Club Minutes: Enterprise Farmers Club, 1948

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April 10, 1948 - 980 Meeting

The ENTERPRISE CLUB

The April meeting of the Club was entertained by F. W. McReynolds at his apartment in Washington. Though the setting of our meeting was a bit unusual for a farmers' Club, the hospitality and dinner provided by our hose and hostess were cetrainly more than equal to any offered in Sandy Spring, and the meeting which followed proved to be of unusual interest. Our host, while living in Sandy Spring in the Summer and Washington in wnter, has his principal aricultural interests in a ranch in Mountana. Guests for the eveing were Senator Ecton and Representative D'Ewart of Montana who contributed greatly to the interest of the evening by telling of agricultural conditions in Montana. Also present as a guest was H. B. Stabler of Washington. Absent members were: W. H. Gilpin, Hurrey, Jackson, S. W. Moore, Lacy and Ben Shaw, Albert Stabler, M. J. Stabler, Stanton, G. A. and Frank Willson, Walter Wilson and L. S. Wesley.

When the meeting was called to order after dinner by our President, W. W. Moore, the minutes of the last meeting with our host were read and those of the March meeting with W. W. Moore were read and approved.

Crop price were giving as follows:

Wheat $2.54 Calves $28.00

Corn 11.00 Lambs 25.00

Hay 25.00 (slow) Potatoes 4.00 cwt.

Cattle 27.00-30.00 Apples 2.00 - 3.00

Hogs 22.75 Eggs .45 - .55

It was noted that the Baltimore market had handled 56,000 more cattle during 1947 than during 1946 and that from January 1 to April 1, 1948 it had handled 10,000 more than in the same period of 1947.

As a matter of interest the minutes of April 17, 1886 were read.

Our host read from a Kentucky paper an advertisement of a public sale of some of the personal property of a man who was leaving Kentucky for the Oregon territory. Your Secretary failed to note the date of the sale but he recalls some of the items as being: "5 slaves, 3 men and 2 wenches, to be sold as a lot; a barrel of aged whiskey, a still, and several gallons of brandy."

Next Senator Ecton raises wheat on a scale which those of us in the East can hardly visualize. His largest crop was approximately 60,000 bu. They use no fertilizer, moisture being genereally the limiting factor. They use sweet clover as a cover crop. Yields have varied from 5 to 50 bu. per acre with the average between 25 and 30 bu. They grow both Winter and Spring wheat. The Winter wheat generally does best, but they use both types in order to spread out the seeding and harvesting season and use their equipment more efficiently. Wheat is graded on protein content as well as on moisture and weight per bu.

Representative D'Ewart is a comparatively small wheat grower (about 5000 bu. per year). His principal business is an elevator. He also runs a small Beef breeding herd (about 200 cows). He formerly had a purebred dairy herd but sold it because of labor conditions.

Senator Ecton is associated with a cattle company which leases 68,000 acres of land. The cattle range in tthe mountains in the summer and are brought down to the home ranger in the Winter and fed hay in bad weather. They are never housed. The cattle are bought as yearlings in the Fall, wintered on hay and grass in the valleys, pastured in the mountains in the Summer and sold as 3 year olds. They carry an average of 2000 head.

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The description given by these two gentlemen of life and conditions in Montana were so attractive that our Chairman was moved to ask in a semi-facetious manner how they were tempted to leave it for a political office in Washington. While it is a hard and fast rule of our Club not to allow discussion of politics in our meetings, it seemed appropriate to heat the answer to this question which was given in part by our host and to quote the substance of it in the mintues.

These men are successful business men who were persuaded to take office in order to try to help preserve the American way of life under a capitalistic system. It required a sacrifice upon their part to take office, but they felt their business would not be safe unless steps were taken to maintain the capitalistic system. They are to be complimented upon their courage and patriotism.

QUESTIONS -

H. G. STABLER was told to use 3-12-6 fertilizer on locust trees.

F.G. LIGON - What should I charge for land to grow soybeans? $10.00 to $15.00 per acre.

F. L. THOMAS - How soon will pulverized limestone show on pasture? One year.

F. A. THOMAS - Can I sow bluegrass up until May 1? Yes.

Adjourned to meet with Senator Davis in Annapolis in May.

Stanley P. Stabler

Secretary

May 7, 1948 - 981st Meeting

THE ENTERPRISE CLUB

The meeting of the Club was unusual for several reasons. Our host for the occasion was Roy Tasco Davis. This was out of order in that Mr. Davis was a new member and was not due to entertain us for several months. However, Mr. Davis had been rash enough to invite us to meet with him in May at Annapolis, and the Club promptly accepted. Senator Davis who sold his farm in Sandy Spring soon after becoming a member of the Club thought it would be nice for him to entertain us in Annapolis, where he spends quite a portion of his time as State Senator from Montgomery County.

While Senator Davis claims to know little of the intricacies of farming, the program he arranged for us certainly showed that he knows the right people in Annapolis.

Our instructions were to meet at Carvel Hall at 2:30 P.M. and it is worthy of note that practically all members and guests were on time. Our walk, instead of being an inspection of the host's farm was a visit to the historic Naval Academy. We were met at the gates by a Marine Officer and a Naval officer and conducted on a most interesting tour of the grounds and buildings. Our first stop was the Museum where many interesting relics of both old and recent naval history were on display. We then visited the Chapel, seeing among other items the Tomb of John Paul Jones.

One of the most interesting stops was Bancroft Hall where the Batallion of Midshipmen is housed. This is the largest dormitory in the World. It has quarters for 3300 men and at the time of our visit was housing 2800. Thedining hall seats 3000. The corps of midshipmen is fed in 30 minutes. This includes getting the number of men into and out of the hall. The stone steps leading to the dining hall

show the wear of the thousands of feet that have traveled them daily throughout the years. Out visit included an inspection of the kitchen, or galley in naval parlance. This was a very special previlege as visitors are not allowed in the galley. In fact, Col. Adelman, who was conducting ouur tour, stated that this was the first time he had been thru the galley himself. It is impossible to describe the quantities of food we saw being prepared, or to visualize the efficiency which must prevail in order to serve such a great number of men in so short a time.

Upon leaving the Naval Academy we truned by Carvel Hall and picked up a few stragglers, and then proceeded to the Governor's Mansion. We were the most hospitably recieved by Governor Lane and his attractive wife and daughter. While all of the members did not partake of all the refreshments offered, those who did made up for those who did not. Suffice it to say that a most enjoyable hour was spent. The MAnsion is furnished most attractively and Lanes certainly were gracious hosts.

The next part of our program was the regular meeting of the Club. In this we reverted to the practice of the early days of the Club and held our meeting before Supper. For this occasion we asssembled in the Senate Chamber of the State House. Our President, W. W. Moore, presided from the rostrum, flanked by our host and P. G. Ligon. The Secretary was at the desk below, and s and guests seated on the chamber floor.

There were no minutes of a former meeting with Senator Davis, so the minutes of the April meeting were read and approved and as a matter of interest the minutes of May 30, 1874 were read.

The following guests were noted: T. A. Barnsley, Mr. Ray, Brooke Moore, Fred Young, R.H. Lansdale, Bond Smith, Barnard Welsh, T. Y. Canby, and Walter Dawson, James D. King. Absent were: Hurrey,