The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-09-25
CECIL FARMERS CLUB.
MONTHLY MEETING AT MR. A. J.
MICHINER'S.
Tn: Club Passes Resolutions of Respect
for the Late Col. E. Moves and
Listens to Mr.. Lloyd Balder-
StOn'S Experience in
Peach Culture.

the call Of the roll: John p. Wilson, Ellis L,
Duyckinck, Robert X. Rawlings, Henry
Coudon A. j Michiner, Morris j. Reeder,
Alfred Kirk James H. Maxwell, Rev. David
E. Shaw and DR.. II. E. Bromwell. The
visitors present were Dr. Tuly and Mr.. Lloyd
Balderston.
Mr.. Clifford being absent with the minutes
Of the last meeting, the president, Mr.. John
p. Wilson, called for reports of experiments
from members present.
Mr.. Duyckinck said he was trying common
cement on n leaky water tank and it was a
success so far. None of the other members
having used cement they could not say how
it would last.
Mr.. Reeder said where he used lime on his
corn ground last spring the crop is much
lar. er than where no line was used.
The next business ir orlC- was the readiua
OF the essay. Mr.. Mchirer said he expected
Prof. James G. Robinson, of the Maryland
Agricultural College, to be present and there
fore had written none.
At the request Of the club Mr.. Lloyd Bal
derston reported his experience in growing
peaches. (His farm when he came into pos
session OF it was all worn out Maryland land
His first adventure was with few trees of
one sort, natural fruit, white freestones, good
for drying. fhey grew well and bore well,
but after the second or third crop one OF them
would fail with the yellows each year. The
failing tree would ripen its fruit few weeks
before the rest, thus afrording some early
fruit
while these trees We're growing, about flfty
years ago, he had procured from the orchard
Of Cornelius Smith on the bin o~o-lookino
Port Deposit, a lot OF over-ripe or decaying
peaches all OF them of superior quality and
planted the stones.
The trees from these produced fruit of
different kinds, and were available when the
trees first planted had declined. The fruit
was excellent, most Of the varieties being
superior to any found in the markets, both in
size and flavor. Some of the sorts would
nave been available as market peaches but
the most luscious could not have been carried
to the market in condition for sale.
After few years of bearing these trees
failed. The yellows chargeable as one of the
causes.
But before they were gone some grated
or budded trees of approved sorts had been
planted. He had not aimed at having more
than plentiful home supply and this was
always realized, except, perhaps, twice when
late frosts killed the germs. Some trees
would be lost by the load breaking down all
the branches, Others by yelows, so that it
was obvious there must be repeated fresh
paintings
One of these paintings was from a load of
trees from Jennesvile nursery, part OF
which were set on some unimproved land on
Vinegar Hill. Those on the home place
which by this time was improved, grew vigor-
ously, bore loads Of fruit, and in fow years
had disappeared. Those on Vinegar Hill
were neglected for five years some of them
simply lived. After this the place was sold
to 7. G. Hopkins, who manured and cult
waited the orchard. The neglected trees now
| throve, bore fine fruit, and ten or fifteen
years after, those Of the same lot that had
thriven under good treatment from the start
had gone the way of peach trees, we're large
trees, bearing fine fruit.
Mr.. Balderston found that replanting where
peach trees had grown resulted in failure
and having yet distant field that had not
been improved. He turned to it for orchard
purposes. Proflting by the Vinegar Hill ex-
perience he left the trees without much care
for few years, then applied ashes abund
antly around them and cultivated the ground
They grew, bore fruit. and some Of them were
| vigorous and productive at the age Of twenty.
five years.
While these trees were bountifully supply
ing his family, with many to spare, he learned
from his friend Il. NJ. Harvey that Smock
peaches we're selling in Philadelphia markets
from his orchard at S5 or Sc crate. Here
started his first idea OF growing peaches to
send to market. He ordered OF a nursery
man 100 Smock trees for the following spring
planting. And had the 100 trees received
been all Smock they would have proved a
very profitable undertaking. Only twenty of
the trees were Smock. but these seldom or
never failed to bring perfect crop that sold
lOl 20 IL Dusltl. Az lue liIUt Ol year Wnen
they ripened the supply from "The Penin-
sula' would be nearly over. and at that time
we had no orchards farther North.
His son j., stimulated by t.c rucccss Of
these few trees, undertook 10 work on n larger
scaleby plantinga II whole field, chiefly Smock.
But the field had been for ears under good
culture and the peach orchard proved an
utter failure. He reminded Ellis Duyckinck,
who was inquirng about peach raising that
he had once heard his (Duyjkinck's) father
say "he had no land poor enough to grow
peaches
At the conclusion of Mr.. Balderston's re-
marks, Mr.. John P. Wilson, rs chairman Of
the committee appointed at the August
meeting 10 pr, pare Resolutions If respect 10
the memory of the late Col. Enoch Noyes.
presented the following:
That while we would humbIy submit to the
imperative decree Of an ail-wise Providence
which has removed from our midst valued
member and co-laborcr, we desire to bear
testimony OF our appreciation of his worth.
Resolved, That In Col. Noyes' death the
club has sustained severe loss a voice ha G