The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-03-04
dUNPoWDRR AGRICULTURAL. CLUB.


GUNPOWDER AGRICULTURAL. CLUB
Monthly Meeting at the Home Of Mr.
FrameEThe Advantages of Subsoil-
ngReport to Agricultural De-
Standardization for Oh-
cers-Half Hour for
Questions, Etc.
The Sen or Gunpowder Agricultural Club me
Saturday February 18th, at the home of Mr.
George r Ime, North Calvert street, Baltimore
Mr.. John Crowther, Jr., was foreman. Other
present v ere Messrs. John Bond, E. Gittingi
MerrymaH, Lewis N. Bacon, Thomas ]. Lea
Nelson RI Miles, John s. Crowther, N. Howard
Gill, Clintbn Miles, Russell Bedler, of Philadel
phia; Col William NJ. Knight and Upton III
Tarbert, the latter delegate from the Junior
Club.
Mr.. Badbn having attended the two recent
meetings pr the Junior Club, reported favorably
and referfed to subsoiling having been done
that resulted to the improvement of the soil
and crop{ Mr.. John Crowther, Jr., remarked
that yearf ago subsoil plows were on the market
and trials & them had been made. Mr.. Merry
man said lan0a<enerally is not plowed deep
enough and favored the loosening of the sub
soil. Mr. W. D. Curry's plan-that OF following
the furrow pillow with three-tooth drag with
which to stir the soil-was referred to. 1t was
said plows are being made that loosen the sub
soil without throwing it to the surface.
A blank from the Agricultural Department at
Washington was filled out as follows:
"What per cent. of last years crop of corn re-
mains in hand for consumption and for sale
Answer-50 per cent. What per cent. will be
consumed in the county? Answer-75 per cent.
What per cent. is of merchantable quality
Answer-95 per cent. What quantity has been
saved and cured? Answers per cent; as
some corn is in shock. What is the present
price Answer-5l cts. per bushel for shelled
corn7
"What per cent. of wheat of last year is in the
farmers possession? Answer-10 per cent.
What per cent. Of the wheat is consumed in the
county PAnewer-lOO per cent. AS much -four
is boughtto equal the wheat that is sold.
what is the average weight per bushel of
Wheat? Answei-60 lbs.
what per cent of oats is on hand? Answer
10 per cent. WHAT'S the weight CT oats grown
last year? Answef-32 lbs. to the bushel.''
A pamphlet from the Agricultural Depart
ment respecting the "Adulteration Of Seeds"
was read by Mr.. Bacon, setting forth the fact
that a lot of samples of grass seeds were in
spectcd which proved many inferior seeds in
them ranging from lotto AZ per cent. Informa-
ton was that the department will test seeds
from any farmer or scotsman so that only the
perfect seeds might be purchased and sown.
A remark was that thetwo clubs should mani
fest more interest in the purchasing of seeds of
all kinds and before doing SO ascertain the best
tested grades, as no doubt there has been impo-
sition, seeds similar in appearance having been
mixed with the seed desired
Election of officers resultedas follows: Execu-
tive committee-E. G. Merryman, ]. s. Crowther
and N. Howard Gill; nominating committee
James B. Ensor, John Bond and George Frame
machinery committee-E. G. Merryman, James
B. Ensor and N. H. Gill fertilizer committee
L. NJ. Bacon, J. s. Crowther and ]. D. Ensor
library cOmmittee-A. B. Gardiner, Jr., DIR. j.
E. Orrisop and L. NJ. Bacon; fruits and seeds
committee George Frame, John Bond and j. 8.
Crowtherl; Maryland Agricultural College COM
mittee-George Frame, A. B. Gardiner, Jr., ].
B. Ensor, DR.. j. E. Orrison and John Bond i;
treasurer Il. M. Bacon.
HALF HOUR FOR QUESTIONS.
Has any member applied fertilizer on grass
field to better the hay crop9 A farmer expects
to apply $50 pounds of South Carolina rock and
potash per acre to improve the grass. Mr.. Bacon
stated that his father applied South Carolina
rock in February with the expectation of turn
ing under the sod for corn, but the grass i'm
proved SO much that he did not pillow the land
but cut the grass. He applied 300 lbs. per acre.
Mr.. ]. s! Crowther has applied fertilizer in
January, and Mr.. Thomas ]. Lea favors apply
ing in the fall of the year for best results.
1t was said the Maryland Experiment Station
furnishesa bulletin on the application of fertil-
izers on sod and otherwise.
Reference was to a landlord requiring his ten
ant to spend the money he obtains from the sale
of straw to buy fertilizer and thus replace the
value to the ground that the straw would give.
The.tenant had sold as much as $50 worth of
straw.
What is the best time to trim trees Answer
Any time in winter and slightly in the summer.
The trees should be saved their leaves as they
give shade aud act as lung power. On trans
planting Of the tree the top should be trimmed
ACCORDING to the loss of roots when taking the
tree up.
remark was the best orchard grows where
the ground is good, but reply was that too much
wood is not indicative of the best product.
Reference was to orchards that produced well
that grew in fair soil and in hollows of field.
Some soils are more favorable to tree-growth,
but all trees need the best care for perfect de-
velopment.
When should nut trees be planted2 Answer
In the spring. All hard wood and evergreen
trees should be planted in the spring.
How long will it take for nut trees to yield
Answer 10 years. Apple trees from to 7years.
Disease will keep trees from bearing at the ex-
pected time.
When should grape vines be trimmed9 An
swer-Now, and cut back the wood to two
FNt. knfv~,
vines is that the fruit can be easily picked.
Is it advisable to take meat out of the brine
and smoke now, the weather being very cold
Answer-Yes. and let the meat hang day or
more before smoking frost will dry out meat
What is the object of smoking2 Answer-The
meat is well colored by it, and it helps to pre-
serve it.. Several members said they smoke
meat for three or four weeks, but prefer clear
weather to do Ii.
Is it advisable to haul manure out on the fields
while there is snow7 Answer-By Mr. Bond
do not do 80. Mr.. ]. s. Crowther said haul out
and dump the manure in carloads would be
better than to scatter it over the snow. Mr.
Bacon thought well to spread manure where the
melting of the snow and rains would not wash
it away.
Remarks were favorable to the recent Farm
ers' Institute being one of the best, and among
the subjects of interest were the stabling OF
cows, by Mr.. Francisco their care and yield
and average value of each COW; also the hand
ling of the product of the dairy to get the best
out of it.
1t was said the people should be impressed
with an appreciation for the best quality OF
milk; also that the proper way of delivering
milk was by bottles, as then each customer gets
the same quality. To keep milk pure and sweet
no Freezene or anything else is necessary but
rather Injurious and also unlawful.
Respecting the feeding of the dairy herd and
growing the feed upon the farm were subjects
of much interest. and Mr.. Tarbert spoke of Mr.
Charles A. Councilman's letter along that line
as valuable as the growing of protein is essential
to successful dairying.
Mr.. Bacon said he grew cowpeas one year and
on SLIDING them put one load of peas alternate
with each load Of corn, but the peas make 9
great deal of work. hence will silo only corn
which is desirable feed.
Mr.. Lea advocated growing peas with corr
and cutting both with corn-harvester. The
corn can be worked once and then SOW the peas
with one horse planter. There are several
good varieties, but they will not do well before
warm weather. Peas are very expensive tC
handle and there is more protein in them thar