The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-09-20
What u Farmers CIub has Done.

In order to stimulate similar organizations
it may be well to recount some of the achieve
mentS of one farmers club, that has made it
self conspicuous by its success. This is the
Deer Creek Farmers Club of Hartford county,
Md, which has been in existence for % years
Among its first undertakings was the eStab
lshment of bank, there being at that time
none in the county. 1t was also the prime
mover in organizing the Maryland Farmers
Association, which has rs its object the genera
welfare of the farmers of the whole State, and
the improvement of agriculture. This associa-
ton was behind lin the sense of using its iniiu,
ence with the Legislature to accept the U. s.
otTer) the establishment of the Maryland Agri-
cultural College. The association has also
brought farmers of the whole State into SYM
pathetic relations, and has advocated and car
ried through Il number of important measures.
The club has thus become more far-reaching
III its influence than had been planned or hop
ed.
Ii has made point of testing and introduc-
ing improved machinery. 1t discusses the pos
sibilities of promising inventions, and sends
committees to places where the machinery is
already at work, to report tests and observa-
tons. Sometimes for the benefit of all, some
will volunteer to experiment with the improv-
ed machines. Thus many of value have been
introduced into the community. The whole
club thus becomes an outlook committee.
The great improvement of the roads in that
region is largely due to the agitation of the
question by the club. A railroad through the
interior of the county, very valuable carrier,
found its most earnest advocate in this organi-
cation. The assistance of other enterprises, of
public benefit, which it did not originate, has
been us important work as the execution of
designs receiving their first impulse from the
club. Many things in need of influential back
ing are brought before it from the outside, for
it is wel-knOwn that whatever is worthy will
receive endorsement.
A generous rivalry has been created in the
care of farms, so that untidinesS on the places
of the members has disappeared. AT each
meeting Il committee of inspection reports the
condition of the hosts farm, and us little room
is left for this public criticism possible.
This spirit of order has become contagious,
and has spread through the neighborhood.
Several other clubs in the same county owe
their inception to this one, directly or indi-
rectly, and all are doing good work. The So
cial results have also been important. The
club keeps its membership up to twenty, and
the meetings are rotated i'll regular order The
subject is chosen by the host, and several
are among the best men socially in the county.
The SupperS are always of IL very abundant
and elaborate kind. The session begins ut five,
and the members rarely disperse before ten, so
that the time allotted is abundant for .Xpres-
sion OF views on the topic of the evening, for
the supper and for leisurely chat besides. The
sessions have for years brought the members
into intimate sympai hetc relations; they have
made common cause of all that is for the prog
reSS OF their profession. They have developed
a strong corps desprt." The members and
guests have come to look forward To these
meetings one of the chief events and social
pleasures of thu month.
This club has been fortunate enough to have
the editor of one of the best county wee .iIic-
as member. He has regularly given consi
cradle space to the proceedings. Accounts Oi
the more important meetings have been copied
into Baltimore dailicS; thus, what the club has
advocated has had a chance to become known
through the state-SD that we must not forget
to attribute u due share of the success of Tho
club to the great influence of the press Cdicin
u. u iron. I" ADtf1tcdH 49rtcUHH1tH.