Enterprise Farmers' Club Minutes

134 Rockspring 11/18/1882 The Club organized in good time with W^m W. Moore as foreman [?]. J . Lea & A.M.Stabler the only members absent., -- their places being filled by eight visitors present by invitation of our hospitable host. --- After reading the minutes of the last meeting held here we were invited by our foreman to take a walk , and before we got back, some of us began to think our foreman judged the others by himself it being very little trouble for him to walk a long distance in a short time . We first inspected the elegant Cellar under a model Houde. -- The ice house had been inproved by taking off the shingle roof and putting on Rye Straw , which our host informed us had made it keep the ice 2 months longer than it had previously done, So the Club decided they had learned a greatdeal about how to build Ice houses in the future .------ In taking our long walk we found the numerous fields we passed over to be in fine condition, showing plainly the benefit of the free use of lime. -- A communication sent to the Secty. by Caroline H. Miller in regard to the proposed Garfield hospital was read , but the Club decided not to take any action upon it, S. Hopkins contributed $1.00 which was forwarded by the Secty. -----

135 1^stQuest Will it pay to cut hay for 12 or15 Dairy Cows, when you have to buy it? -- Will pay well if properly fixed for it. ---- 2 ^ndQuest Would you plow now while the ground is so dry &hard ? Advised to wait for rain. --- 3 ^rd Quest. Will the shipping of beef from the west affect our cattle market. ---- Twas thought not but it was toosoon to. be frightened . --- 4 ^thQuest. How do the Dairy and grazing interests compare as to profits. -- Dairy 25 %. more profitable . -- W^m WMoore stated that he had sold from a herd of 22 Cattle an average of $156. per head per.annum. 5^th Quest How shall I feed 1 Doz ,sheep to fatten to profit? Feed nubbins but be careful not to give too many -- 6^thQuest Shall I buy corn @ $2.25 per bbl. &haul it 1 1/2 miles ? By all means if he expects to need it. ------ 7^th Quest. What does the Club think now of the corn crop is it above or below an average ? A little above an average crop [.?] ----- 8^thQuest Our host wanted to know whether to plow his Lawn field for corn ?----- Majority would not plow it. ---- 9^thQuest. What will you pay for hands the coming year? Some few will raise the wages. ----- Adjourned to meet at B.H. Millers Arthur Stabler Secty. -------

136 Mt. Airy Dec. 23^rd 1882 Our Christmas Club organized with Samuel Hopkins as foreman, 16 members were present, and with 9 of our hosts friends and relatives present as guests, we had a large & lively meeting . --- W^m S . Brooke was the only member absent. -- A short walk was taken, the main object being to select a good site for a barn. After reading the minutes, the Secty. notified the Club that this was the proper time to select a secty. for the ensueing year, W^m W. Moore volunteered to serve for 1883 without compensation. The crop report was given in to enable the Secty. to make up his report for the Farmers convention . ---- The Club raised 1882 4445 bb[ls?]. of corn, on 503 acres, 8 82/100 bbls.peracre 17541 bus. of wheat, " 652 " 26 9/10 bus. " " 18640 " " Potatoes " 137 " 136 " " " 827 tons of Hay " 530 " 1 56/100 tons " " 1423 bus. " Oats " 48 " 29 2/3 bus. " " 1510 bus . " Rye " 59 3/4 " 25 1/6 " " " 228 hogs , weighed " 38413 lbs. average 168 1/2 lbs. 124 Cattle fattened & sold for $ 6029. --- Three members sold the product of 50 cows for $ 4605.--- T. J. Lea sold 200 pigs and shoats, mostly thoroughbred W^m S. Brooke sold 500 fat Cattle, 275 Stock Cattle, 600 fat sheep , 700 stock sheep. --

137 1^st Quest. When you have limed your place all over how soon should you begin again ? Ans. Each rotation of crops, from 5 to 7 years. ----- 2^ndQuest What money rent is land worth for crop of corn, will make 6 bbls? -- Ans. Average about $ 5.00 per acre . ----- 3^rd Quest Where shall our host build his barn? -- Ans. 10 say west of the house, 11 say South, --- - 4 ^thQuest How high ought it be to the square ? Ans. 6 Say 22 feet 12 Say 24 ft. 2 - 20 -1Says 18 & 1 says 28feet. -- 5 ^thQuest What experience have you had with thimble Skein wagons ? Ans. This subject was pretty thoroughly discussed and all decided they were good farm wagons , but the iron axle was best, and most durable for heavy hauling on the road. ---- 6 ^thQuest. Does high feeding cause cows to loose their calves? Ans. Twas thought not but the real cause could not be assigned . -- 7^th Quest What is the legal weight for a bb[ls?].of corn? Ans. 335 lbs, fixed by the last legislature . --- 8^thQuest How much can T. J. Lea afford to pay R. [I?]ddings money rent for 45 acres of poor hilly land, must put on lime furnished by owner, rent for 5 years . -- Ans. 5 Say $ 1.00.00 per year, 2 say $75. 5 say $135. -- 2 say $125. 1 says$150. -- 2ays$80, 3 say 90,-- 1 says$69 1/4. Average $107 20/100 Arthur Stabler Secty. F or the last time [for?] 17 years. --

138 1 ^st mo 20 ^th 1883

Club met at Maple Grove, the residence of T. J. Lea very rainy so much so that several of our members came in carriages although the sleighing was good.

W^m. S . Bond C. H. Brooke W^m. G. Brook R . B . Farquhar [Arthur?] Stabler & E. P Thomas were absent.

John .M. Smith & [Warrick?] M . Stabler were with as guests.

W^m. Lea was appointed foreman, our walk was confined to the pig pens & barn yard we found the usual number of fine brood sows all looking well, our host does not keep his sows untill they get very old finding it better to change them frequently, we thought there were some of the finest specimens of through bred Berkshire amongst the shoats we had ever seen.

The heifers & Bulls [deer?] horns were well grown but did not look as fat & slick as they have some times done, our host

143 Ques. 3^rd What kind of a hog house shall I build ? Ans A raised plat form at each end and a place in the middle for manure wide enough to drive through to get manure seemed favored . Ques . 4^th What to do with the English sparrow ? Ans. Bate for them and when they get close enough to- gether shoot and kill all, if you lease any he will soon be joined by plenty more . Ques. 5^th Samuel Hopkins asked shall I fix up the cellar under my farm for my cattle , or build a shed on the east side of the yard wide enough to accommodate two rows of cattle with hay loft above. Ans. Build the shed on the east side of the yard. We had a very interesting meeting ,and adjourned to meet at J. [?] Moore's 3 ^rd Mo. 17^th 1883 --

146 3 ^rd mo 17 ^th 1883.--- The Enterprise Club met at harwood. all the members present except W ^m S. Bond. W^m S . Brooke foreman . B. D , Palmer , W. H . Talbot,and one or two others as guests. Our walk was short why I cannot tell. The new Ice house was well filled and and most of the members thought there would be no dangers of this place being short of Ice next year as it is known to keep so well in this place. the hens had been trying to make nests in the straw with which the house is , we next visited the numerous pig+ pens with pigs of various sizes and colors all not looking as well as our host would like , would not eat corn as well as they ought,most of the sows had lost their pigs which seems to be a general complaint the cows were comfortably stabled and looked well showing that cows can be kept in better condition when milked and fed than when allowed to runnin the barn - yard dry all winter which has been the plan ont this farm

147 heretofore. We noticed two very fine half or three fourth alderney calves which showed much care and they have as all young stock generally does pay well for it. In the old sheep house we saw four nice colts one two years old half Percherons Arabian cand one 1 yr. old half Percheron, calling forth the oft repeated saying blood will tell both of which seemed to show the blood of their sires , except the Percheron in color, which was sorrel .

On returning to the house J. [S?]. M. proposed that after the present meeting the Club should on all occasions give the host (as was formerly our habit) the first chance to ask questions ---

148 April 21 ^st 1883. The Enterprise Club met at W^m W Moore's . Asa M Stabler foreman . W^m S. Bond absent, Printed blank crop reports were adopted . Twenty cents from each member collected to pay for the same . J . S. Moore moved the blanks be distributed at the November meeting to be filled in and returned at the December meeting. Adopted The walk was a long one as we had two farms to look after The cows were not as numerous or as fine as we had seen here before . our host had to make an entire change on account of Pleuro Pnu[r?]monia. A very large and fine bull called into active exercise the the betting propensities of some members as to his weight ,however we have not received an invitation to any Oyster [suppurs?] now. Two very fine colts were shown. Going across to the "Beale Farm" we found the Wheat and Grass presenting a fine appearance. The view from the hill was

149 very fine exhibiting an extensive tract of finely formed land. Returning by the ice pond we were much interested in watching the carp - and in hearing "Fis h" stories . J. [T?]. Moore feeds calves shelled corn, And T. [J?]. Lea shells corn for his pigs and thin ks it pays. Ques. 1^st Shall I set the rails of my hay carriage strait ,or inclined ? 10 say Ans. 10 say straight , 6-inclined . 5 do not know. Ques2^nd Will cow peas ploughed under lighten the soil of my garden ? Ans Yes . Ques 3^rd Shall I make a silo in a mow of my barn , or outside ? Ans . Unanimously , Don't make it in the [mow?] Ques 4 ^th How far apart must I put the parts for wire fence ? Ans 1says 12 ft . 1- 15. 10-16. 3 - 20 1-2 4.1-30. Quers 5^th Right price to pasture spring calves ? Ans .50 cents , yearlings .75 cts. Ques 6 Will it pay me to buy ladder and caps for hay cocks ? Ans. Yes.