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BELLEFONTE, CENTRE COUNTY, PA.,
JULY 15, 1875.
THE PENTRE FARMER
PUBLISHED BY THE CENTRE COUNTY AGRI-
, CULTURAL SOCIETY.
JOHN A. WOODWARD, Howard,
LEONARD RHONE, Centre Hall,
JAMES F. WEAVER, Milesburg,
Publishing Committee.
Officers of the Society for 1875.
President—JNo. A. WoopwARD, Howard,
Vice Presidents—ApAM Hoy, Bellefonte ;
SAMUEL GRAMLEY, Miles; JouN RISHEL,
Gregg ; RicHARD CoNLEY, Benner.
Secretary and Treasurer—D. S. KELLER,
Bellefonte,
Librarian—JouN T. Jounston, Belle-
fonte.
Executive Committee—J AMES A. BEAVER,
Bellefonte; JAMES F. WEAVER, Milesburg;
LEoNARD RHONE, Potter; JounN RISHEL,
Benner; JomN A. Hunter, Half-Moon;
SAMUEL GILLILAND, Harris.
Superintendents of Departments.
First Department—Stock—Joux RISHEL,
Potter.
Second Department— Agricultural § Hor-
ticultural Products—SAMUEL B. LEATHERS,
Howard.
Third Department — Agricultural Imple-
ments, Manufactured Articles and Mechanics
—GEORGE DALE, Benner,
Fourth, or Home Department—Mrs. MARY
B, J. VALENTINE, Spring. :
Fifth Department— Trials of Speed and
Amusements—D. H. HAsTINGS, Bellefonte.
THE CENTRE FARMER will be issued
monthly, and is devoted exclusively to such
Subjects #¥ Have w direct bearilg upon ye
interests of the farming community in gen-
eral and the CENTRE COUNTY AGRICULTU-
"RAL SoCIETY in particular.
Terms Free, and Postage Prepaid.
ADVERTISING.—We have still room
for a limited number of advertisements—
giving preference to such as will be of in-
terest to farmers.
Terms—$1 per inch for first insertion,
and 75 cents for each subsequent insertion.
Local Notices—20 cents per line.
———
OUR BOW,
We present this initial number of our
modest little monthly to the public of
Centre County with our most profound
bow, and ask for it a kind reception. In
anticipation of the many inquiries which
we presume will be made, we have this
to say for ourselves: We propose pub-
lishing a large edition of our paper about
the middle of each month between this
and our next annual fair, and one imme-
diately after the fair, and distributing
the same free, throughout the county, by
mail, and otherwise. Our object in this
is to have a medium of direct, fre-
quent, and thorough comnrunication
with the people, through which to make
known what we are doing for the accom-
plishment of the object for which our
Society was called into existence, viz:
the promotion and advancement of the
agricultural interests of our County.
Being only farmers, and neither editors
nor publishers, we promise nothing in
the way of newspaper making, excepting
that our plain little sheet shall be the
faithful exponent of what we conceive
to be correct agricultural principles, and
the chronicler of such agricultural news,
both local and general, as will most in-
terest Centre County farmers, and best
promote the interests of the Centre
County Agricultural Society. - All we ask
is that our paper shall receive a hearty
welcome and thorough reading.
OF THE EXECUTIVE |
COMMITTEE.
Pursuant to notice, the Executive
Committee of the Centre County Agri-
cultural Society met at the office of Mo-
ALLISTER & BEAVER, on Friday, June 25,
1875, at 1 o’clock—the full committee
being present. :
The appointment of delegates to par-
ticipate in the annual election of Trus-
tees of the State College, to be held on
the 28th of July, coming up first in
order, LEoNarD RuoNE, Esq., Hon. Joun
H. Orvis, and Hon. SamueL GILLILAND
were chosen delegates, with Joun A.
Woopw arp, Esq., Hon. Frep. Kurtz, and
Capt. Joun A. HuntER, alternates.
D. H. Hastings, Esq., was selected as
Superintendent of the Fifth Department
— Trials of Speed and Amusements—in place
of Capt. Tomas A. Hicks, who found it
impossible to accept that position a sec-
ond time.
. The chairman informed the commit-
tee that the Hon. Jayes MiLuikeN had
proposed to offer three gold medals, val-
ued at upwards of $50 each, at the Fair
of 1875, one for the best rifle shot,
another for the best throw of the
‘shoulder stone,” and the third for the
successful competitor in a five mile walk,
Upon motion, a vote of thanks was ten-
dered Mr. MiLLiken for his munificent:
offer, $0 well calculated to awaken an in-
creased interest in the most desirable
classes of athletic sports.
J. D. SnveEert, Esq., Capt. THOMAS A.
Hicks, and Mr. Joun Harris were ap-
pointed a committee, to consider what
could be done in the way of increasing
our present track to half a mile,
It was decided that the interests of the
Agricultural Society could be best pro-
moted by the publication of four issues
of a monthly paper for gratuitous distri- |
bution, which should have for its pri- |
mary object the dissemination of infor-
mation pertaining to agricultural sub-
jects, and particularly to the details of
the approaching fair, whereupon Mr.
Joan A. Woopwarp, of Howard, Mr.
Leonarp Ruong, of Potter, and Col.
James F. Weaver, of Milesburg, were
elected a committee on publication of
same and were authorized to make all
necessary arrangements therefor.
The being no further business on hand
the committee adjourned, subject to the
call of the chairman.
D. S. KELLER, Secretary.
CO PI——
MEETING
Prorirs or Farming axp How To IN-
CREASE THEM.—Under this head ave find
some very sensible remarks in the Farm-
ers’ Friend for July 3, from which we
make the following extract :
“We need a better system.’ Nothing
will help the farmers unless they help
themselves. We may need a more elastic
currency, fewer middlemen, more farm-
ers’ clubs, more agricultural books and
papers, but we must have a better system
of farming, We must raise better crops.
If by an expenditure of $90 IT can in-
crease productiveness to-the extent of
$100, T have a clear profit of $10. We
cannot afford to waste our labor over
three acres of land to raise 250 bushels
of potatoes, when the same amount can
be raised on one acre. We cannot afford
to ruise 20 bushels of oats to the acre
and sell it for 50 cents a bushel.
——D— Oi —
Ar a recent spelling match one man
spelt it ‘‘ pasnip’’ and got beet.
THE MILLIKEN PRIZES.
Physical training is much neglected in
our day and in our county. This is
especially true of the country as distin-
guished from the city. In our large
cities there are fine gymnasiums and
other facilities for physical culture of
which those who are not frequenters of
them know nothing. Everywhere, how-
ever, there is a lack of attention to this
‘subject, and where it is-attended to it is
by an insignificant number of persons,
who train for the prize ring, or the col-
lege regatta, or for a special occasion.
The training is excessive and overdone.
and brings reproach upon the whole sub-
ject. Just now this subject is awakening
unusual interest. The contest between
the Irish and American teams at Dolly-
mount for the championship of the world
in rifle practice, the college regatta, just
ended at Saratoga, and the multiplied
match games of base ball, are instances of
the importance attached to these sports.
The interest is not so much in the sports
themselves as in the physical training
involved in preparing for them. We
need this sort of training, even among
our farmer boys. An erect and manly
bearing, a symmetrical and healthy body,
and enjoyment in that which secures
s these desirable ends, are what we want.
wee rejoiced that through the liberal.
ity of James MILLIKEN, Esq., even our So-
, ciety is able to do something in affording
a stimulus to such training as we have
spoken of. Mr. MiLLikEN offers through
the society, to be competed for at the
next fair, three gold medals as prizes,
which have been designed by Tiffany &
Co, the great jewelers of New York city,
and which are in themselves beautiful
works of art, which are to be awarded to
' the three successful competitors in rifle
practice, in throwing the shoulder stone,
and in walking. These prizes will be in
the shape of handsome badges, to be
worn on the breast like knightly decora-
tions. We cannot, by any description of
ours, do them justice. They will cost
in the aggregate some two hundred dol-
lars, and will be by far the most valuable
prizes of the kind ever offered by any
Agricultural Society in the State. Com-
petition for these prizes will be open to
all, and we hope and expect to see
a score of contestants for each of them.
The society will offer second and third
prizes for each of the contests, and will
charge a small entrance fee for each con-
testant. The details of these contests
will be announced in our next number ;
it is understood, however, that the rifle
practice will be at short range so as to
reach all who wish to join in the contest,
and that the walk will be for five miles
upon the track of the Society’s grounds.
iets i A — i
Our Premium List has been carefully
revised and very neatly printed, and we
have endeavored to have it thorough-
ly distributed throughout the coun-
ty. If, however, there are any who have
not received it, we will esteem it a favor
if they will send their names, by postal
card or otherwise, to any of the officers
of the society, and it will be forwarded
by return mail.
mt et tO ~~ ——e ere
OrpERr is the sanity of the mind, the
health of the body, and the. security of
the State.
OUR LAST FAIR, AND OUR NEXT.
That our last annual fair, considered as
an exhibition of the agricultural capabil:
ities of the county, was a splendid suc-
cess, and a very great improvement upon
any that had preceded it, is conceded by
all who were brave enough to defy the
torrents of rain and oceans of mud
which prevailed during its continuance,
and visit the grounds regardless of the
‘consequent discomfort. So much good
stock of all kinds, and so many splendid
vegetables and grains of every sort adap-
ted to our climate, were never before
placed on exhibition in this county;
while the Home DEPARTMENT gave such
evidences of skill and painstaking on the
part of our ladies, in all the delicate
matters of handiwork and culinary art
which go toward making successful
“ home-keeping,” as should drive every
bachelor who was ‘ there to see’ into the
ranks of the benedicts at once. :
But well as we did last year, and
marked as was our success then, we can
do very much better, and make our suc-
cess infinitely greater at the coming fair,
if we but try. Centre County doesn’t yet
begin to know what she can do, and has
no adequate idea of her own splendid
resources; but progress is indelibly writ-
ten on her escutcheon, and her motto is
omsderd i¥all $hat pertains to her welfare.
Fpr the last two or three years she has
| nfpt only maintained her relative position
among her sister counties, in the march
of agricultural progress, but has taken
such long and vigorous strides as warrant
the belief that the time is not far distant
when she will take that position in the
front rank of the Commonwealth, to.
which her name, her geographical posi-
tion, her mineral wealth, her agrieul-
tural capabilities, and the progressive
spirit of her citizens entitle her.
To stimulate this progress, and to ad-
vance all the material interests of the
county, is the mission of the Agricultural
Society, and the officers confidently ap-
peal to every citizen for aid in its
accomplishment; and in no other way
can this aid be so effectually rendered as
by taking a real interest and actively par-
tecipating in our fairs. Let each and every
one be an exhibitor of whatever meritor-
ious article he or she may possess, and
then all will be gratified spectators of the
splendid exhibition we shall make. Our
various departments have been carefully
arranged, and competent and interested
superintendents appointed over each of
them, and an appropriate place will be
found in some one of them for every
sample of the products of factory, mill,
or mine, and every specimen of hand}
work from parlor, kitchen, or shop
that can be sent. To the ladies, espec-
ially, we say, fill up the Home Depart
ment. It is new, and worthy of your
attention, and Mrs. VALENTINE, its most
efficient superintendent, will be only too
glad to second your efforts to make it all
it should be.
i ll
TurN Ovr.—The Maryland courts have
just decided that the driver of a vehicle
on the highway has the right to pass
another traveling the same direction,
and at a slower gait; that the latter is
bound to give the former half the road
to enable him to pass, and that if he
does not he will be liable for any acci-
dent that may happen.