The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-07-22
orNpowpsR AGRICULTURAL CLUB


His Work, etc.
The Senior Gunpowder Agricultural Ciuo met
Saturday afternoon. July 18th, at the home OF
MT. Thomas J. Lea. manager OF tne iarm Oh tne
Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital, near Tow
son. Mr.. Lea is an honorary member of the club
and requested the members to allow him to en-
terrain them. as he has frequently enjoyed their
hospitality and looked upon the result of their
efforts in farm life. There is nothing gives him
more pleasure than to see what agriculturists
are doing and to know Of their success
Mr.. John Bond was foreman and chose DR.. ].
Edgar Orrison and Mr.. John Crowther, Jr.. as
assistants ON the inspection committee. Those
present besides those named were Messrs. J.
Summerfield Crowther, N. Howard Gill. Frank
G.. Scott. Daniel 8. Pearce. Benjamin NJ Brooks.
George M. Lamb. John T. Hershner, David L.
Matthew'S. James Briscoe, DR.. Edward N. Brush.
WV. G. Stewart and A. ]. Tarbert. Unavoid-
able circumstances-harvest work especially
kept many of the members of the Senior and
Junior clubs away.
The inspection of the fields OF grass, the crops,
stock and the very beautiful property inclu-
ding visit to the casino, with all the attractive
and pleasant features; to the swimming pool
and the many rooms for individual baths and
massage and electrical treatment, and also to
ing. took ND about all the time. Mr.. Lamb,
| trustee. DR.. Brush, DR.. Hamilton and Mr.. Bris-
coe ACCOMPANIED the guests to the buildingsa and
| explained the many conveniences. Every nook
| and corner In and out of the groves were found
to be well set in grass; the lawns especially at
| traeted attention because of the perfect sod and
| wen kept condition of the grounds. The natural
| lay of the large tract of nearly 400 acres; the
| orifinal trees and many from the nursery grow
| InN where they are most needed for beauty and
shade; the perfect driveways and the attractive
scenery about the property and that surround
| ing it, make it one of the most admired spots OF
the STATE. While Nature gave the foundation
| for the delightful premises, yet man has con-
| tributed much to make it a most desirable es-
| tate. Although visitors can see much to enjoy,
| yet it is sd to know that those there who are
unfortunate in mental and other infirmities can
not take inthe beauties of Nature as others.
A stroll took in the newly set alsyke clover.
| which followed the wheat crop sowed in corn
| ground The members here were greatly in
| terested, and as Mr.. Lea gave the formula OF the
fertilizer he has used for grain and grass they
noted the ingredients and quantity of each,
which is 900 lbs of raw bone, 600 lbs. of South
Carolina rock and 200 lbs. of muriate of potash.
| The mixing is done at the factory, because the
farmer cannot mix his fertilizer so well. Heap
| plies 800 lbs. per acre and farms on the three
| wear plan-one in corn. one in wheat and one
| year in grass. The land then is not without
| vegetable matter and there are fewer weeds.
| Mr.. Lea never fallows ground for wheat and in
| renting farm which he owns in Montgomery
| county, he requires that no land be plowed for
| wheat urging the sowing of wheat in corn
ground and the seeding of the same in grass to
| remain one year only, no matter how good the
grass SET
"A field from which very heavy crop of hay
had been harvested was visited. 1t shows that
added fertility is the reward of the manager.
Another field which was cut early has already a
good second growth of grass.
A permanent pasture of excellent set and
growth has been greatly improved by the use OF
aspike-harrow, the sowing of Kentucky blue
grass and white clover and an application of
lime 1t has a thick, velvety appearance and
the stock delight lit. Mr.. Lea is truly phian-
thropist in that he has made more than 100 blades
of grass grow where only one blade grew before.
Now there is an abundance of produce for all
stock whereas but very little ian insuficiency)
grew before. He is believer in liberal seeding
and seems never to fail In sets when farmers
generally are complaining of poor grass. He
cut this summer grass from seed sown last fall
in the corn.
The growing corn looks very encouraging in
deed, with product that will be more than am
pie. Mr.. Lea is a corn-producer as we'll as
grass producer, judging not only from the corn
not yet tasselled, but from the excellent supply
of clean white and yellow corn from last years
crop. Considering the supply not having been
assorted it is surprisingly good corn and compares
favorably with the best selected. His yield last
year was IL bbls. per acre.
Everything that was inspected was an OBJECT
lesson. Mr.. Lea has in charge 30 head of horses
ts1d mules and their care bespeak the love he
has for them. They show the best attention and
their work seems not to overburden them. The
cattle (mostly Guernsey are being improved In
breed and product SO that the supply is more
than the demand.
Another hobby in which the trustees encour-
age Mr.. Lea is that of swine-raising. In this he
has not failed, judging from the large number OF
full-grown hogs and smaller ones, To produce
sufficient meat and lard for the institution re-
quires the best thought and management. Every
detail for the feeding and stablingis systematic
ally and clearly carried out and the health of
the animals manifest this.
The poultry, under the management of Mr..
David L. Matthews, is looked after with profita-
BILE results. The yard is elevated and healthy,
in which are loaded trees with cages, plums and
apples of choice varieties.
Much of the formal business of the meeting
was omitted owing to the long and interesting
stroll and the inclination towards making the
occasion an outing, the desire at times being to
sit and rest and enjoy what could be seen.
At the home specimens of the gardens, con-
sisting of large cabbage. caulihower. tomatoes.
corn, onions and potatoes, were noticed with
much interest. Twenty-Five acres for garden is
producing fine crops of early and late vegeta-
bles under the care of Mr.. A. j. Tarbert. The
Earlianna tomato and the Eureka potato were
specially fine specimens.
Much was said about harvest and to what in
convenience the rains put the farmers. Several
of the members said they had all of their wheat
and great deal of their hay housed in good con-
dition. Some wheat unhoused was said to be
damaged from sprouting, and even shocks of
grain with caps over them were reported in
tured by the rains. Reference was to many
| years ago when the farmers generally capped
| their wheat and seemed to be successful in saw
ing their crops. Reference was also to the great
| hay against probable rains: also 10 the many
| acres Of grass now uncut. Mr.. John Crowther,
| (which he formerly owned and upon which he
lived. near Cockeysville.) said he had 80 acres
| vet to cut The recent storm washed over much
of his meadow land, as 1t did that or many 9th
| ers in the vicinity.
REPORT OF INSPECTION COMMITTEE.
| Mr. IT. j, Lee, superintendent. was kept busy
| directing the members of the club and the Wis
| itors to the many points of interest in connec-
| ton with the agricultural department. There
| was marked evidence of close attention given
| avery detail relative to the institution.
| Among the various objects OF remark were the
| capacious barns and we'll arranged stables for
| the comfortable accommodation of the herd of
| 10 fine Guernsey and other stock necessary for
| the well equipped farm. Attention was called
| to one of the several teams of four fine mules
| leach team assigned special driven on their
| way to water.
! crystal LIQUID being freely imbibed it revived
| and refreshed us for our journey down one of
4 me wen c0ntoured drives which led to the
| 3-acre vegetable garden, under the supervision
| az Mr. A. J. Tarbert, which, without scarcity,
| furnishes hundreds of individuals with the
| freshest and most luscious garden products.
| We were drawn by bucolic instinct to the green
| yerdue of the pasture field where those twenty
beneficent Guernsey COWS performed their mis-
| sion toward humanity by daily supplying and
| replenishing the dairy with fifty gallons of milk.
| Special mention was made of the alsyke clover,
| which was seeded to corn ground-wheat and
| gave every promise of an excellent cut. The
| Fertilizer sown to the field is formula of Mr..
LEAFS, and the stand of clover vouches for the
superiority over the cheaper kinds employed by
| many farmers. The permanent pasture was 9