The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-01-01
CECIL FARMERS CLUB.
December Meeting Held at the Home
Robert K. Rawlings.
PRIMITIVE AGRICULTURE IN AFRICl

F. r. Cherry agreed with t
ESSAY in that ensilage would not
best for beef, but he finds it 9
lent for the dairy and a great
ing in the corn crib.
J. Harry Poist could not
much profit in pigs at present p
when he has to buy milk.
j. p. Wilson considers that
conditions have changed.
western men usually keep hog
a steer and they follow the cattl
and feed from the refuse grain, and
there is no carrying Of the slop pail
Tho much can be learned from the
western farmer, the conditions con-
front us and we must look for some
thing else.
Elwood Balderston considered
the dairy a reliable standby, if
judieiously handled, especially if q
city market for milk Hgeam may
be securedI Also, Il raising Of
spring laAbs, for New York
markets.
Calvin Appleton testified to
economy and, success of feedil
whole corn to- stockers," by Ell
ample Witnessed in cattle at Buffalo,
James III. Maxwell believes it d
waste to feed whole grain. May do
in the west where land is cheap
and labor scarce, bat here economy
and results demand that all grain,
even the "nubbins" be ground, and
that results will more than pay
the mill bill.
John Cullen stated that he had
no success feeding whole corn, al
though he uses it in connection with
ground feed with hogs, stopping
them well before giving. He grinds
corn, wheat and oats and mixes in
slop for thhnhpgs.
Rev. Rnk on invitation
told the 4 kgaerience lin
Africa as j nag the
natives prepa ~
said We went L.
about 400 miles from
For fifty to hundred
land is quite fertile, then i
by steps onto a broad tab
that is anything but promisi
cultivation. The only imp
used is an instrument similal
hoe or mattock, which the women
use to hoe up small patches to plant
in Kaffir corn and but one or two
other grains.
Dinner being called the President
appointed Harry Maxwell, +. r,
Cherry and j. III. Poist committee
of inspection.
On resuming after a sumptuous
dinner ReSvanBIf n2k cUrtipued
his address The women of tH~
natives do nearly all the work with
a hoe, planting Kaffir corn and
another grain, small and of the
same nature. Also beans and some
other vegetables; seldom over an
acre in cultivation. A village cnl-
tivating a patch in common. When
ground is run! out the natives will
move their village to new place.
They are very destructive of tim
Der. There are a few wild fruits
but they are mostly only skin and
stone-wild date, wild oranges, etc.
No cultivated berries of any kind.
They have about dozen cattle tc q
village of $50 inhabitants. No
beasts of burden except the OK, and
very few of them. The women are
the oxen and the beasts of burden.
The streams eight months of the
year are without water, Orange
river at times being absolutely dry,
and in the wet season they are
raging torrents. Now the white
man has come in and tho in som
instances attempt farming, he
mostly after the gold and copp -
Nine tenths of the land is dry and
barren, tho it may be irrigated by
conserving the water in reservoirs
in the wet season. Some missionI
aries persevered in planting cor
only to see it swept off by locust
in single day, and would agai
replant to have it destroyed, all bu
the stalks, when nearly matured
A Pennsylvania planted an or
chard of apples, pears and grapes
He had to cover trees to keep of
locusts and pillow burrows about the
orchard to keep off the ants that