Club Minutes: Enterprise Farmers Club, 1865-1872

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Would you Shovel in or drill oats?

Ans. Drill in suitable ground

12th Castrate a colt at 1 or 2 yrs old? Ans 1 yr

13th The subject of "Cast Iron Posts" was discussed at considerable length. It was thought that a farmer could not afford to pay more than 40 or 50 cts per post for them and that they could not be made for less than $2.00. It was moved seconded and carried that the hour of meeting be 4 o'clock in the summer. Adjourned to meet at Fred Stabler's 5th Mo 9th 1868.

G.

5th Mo 9th 1868.

The club met at Fred Stabler's. When all the numbers were present except Benjm H. Miller. A severe test, a fine day, not being enough to deter the attendance A healthful sign of the interest of the subject. If one day should ever be prized more highly than another it would be a good day this backward season. When no corn has been planted by any member of the club, the woods looking nearly as bare as in December, frost and ice this morning.

The hour of meeting being an hour later we got to business soon therafter. The minutes of the last meeting here being read we went out to see this "old maid's" farm

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Things seem to know their places and to keep in them. We imagine them induced with the power of locomotion and obeying a law impressed upon them "Know their place and abide in it" The garden was in quite a forward state, the peas stuck, potatoes up, tomatoes large enought to set out, &c. A wagon house in course of construction looked substantial. Would it not be better to have it high enough to drive under with a load of hay? The barn-yard, shedding [?] was very comfortable. we saw no cattle. What is the yard for? A new hay fork was exhibitted and we thought it would work well. The timothy was very fine as was also the wheat from off which the stones had been picked and hauled in to the fence corners, a place not atall approved.

1st Ques. Upon a small piece of clean ground would you drill or chucker corn?

Ans. 8 would drill, 7 would chicken

2nd Would you put rings in hogs noses?

Ans No

3rd Would you plant corn or potatoes 1st?

Ans. I would plant corn, 10 potatoes.

4th If you had two cows with calves and wished half the milk from them would you put both calves with one cow or milk half from each cow?

Ans. Both calves with one cow the easiest way

5th The best horse rake?

Ans A majority favored wheel rakes.

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We were informed that arrangements had been made by a member to dissolve bone. All expected to purchase some for the fall crops. Very little time for discussion this evening, on account of several members having determined to attend a lecture at the Lyceum Adjourned in haste to meet at R.M. Stablers 6th Mo 13th 1868.

G.

6th Mo 13th 1868.

Edgewood.

Nearly all the members appeared at about the usual time.

Our inspection commenced with the ice house, which is one corner of the wood house boarded up containing about 216 cubic feet of ice or 1512 cubic feet less than the common size. The hogs were large. Going into the orchard we were shown a number of apple trees which were dying, there was considerable conjecturing as to the cause which was not found. Tho we got at the root of the matter by pulling one of the trees up bodily. No remedy was proposed. Several have has trees to do so before. The field of wheat looked very promising and with favorable weather will no doubt make a fine crop. The corn looked as well as most that we have seen, as did also the potatoes. The cattle in the pasture field were in good condition, especially the Texans, which have furnished a standing joke on account of thier heads and tails being larger than their

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bodies. They are filling up and growing and promise to be uncommonly fine beef cattle.

A magnificient Percheron stallion belonging to Saml Hopkins was shown and secured an oration worthy of the subject. Had it been the "nature of the beast" to become rain his dispositon would have been spoiled by the remarks of admiration which he overheard. Our host exhibited a drill for sowing the guano in potatoes rows. Which seemed to be an excellent thing.

1st Ques. Is it too late to plant corn on new ground?

Ans No.

2nd When will be the right time to sell wheat this year?

Ans Sell immediately after harvest or wait until after the glut.

3rd What is it worth to cut and shock wheat"

Ans. (5-$2.00) (1-$2.25) (3-$2.50)

4th How late will it do to set our cabbage plants"

Ans Until August 1st

5th Will it pay to feed grain to cattle now? No August is the right time to cut down sassafras bushes to kill them. Elder bushes should be cut at the same time.

6th What is a mowing machine and driver worth per acre to cut grass" Ans. $1.00 per acre. It was recommended to put sand around the stems of vines while growing to prevent the striped bug from eating them.

Adjourned to meet at Wm Bonds 7th Mo 11th 1868

7 Mo 13th 1868

Harvest and hot weather - made several gaps in our "line", and made the members late in gathering at W^m S. Bonds -- However "Patient waiting is no loss" -- our short walk over the farm -- that is the garden and bone mill - was more pleasant than if done earlier. In the flower garden there was a larger quantity of Scarlet Verbena in the bloom, making it very gay and beautiful. The vegetable garden showed the want of rain, there were some astonishingly precocious dwarf pea-vines in bloom at the height of one inch, we suppose they of the 'Go it while you're young" variety. At the farm we saw no stock -- indeed four mules were all the animals which we saw on the place. The corn was good but not very advanced. The bone mill was in operation -- the noise of which was music to the ears -- the odors as sweet perfumes to the olfactories - of some judging from the way they lingered around in the machinery for dissolving bones was examined with interest. Question 1st. Shall I sow cloverseed in corn or wait and sow on oats? Ans A majority would sow in corn. 2nd. Shall I sow early or late clover in new ground? Ans Sow early variety 3rd When shall I plow ground for wheat - Ans As soon as you can