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Club Minutes: Enterprise Farmers Club, 1878-1891
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165 Durhams ; but best of all was a barn full of wheat yet to thrash. After reading the minutes and discussing roast turkey and Politics, the following questions were asked and answered: Ques . 1 What is it worth to winter a colt, now 6 months old ? Ans. Majority say $ 2.00 per mo. Ques. 2 What share of apples should be given this year for pickleing ? Ans. About one - fourth. Ques . 3 What is the right time to cut grafts for apples, and how to take care of them? Ans. Cut in February, and put in cellar or on North side of a building . Ques . 4 What is a fair price fore 100 bble. of corn as it runs in the field in Sandy Spring neiborhood ? Ans. $ 2.2[5?] per bbl. Ques . 5 When would you sell some young hogs that are now fat ? Ans. Sell as soon as possible for fear of Cholera. five members of the Club are reported to have been drawn to serve on the Jury , in the County Court. The question of Stock trespassing while being driven along roads where there were no fences, was discussed at length. Adjourned to meet at Avm, Dec. 8th.
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166 Avon, 12 - 8 - 83 The Club met at Avon 12th mo., 8th, 1883 . Wm S. Bond , Samuel Hopkins , [T?]. J. Lea WmLea, B.H. Miller, P.T. Stabler, Asa M. Stabler and E.P. Thomas were absent. Granville Farquhar was appointed Foreman . The weather, which had been remarkably fine fer some weeks past, enabling all good farmers to be ready for Winter, was today very unpleasant; -- one of those damp, chilly misty days. Asa M. Stabler was appointed Sec. for 1884. We took a short walk to the stables, [?] Found the stock in good condition W winter well. Our host had just finished getting water to the stable, using the overflow from the ram tank for the purpose. Ques. 1 Can you fatten an old cow while you are milking her? Ans. Yes, it may be done; but it will require a long time , and not be very profitable. Ques . 2 How much is a shock of Fodder, containing 4 2 5 hills, worth ? Ans . Seven say .25, one , 30, two .20 Average .24 1/8 Ques . 3 Would you vote for a new Court - house, to cost from $ 30.000.00 to $ 40.000.00 ? Ans . Six for,six against new Court - house .
W. W . Moore.
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167 Mt Olney 1stMo 12 th 1884 Twelve Members of the Enterprise Club Met at the residence of Granville Farquhars with Dr Magruder J J Hutton and Frank Hallowell as guests. Benj H Miller was appointed foreman and a brand new feature was inaugrated in the procurement of a secretary to serve the club for the year 1884, a refference to our Minute book will show several Modes viz. regular elections , voluntary service, persuasion , flattery , bribing , buying and tradeing , but never in the history of this club have such arbitrary means been resorted to as were taken at the meeting held at Wm S Brookes last month where barely a majority of the members met and didnot Elect , but appointed an absent member to serve as Secy for one year without pay , We are past entering the eighteenth of year of the existence of our organization and have great cause to be thankful for the many blessings, and the few sorrows which have befallen our lot during this period, But the year 1883 cannot be passed without notice of the desolations brought to the home of one of our members After reading the minutes of the meeting held at this house in sept 1882 we proceeded as far as the barn on
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168 our usual tour of inspection, and examined the stock in their comfortable quarters , This being a dairy farm of course cows predominate ---- It was thought by some that our hosts stables were too dark for convenience, as well as health of its inmates , The additional of a pont or bridgeway building with potatoe cellar beneath was one of the improvements since our last visit The hogs were apparently doing well It being too slippery to extend our walk we returned to the house and discussed the following questions Ques 1 st Our host wishes to know how to keep Water out of his new potatoe cellar ? Ans Protect the newly made banks with boards protecting from the building above, , also dig a ditch on north and west side and ram clay in. Qus 2 Shall I dig a new well or try to case one which has caved badly ? Ans The opinion was largely in favor of digging a new one Ques 3 Shall I feed indifferent hay to My cattle, or haul good from my adjoining farm ? Ans Feed the bad wastefully and get rid of it, before using the good
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169 Ques 4 Does Ensilege hold it's own ? Ans There was but one living witness to stand up for its sweetness ---- Qeus 5 How many feed straw to horses ? Ans Only one present Qus 6 Shall I kill pork or sell alive ? Ans Most would kill Ques 7 How much corn do you feed your work horses this season of the year ? Ans about 25 years a day Ques 8 Crop shall I put in a stalk field ? Ans 2 say oats, 1 would leave it for wheat , and the rest would put in corn E P Thomas and Benj H Miller were appointed to prepare report for farmers convention ,as the regular Secretarys time was too much occupied in consequence of the destructive fire which caused the loss of his dwelling At 8.45 adjce to meet at Roger B Farquhars on 2 Mo 9 th
Asa M Stabler Sec
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170 Rock Spring .2 mo. 9th 1884 At 4.35 PM. eleven members of our Club were called to order by Ed. P Thomas . as foreman . Later in the day W.S. Brooke arrived. R. M. Stabler, W.S.Bond, , [J?].[T?] Moore P.T.Stabler & Saml. Hopkins were absent. C. F; Kirk H. H. Miller , R. H. Miller , Roger Brooke , W. H Brooke , ______ Hutton , [W?] E. Muncaster were present as g uests.
After reading Minutes of meeting held at this house 17 months ago , B H. Miller read a communication from Wm B Sands, setting forth the importance of action being taken at this time towards the procurement of an Experimental Station . B.H Miller Wm Lea and Arthur Stabler were appointed a committee to draft suitable resolutions embodying the wishes of this club , and present them to our representatives at Annapolis, as early as practicable . We then proceeded on our tour of inspection, first to the barn_yard, where three yoke of oxen were in exhibition; (an unusual occurence these days to see so many in one farm) ___ One pair being fed for beef, and about ready for the butcher, and the other stock in nice thriving condition . The horse stables were clear of manure ; the past three months accumulation having been put where it would do more good. _____ We then went to the hay house near center of the farm.,
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171 stopping on our way to admire 2 fine three year old colts , and a flock of fat , sheep, The balance of our hosts stock consists of swell steers , and a very handsome flock of sheep , which were wintering nicely despite the unusual amount of wet weather we have been having . Numerous piles of lime were in sight , ready to be applied when Spring opens . The wheat was looking very strong and healthy . Upon returning to the house Roger B. Farquhar read a draft of a law to regulate the movements of [Machin?] Engines on the public roads of this county ;---- which was approved , and he was [instructed?] to forward to our Representative Question 1st Shall I spread lime now [&?] plow [in?] by our host. or wait and apply after plowing ? Ans _____ 8 in favor of spreading now , [&?] 8 for putting on top . Ques . 2 nd Are those present going to attend the meeting of the Agricultural Society to be held June 4 th ? Ans ---- This brought out the usual diversity of opinions in its former management, and a lively discussion ensued. Most of those present expected to attend, and wh[?]ile there was [?] difference of [viewd?] , as to how it [out] to be run it was evident that a better feeling existed to shape it's future course.
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172 3rdQues -- Can I invite the ladies in the by our host house to participate in the discussion if a question I wish to ask ? Yes. Question ____ Is it possible for a farmer to raise and educate a family , and procure a comfortable living in the average farm , without keeping a dairy ? Ans ___ While all present agreed that dairy farming was the most profitable , it was not absolutely a necessity ; as we have numerous instances when fair results have been obtained without the dairy product . We think our host furnishes one of the many cases to verify this conclusion and that he has very little ground to base a complaint upon , as he has spent his profits on improvements of all kinds, which amounto to increased capital for future operations; and it is impossible to have this money in these improvements and in his pocket at the same time. Ques 4th Shall I sheath or lath my dwelling house ? Ans 10 for lath and 4 for sheath . Ques 5th What shall I do with my bacon to pick out [skippers?] ? Ans --- Put in paper or muslin bags.
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173 Ques 6th Does it pay to grease harness ? Ans ----- Yes. R, B. Farquhar stated that it cost $2.30 per [bussel?] to raise corn in land that will produce 7 to 8 bus. per acre . [S?]; Stabler , [C?]. H. Brooke and W. S. Brooke were appointed a committee to see the District Commissioners in regard to making regulations to govern the Washington market . Then adjourned to meet at Samuel Hopkins ' 3rd mo 8th 1884 . Asa M Stabler Sec'y . -----
"White Hall."____ 3rdmo.8th 1884 We commenced business with R.B. Farquhar as foreman . Most of our members present : also [no?]. M . Smith , [no?] Hardy, and six members [of?] the Montgomery Club in attendance ; a fact worth noting , considering the continued disagreeable weather. and muddy roads. We made our usual trip to the large and comfortable barn, which , as in former occasions , was found to be well filled with horses, colts and cattle of almost any size or age. This being the original headquarters for the Percherone horse in this part of Mary land , more well
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174 forrmed draft-horses and colts can be seen here , than are usually on one farm. At the suggestion of a member a committee went to the north side of the barn, to examine, the "Hopkins Hay and Grain Elevator." They found it in its usual looking order ; A very simple device, by which four good horses can elevate a load of hay or grain, about one foot per second . The greatest falult this machine seems to have is that it only lifts the hay to the barn floor ; it then has to be put in the [morr?] by fork . A further discription of this contrivance , I will leave to my successor , who will no doubt be a paid officer, and can afford to give you a better idea of its merits . We next visited barn No 2 , situated in adjoining farm , and Purchased by our host since our last visit ; when we found a fine lot of young cattle , and a superb flock of sheep ; all of which were doing well. Some members thought there should be a better arrangement for feeding the lambs meal. On returning to the house, minutes of meeting at R. B. Farquhar's were read, and Committee on "Regulations of Washington Market" continued . B.H. Miller Prepared a resolution , requesting the Legislature to extend no more aid to the Agricultural College . This was signed by nearly all present , and