Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-05-01
WoODLAWN FARMERS CLUB.

The April meeting Of the W0odlawn
Farmers Club convened on the 22d
uIt. at Sherwood" the residence OF
Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Wilkerson, and
came 10 order at the call of the presi.
dent, E. f. Mason.
The question was asked as to the
amount of damage to wheat in this sec
ton by winter killing, and an article
was read from the Country Gentleman
Of April Goth, showing that winter
wheat has been badly injured in the
northwest. The loss of live stock in
that section of the country is not so
great n has been supposed, being only
about 10 pr cent. and principally heif-
ers and calves among stock wintered in
the open ranges 1t was generally
thought thu, wheat was not badly hurt
~ thi- section by winter killing.
PREPARATION Jar plantiDg corn Was
,i-cu-s sd, aud Mr. Dunn, visitor, en-
torJaln-1 the club Win his experience
IN Il small farming operation while iu
Pennsylvania. He Was ut ne time en-
p.oyed in the rolling mills aud reuted a
s,usll piece of ground at ten dollars per
acre. He planted three acres in corn
.nd two in potatoes. The stones on
ire land were so thick that in planting
the potatoes in many instances he could
onlv draw lew loose stones over them
and scratch up little dirt with the
hoe and slit down through the crevices.
At this time he became very closely oc-
,upied ir the mills and the corn and
lotatoes received no further attention
until time 10 harvest them except that
pumpl ins wer- planted in the corn,
every fourth bill of every fourth row.
Wi-houf ary cultivation whatever, with
neither ploW nor hoe he gathered foul
tee.. oatreis of coru per acre and three
hundred bushels Of potatoes per acre.
besides several wagonloads of pump
kins. The weeds grew as tall as the
corn and so thick taat it was almost
impossible to walk through them.
E. z Mason thought the success OF
corn crop is largely in the prepara-
ton of the soil. Frequent shallow cui-
tivation was recommended. some
thought the first working should be
deep while the corn is small and alter
cultivation shallow. The frequent use
of the harrow was approved. Some
had experimental with hsrro" ing
wheat in the spring and thought il
benefit. Narrowing in the clover SEED
on wheat if sown late has been found
to succeed well.
:. Il. Snowden exhibited bunch OF
Lucerue that had made u growth OF
about twelve inches. His experience
,s ;hst it requires dry location. lie
sowed about Il acres several years ago
aud only about / acre grew on Knoll
from which tine sample was taken.
The remainder of the land was too low
and wet. He said it would stand pas
.uring or could be cut four or five times
wear for soiling or hay. 1t makes q
better early pasture for dairy COWS than
rye.
A discussion on the subject of chang
ing the quality of milk by feeding was
opened by the reading of two articles
on the subject. While scientific exper-
iments seem TO show conclusiveiy and
experimenters have persistently held
hat the proportional parts of milk are
not changed by feeding, there are no
common sense, practical dairymen who
can be made to believe it, as 1t has been
their unanimous experience that gooo1
food makes good milk and turnips ano
brewers grains make lot OF very poor
milk.
After general discussion on various
topics. the CLUB adjourned to meet at
"Welliugton," the residence OF MT ano
Mrs. D. d. Thompson, May 20.
z. E. MASON, Pres.
CuAs M PrDGEON. Sec'ty.