The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-10-20

THE Fertility Of the eoil."-At the last
meeting Of the Deer Creek Farmers Club Pro-
Iessor Whitney, chief of the Bureau of Soils of
tne Department of Agriculture, delivered a
nilgnly interesting and instructive address on
Inc Fertility of the Soil" This address, in
measure, was supplemental to one delivered
1y him short time since before the Rich Neck
Farmers Club of Queen Anne's county, and
received profound attention from his listeners
from start to finish. As an object lesson to
illustrate his line ofthought, Mr.. w. B. Harlan,
the host, had prepared about three dozen ex-
hibits OF growing wheat, which had been
planted in especially prepared pots, which
completely confined the roots and excluded air
and moisture. They were all filled with the
same soil, but enriched by variety of COM
mercial fertilizers. In the beginning of his
address Professor Whitney exploded the theory
OF olden times that our soil is the disintegrated
particles of rock which have been decomposed,
chemically changed and burnt out, as 1t were,
curing the past ages and made the bold asser-
ZION that all soils are merely the disintegrated
particles of the rock in more or less infinitely
divided condition and still contain the same
chemical ingredients as the ordinary rock from
which the soil originated. Here half dozen
test tubes filled with soil in different degrees of
communion were exhibited to illustrate and
prove this statement.
Professor Whitney states that the prevalent
Deilef that our soils are deeriorating is entirely
erroneous and our reduced crops, when they
DO occur, are due to toxic (poisonous) condi-
tion OF the soil, resulting from the excreta
thrown off by the growing crop and not be-
cause of the fertility drawn therefrom. AS an
easy experimental proof, he asserts that
second crop of wheat in one of thesmall flower
pots before referred to would seem to indicate
that the soil had been exhausted by the first
crop, but if the toxic waste had been properly
washed from the soil before the second plant
ing there would have been no apparent differ
so1A t.od
fertility.
Applying this to larger areas it is common
70 speak of q reduction in the yield of wheat
In the West where it has been successfully
grown for many years; but statistics show
that where reduction is apparent it is general
~ due to bad tillage or lack of rotation and
thai for large areas the average yield, extend
ting through a series of years, is materially in
Sfeased. As further proof of this historically
ne 1efers to the soils OF England, France and
Germany which have been cultivated for over
LOCO Years yet they have steadily improved in
produdiveness and today are enormously fer
tile. II cure the effect of this poisonous
matter lift by the last crop, he recommends
the rotation Of crops, or commercial fertilizers;
crop differing in its nature from the preced-
ing, together with thorough aeration resulting
from cultivation; remove from the soil the
poisonous natter therein and gradually re-
produce the same crop again with renewed
Vigor.
Fertilizers Tor the improvement of the soil
he likens to drugs for the human body; the
most natural means of restoring human health
is change of occupation, surroundings ETC., but
If these are in1practicable for the patient, he
accomplishes the same result by the use of
curative drug or invigorating tonic. In fact
Professor Whitney predicts that the time will
come when professional students of the soil
will prescribe the best remedies for its i'm
provement, just as the physician now ministers
to diseased human being.
The belief that many of our soils along the
Atlantic coastal plains, notably in Southern
Maryland, are worn out. he asserts is absolute
ly erroneous, and that many of these so-called
worn out soils of Maryland are asgood as those
Of Iowa farmers.
The club learned with interest that these are
the most advanced views of soil fertility which
have ever been placed before the public and
that more exhaustive work of the highest
order is now being done by the department
and sent out to the general public in the form
of bulletins than ever before. The professor
promised that his lecture at Mr.. Harlan's will
be available in this way in the near future,
An Earthquake in Baltimore County
Frightens Many But Does No Damage
A distinct shock of earthquake was felt in the
eastern and northeastern sections Of Baltimore
county last Saturday morning. DR.. ]. f. II.
Gorsuch. of Fork, 18th district, described the
shock as follows:
'"There was distinct shock here at 10 clock
Saturday morning. The undulations were
sufficient to severely shake the houses and
was accompanied with a rumbling sound
which seemed to travel from north to south.
was seated in my office when perceived that
my chair was shaking, and jumped up. The
house shook so that thought some of the raf
tiers had broken and were falling. My wife
and self rushed out doors. The vibrations of
the earth covered a period of about two seconds,
as far as could calculate. Other houses in
the vicinity Of mine were also shaken, and the
workmen at the carriage factory of Mr.. John
Arthur ran out. Two of my patients were so
alarmed by the shock that they were made
very nervous"
Rev. M. L. Beall, pastor of the Long Green
Circuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
who lives at Mount Vista, said:
"There was distinct subterranean distur-
bance here about 10 o clock Saturday morning.
1t shook my house so as to alarm myself and
family. I know of no blasting or anything
else going on in the vicinity which would
have had the same effect as an earthquake"
Mr.. Elisha Slade, of the firm of Slade Bros.
g. Co., carriage builders at UnioDville, said:
1.-THE shock of earthquake was distinctly
felt here. was in my factory at the time and
members Of my family at my residence were
so alarmed that they thought the house was
falling down. A horse belonging to Mr.. ].
Jenkins, became so frightened that it broke
away from the tree to which it was tied and
ran away, demolishing the vehicle to which it
was attached"
Many other people in the same section felt
the shock and some thought it was caused by
heavy blasting, but this could not have been.
The shock was felt up through the valley of
the Gunpowder and as far north as Parkton.
There are those who declare they felt it at Tow
son. but here it appears to have been light in
comparison to what it was east and north
of us.
Second Annual Horse Show a Marked
Success.-Beautiful weather insured avery
large attendance at the second annual show of
the Green Spring Valley Horse Association,
which was held at the kennels last Saturday.
It was an ideal day for outdoor sports and the
affair was thoroughly enjoyed and was in all
respects successful. Governor Warield was
among the throng of spectators. The winners
of the first prizes were as follows
Single Horse Station Wagon-Mr. William
divers General.
Pony Driving Class-Miss Nancy F. Brune's
Saddle Horse Class-Mr. J. H. Wheelwright's
Jean Beakam.
Roadster Class-Mr. William B. Oliver 8
Maggie King. THE second prize in this class
was won by Mr.. r. w. ]. Parlett, of Towson.
Green or Qualified Hunter Class-Mr. Thos.
E. Cottman's Dina.
Thomas Deford's Lucinda, driven by Mrs. w.
s. G. Williams.
Hunter Pair Class-Mr. Thomas Deford's
Keggy Conner and mate.
Ladies' Hunter Class-Mr. Thomas E. Cott-
mans Dina.
Runabout Class-Mr. Alexander Browns
Cock Robin.
Gossip.
Horses in Harness Pairs-Burnside Farm
Florus and Chesapeake.
The committee in charge of the arrangements
was composed of Mr.. W. Plunkett Stewart,
chairman; Mr.. E. A. Robinson, secretary /;
Mr.. James Piper, treasurer; Mr.. Thomas
Deford, Jr., and Mr.. W. Stewart Diffenderffer.
Church Cornerstone Laid--At P. NJ.
on Tuesday the cornerstone for the new Park
Heights Ave. M. E. Church, on Park Heights
avenue and Shirley lane, was laid with appro-
pirate ceremonies. 1t was placed in position
| hy Mr.. James e. Ingram, president of the
Missionary and Church Extension Society.
The importance of the field was emphasized
BY Rev. e. L. Watson and Rev. ]. st. Clair
Neal, who made addresses. The work done
by Rev. J. Edward Snyder, the pastor, who
began near the present site with tent meetings
that continued to draw larger crowds came in
g T YroaidinO alder