The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1904-09-30

clover, alfalfa, buckWheat anu sueal
of spring wheat from W. H. Weber Il
Sons, Garrett county, which shows
growth of four and one-half feet OF
straw. A case of forage at the oppo-
site or south end contains forage crops
of the Eastern Shore and Southern
Maryland-winter wheat, barley, oats
cowpeas, SOFA beans and blade fodder.
Forage, it is explained, cannot be pre-
served with the same ease in the East
as in the Western States, where the
harvest season is so dry that grain
can be left in the fields for months af-
ter cutting, while in Maryland crops
must be at once stacked or stored in
barns; that the frequent showers make
truck and fruit growing more protita-
BILE than grain; that the nearby mar
kets offer opportunities for sale OF
these which their Western brothers do
not enjoy. The two cases for exhibiting
10 samples of soils and subsoils, col
lected by DR.. j. A. Ronsteel of the
United States Divisions of Soils for
the Maryland exhibit; are located one
at each end of the space. The cases
are 50 arranged that the soils can be
inspected both in jars and in bins.
In the front of each case in black let.
ters is the fact, "Maryland Has
Greater Variety OF Soils Than any
State IN the Union" With each SAM
pie is the Names description, where
obtained, characteristics, the list of
crops for which it is best adapted.
A feature intended to illustrate the
varied conditions, crops and methods
found in the northern and southern
sections Of the State, quite foreign to
each other, is the two barn scenes, To-
Gated at each end and on the wall side
of the block. That on the north end
is labeled "Western Maryland Barn."
The front is built of barn boards paint
ed red. One story only is visible; the
second and roof is hidden by hicko-
ry tree, with foliage, true to nature.
The trunk, eight inches in diameter,
stands at the north corner, while its
long limbs, with its many branches,
hide com pletely the second story and
roof A hop vine winds itself around
the trunk and spreads its foliage and
flowers across the front. A coonskin
is nailed to the side. The front has
the appearance of an open barn floor,
and is protected from dust and the
hands OF the multitude by plate glass;
On the floor to the right is a pile of
yellow dent corn, each ear of nam
moth proportions. Some has been Sc
lected for seed and lays in a pile by
the bucket, with bundle of alfalfa on
it, where the farmer sat when shelline
by hand into the partly-filled half
bushcl basket, while IN second pile
ale the cobs and in the third the nub-
bed corn. Some sacks bave already
been filed At the south end of the
same barn is pile of wheat, quite 20
bushels; the NOW to the left is filled
with wheat in the sheaf, while that to
the right is filled with loose timothy
hay; overhead is corn fodder, while on
the timbers hang corn knives and the
fale. The inquisitive visitor is told
that straw has value to the Eastern
farmer second only to the grain, that
hay brings better price loose than
when baled, that the coon and fox :
take the place of the deer and jack
rabbit of the plains.
The barn at the south end is label
ed "Southern Mary yland Barn. Here
the grapevine and muskrat skin take
the place of the hickory tree and coon.
The dark green foliage, with lunches
of half-ripe grapes, have been frequent
ly taken for the "real' thing. The
front is not painted or whitewasbed,
but stained weathered gray. Oys- |
ter tongs lean against the barn. The
front is also protected with plate glass.
The loft to the right is filed with to-
bacco hanging from sticks, while on
the floor is stripping scene, as when
the farmer and his help drop all and
go to dinner. To the extreme left is
"burden" of seasoning tobacco,
while opposite is a full hogshead
ready for the French market Hang
ing from pegs and nails are corn husk
collars (the only exhibit of the kind
in the building,) baskets, mats. and
implements commonly seen in tobac-
co barn, and basket Of cotton sent
from St. Mary's county. A spinning
wheel which came from Calvert coun-
ty hangs from beam above, and is
said to be over 200 years old. 1t is a
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