and r. C. Hopkins. ESD. Cashier
of Cecil National Bank.
The minutes of the last meeting having
been read and approved. there being no I'M
finished business or reports of experiments,
the regular essay being in order, Mr.. II. b.
Waters read an interesting paper on the
MANURIAL INFLUENCE OF CLOVER.
M. President ol,d Gentlemen Of ne cecil
Farmers CUT:
Having fully identified myself with Zion as
occasion from assuring you that to be met
here rather than at my place of residence IS
not matter Of preference but of unforeseen
and altogether uncomfortable conditions.
trust however it will be none the less enjoy
able. And | now in placing before you this
paper whilst | crave your indulgence | shall
invite your attention to the "Ianurial Infu.
ence of Cloyer.'
Every season demonstrates the truth that
the most reliable elements for maintaining
and increasing the fertility of soils are the
clovers. The farms are to-day the admirable
object lessons of what good farming can
accomplish those where the clovers have
been important factors.
1t is conceded that the growing of the
cereals leaves but little if any margin of profit
under the present practices we follow and
agents we employ. What then will the farmer
do to make these crops remunerative to him
on his expensive lands and under his various
heavy burdens for they will and must be
grown? Grave as is the question the answer
Is yet a simple one-take advantage of his
opportunities aud increase his product with
out adding to his acreage and reducing his
expenses as much as possible, by growing
other crops in rotation that will insure a
better yield and become more profitable.
The experiment stations of not one but all
the states advise and prove the efficacy Of
clover in conjunction with lime and could
agriculturalists forty years ago been induced
to accept and practice the suggestions of DR..
Voelcker on this matter they would to-day be
the better for il by millions of dollars.
Not longer ago than twenty-five years Mr.
George L. Waring wrote these prophetic
words. at is probable after all so great is the
manurial influence of clover that 1t must
actually absorb and appropriate into its own
substance the nitrogen from the atmosphere
though at present there are no means of
ascertaining or proving this process actually
takes place. The then scientific world stood
back shocked with these words and with
ridicule he was derided. lncredulous as they
were chemists went to work to determine
how such marvellous results were to be nc
counted for, and in the attention given to
clover growing the truth was revealed-the
has the faculty of attracting and absorbing
up in its own substance the nitrogen afloat in
the atmosphere.
All the tested soils of Maryland show u
deficiency of nitrogen or ammonia vary ing in
amounts with the different sections. To meet
this want, and supply this plant food most
cheaply and eXpeditiously, is with the intro
nf, int t,,,,
down for the crops.
The almost enviable Mr.. T. b. Terry. of
Ohio,--for he is not only a successful but
wonderful farmer has been telling recently
how he has got on in the world-in an agri-
cultural paper ascribing all his success and
prosperity to clover growing. How he went
on poor, rundown farm, that would give
but bushels OF wheat to the acre being
raised to the productive capacity OF As
bushels and paying for itself in the mean
time. This wonderful result was accomplished
by the clover and manure rotation. That
rotation he then states sis to plant a rotation
of crops which will give every field dressing
of manure at one end Of the rotation and n
seeding down to clover at the other Under
this manner of culture, land will not only
hold its own but it will do more. it will i'm
prove. BY many OF the strong advocates OF
this plant it is held, that the seeding to clover
and turning down is equal to the application
of manure if not better. The clover feeding
from both the air and the earth nitrogen
and ammonia from the air, minerals from
the earth-the rootlets of this wonderful
leguminous plant penetrating far down into
the subsoi, bring to the surface by pump.
ing process material for plant food whilst
the leaves and stems are working above
ground in their own way.
This system of rotating is fast supersedinl
the old manncrof doing things in the not fal
away South. 1t was my privilege not many
days ago to talk to gentleman devoted tc
agriculture who spent last December and
January in that section, and he said, it was
now entirely out Of practice in the South tc
let the fields after harvesting the crops grow
up in weeds as in years gone by. The Gus
tom now was to seed to crimson clover as
fast as they were removed and that 1t was nc
unusual sight in those mid-winter months to
see droves Of horses. cattle and sheep feeding
on this clover with an avidity not surpassed
by our stock when turned to grass in the
spring time.
Only think Of this gentlemen and compare