Club Minutes: Enterprise Farmers Club, 1873-1878

Ans 8 say an average crop; 1 3/5 of an av, 5 say 2/3 of an av, 3 2/5 of av, & 1 1/3 of av. A M Stabler gave it as his opinion that the present crop will be 2/3 of an average.

9th Who will ephibit at the approaching county fair 11 expect to.

10th Will it pay to sow 1/2 of a corn field in turnpis & 1/2 in Wry for pasture. Thought it would pay to try Rye & oats.

Adjourned to Wm S Brookes on the 6th of September.

P T Stabler Secy

9 Month 6th 1873 The Enterprise Club met at Wm S Brookes & appointed Granville Farquhar Foreman at 5 O,clock & still quite a number absent, the Politicians came stragling in for an hour later untill we had 13 members, with Thos. J Lea Saml Hopkins & Wm. W. Moore absent. We started on our walk after reading the minutes of the last meeting here, first found a goat tied to a pine tree, the orchard had some apples in it, but was bare of Peaches. Some ground nicely prepared & sown in Turnips, that will have to grow fast to escape the winter.

We crossed the stubble field & found the grass very thin & poorly set. The Reaping Machine was patiently waiting in different parts of this field untill another crop of grass can be raised around it to give it work to do. We saw a fine yound mule colt a few days old. The wheat field was plowed & harrowed. Potatoes looked very clean & flourishing. We crossed the Corn field that had been planted three times, & found some very good corn, tho very much missing.

The cows looked well & the feed boxes in their pens showed that they were well cared for. The Dairy was in complete order every thing clean & nice, the yard arround pailed

in & whitewashed, a neat little churn power showed what the goat was intended for; tho, his record as a beast of burden was noy very satisfactory. We returned to the house & found H C Hallowell, E J Hall Jas H Savill, Francis Miller Jas P Stabler were our guests.

Wm S Bond Showed some twilled Cotton Bags which he offered to furnish Guano in at $2.70 2.56 & 1.50 pr Ton over the uniform price.

1st Ques Shall I harrow wheat land where the Oats are growing. Several would harrow.

2 What is the price of cuting Corn by the acre & also pr day. 4 say 60 cents pr day, & 7 say 75 cents per day 1 says 85 cents per acre, 1 90 cents & 5 1.00

3 How early to pick apples. As soon as they begin to drop.

4th What is the cheapest & best way to get a heavy wagon. Have it made to order, a year before it is needed.

5 How shall I get a large Hog to the fair. In a box.

6th Whatr is the right price to pay a hand for 9 mos from this time. 3 say $11.00 & allowance, 4 $12.00 & allow, 6 10.00 & allow, to board himself 1 says, $22. 1 19, 1 15, 1 18, pr Mo.

7th What are you going to take to tthe County Fair.

Quite a number promised to contribute very liberally

The President of the Agriculture Society made some well applied remarks in regard to the importance of encouraging the Exhibition, which were followed by Mr. Saville.

Adjourned to Olney Oct. 4th

P. T. S. Secy

10 mo 4th 1873

The Club met at Olney during a hard Rain. Thirteen members bring absent, proving that they were rightly named the Enterprise

Wm S Brooke was appointed Forman at 5 Oclock, when Thos. J Lea, Saml Hopkins & Wm W. Moore were absent.

We had as guests Dr. Magruder, Chas Farquhar Roger Brooke & Charles Kirk.

After reading minutes of last meeting here, we walked around the Buildings, Found plenty of room in Corn house for the new crop, saw some fine thrifty hogs in the orchard. The rain prevented our going further, returned & read the minutes of last meeting, & proceeded with the questions.

1st Ques. What good has the late County Fair done Nearlt all seemed to think it had done good in a social way, in the competition of the farm, Garden & other products, & in the display of fine Stock, Implements, Machinery &c.

2nd Is it advisable for us to continue raising Potatoes. No decided answer.

3rd How must I apply manure on wheat ground, before or after sowing. Most would sow the wheat first.

4th Are the club willing to take the mill weight of Wm S Bonds I.X.I Unanimously willing to take the wieght as it comes.