Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1904-02-26
Farmers' Convention.

} President E. P. Thomas, in calling the
} meeting to order, said he would only bore
! them few minutes with q short resume OF
work OF the convention In the past, showing
how opinions have changed In twenty years.
Among other things, he appealed to the
farmers to give their support to Mr.. Amoss,
, Director of Farm Institutes, In recognition
OF the work be is doing, sometimes against
great odds, concluding his remarks by say.
ing what our Sandy Spring section needs
Is good solid doubetrack steam railroad
and we must have it, so that more of the
farm can be devoted to truck and fruits.
VIM. E Muncaster, VIM. w. Moore and
L. b. Stabler, of committee on railroad cross.
lngs, reported all crossings seem we'll at.
tended to by watchmen, no cases Of neglect
having been observed during the past year.
The committee was continued.
There was no complete report of commit
tee on township system, owing to the absence
of the chairman. Several members spoke
on the subject, among them John Thomas,
who said, in part, that the township system,
In connection with roads, had been a cues
ton long agitated, but that he did not think
1t fitted for this county, as it is too sparsely
settled. Each township requires a center
Of trade or capital to bear the large share OF
taxes, and this would be found in sections
like Takoma aud Rockville. The town sys.
ten of New Jersey could not be held as an
| hot
lions OF dollars from trust franchises, which
no Marylander would want credited to the
State, and was also much thicker settled
with more large towns.
b. 81. Miller said at meeting held %
years ago in Rockville, the subject was
brought up and prominent lawyer frown.
ed ii down as a tool Yankee notion, and he
did not think much progress had been made
since.
Allan Farquhar favored the tow nship be
cause he believed 10 local administration of
local affairs, and he thought Sandy Spring
should not say how Poolesville's road money
should be spent, bot should attend to Sandy
Spring roads.
Committee on railrosds-Allan Farquhar
read history Of the disappointments of the
Sandy Spring section 10 railroad building
Dating IRON 1866 and later there have been
ten or twelve projected railroads through
the section, and none built yet.
T. B. Staber gave very interesting talk
on "seed corn, selection aud breeding" sd
vsing the planting OF special patch or sec
ton Of the field Tor seed and cutting tassels
from all stalks which do not make an ear,
then gathering early 10 the fall and drying
thoroughly to prevent freezing during cold
weather.
Prof. Tolliver, of the Agricultural College,
told Of an experimental plot of 40 rows
planted with 100 grains each from 40 differ
ent ears in which the highest yield, weighed
and calculated to acres, was is barrels from
seed from one ear, and the lowest in this
way 8 barrels. Part of this difference was
due to the bad termination of the seed and
part to difference in individual ears OF corn
HIS ideal corn has strong, stocky stalk, not
too high, one good car, fodder enough for
ensilage, not too large cob, and to stand both
wet and dry weather.
Prof. Patterson made some remarks sup.
Elementary to this.
DR.. VIM Z. Magruder said II was estab-
lished to bis satisfaction 25 or 80 years ago
that seed corn should not freeze, as it injured
It's terminating power.
DR.. Stabler said we have no pure varieties
of corn in Maryland, and that we should
start by getting variety from the South,
and make 1t suit by selection. The West
ern and Northern corn does not do we'll on
our shallow soils.
The question of friction matches was
brought up here, and the text of bill re.
qulring license OF $40 TO be paid by the
vendor OF the parlor match and none for
safety matches, was read and Endorsed by
vote OF the convention.
The following preamble and resolution
were adopted by the convention:
Whereas, At the November Term Of the
Circuit Court for Montgomery county, the
Grand Jury, at the suggestion OF Judge Hen
derson, recommended that certain changes
more effective.
And whereas, The Anti Saloon League
OF the county, through committee appoint
ed for the purpose, has, with the advice oil
several attorneys OF the county bar, pre-
pared amendments to said law, which we
u .derstand have been approved by Judge
Henderson and the States Attorney, there
lore,
Resolped, BY the annual convention of the
farmers OF Montgomery county, held this
23rd day of February, 1904, that we respect
fully request our Senator and members Of
the House OF Delegates TO secure the pas
sage of said law without unnecessary de-
lay.
The question, Does our county need new
road law, and what should be It's main iea-
lures was discussed by Mr.. A. N. John
son, of the State Highway Comnlssi N 10
very Interesting paper. followed by dis.
cusslon 10 which he was subjected to a run
ming FIRE of questions as 10 material and other
things.
3 Harold Hopkins read an able paper on
Would 1t pay Us 10 go into lruit culture com
mercisllyf stating that in his opinion II
would II large enough number of farmers
would do 30 10 make it worth while for iruit
buyers 10 visit the section. One year he sold
the apples iron an orchard Of TOO trees for
$500 and did not touch them himself
The convention endorsed the Haman oys.
ter bill, the Shoemaker road bill, and the
bill for sale OF pure cider vinegar, and ad
journed.
TraVilah Items.
.IkaF FatuFnQd from "A