The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1867-11-15
The Cat Contributor, o
.l,...1 R,i Far ming.


Being invited recently to delivc,
an agricultural address before Har
vest Home Association in Contra
New York, on the occasion of thcil
annual festival, the Eat Contribu
tor consents. We make the foh
lowing eloquent extract from bis ad
dress: ae;yrsd. -..........- ....,,g
: Although fortune Cor, perhaps
the. want Of It J ,cast my lot amid
the struggling multitude of great
tcity, where you ,wt.utlll't see farm
'"ina walk of se,eral squares, where
there are no Smea eadows with tAeir
waving potato tops, or, VIII cat fields
ready for the woedman's ax,a vet
have always felt deep. Interest in
the farming classes, and | tlatter
myself that f know something of
the noble pursuit you follow. | will
say here that it has been the ambi it.
ion ofmy whole life to be an honest
old farmer-to earn my bread by
the sweat of a hired mau's Brow.
How delightful life on a farm must
be! [ can. imagine what vigor is
impaired to the frame and what
strength to the muscles, by reclin-
ing in the shade and watching the
mowers as they gaily swing their
threslling machines; and then. what
an appetite one must acquire for the
noon-tide lunch by observing the
merry reapers digging their wheat
and raking and binding ther pota-
toes, and thcir-fall apples.
How often, in my Imagination,
| have followed you, as&you went
forth of IL summers morning, when
the dew was on the grass seed, neat
ly aItired in white linen suits, with
patent leather boots, and with your
corn-shellers swing lightly overyour
shoulders, to cut your winters wood.
| have seemed to hear your merry
songs sweeping up, from the mead
ows, as you gathered your wa termel-
ons and tu:nips i!.to vour-corn
houses, while mingled with the bu-
sy hum Of your Sorghum evapora-
tors, came the musical bleatinp of
your cattl lc and the lowing of your
sheep and poultry.
Then, VIXEN winter comes, and the
sun prevents you from continuing
your haying and the cold north wind
shakes otfyour ripening strawberries, !
| picture you SITTING bv v4nr GAS
in preparation for your spring plow-
ing, or amusing yourself with books
on agriculture. ...:..,E .a. 7
Winter on farm-how delight
iul What a pleasure it must be
to fodder the chickens in the dairy, |
and 70 bear the musical cluckings
Of the pigs as they elamor for their
oats and hay! Then, when the win
ter event ;, comGs, a2d thc robin +,
and boboliAk have ceased their song
and gone to rocst on the well-swccp,
| can imagine no greater deiignt
than to gather around the fire e-placc
regard less of the destinations of the
storm without, and amuse yourself
with apple pairing, knitting, base
ball, seven up, and other athletic
games. .-
| envy not, then, the pale dyspcp-
tic who" bends from morning till
night over his sordid ledger in the
crowded marts of trade; or the child
of idleness and attiucncc, who grows
prcmaturely old amid the dissipa-
tions of the city They know moth
ing of the pleasure of life like
yours. which | believe l have in no
way overdrawn; if they did they
would transport their cities into the
country, or transform them into az.
ricultural communities by act Of the
] egislaturc. -