Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1870-11-17
Cattle in The Highways.

lie highways in New York, it is
more and more attaining the ascen-
dency. Some who were strongly
opposed to it at first, have become
its advocates, and find it q great con-
venience. They are not obliged to
keep their gates strangely barred or
barricaded every minute Of the day
for fear that unruly cattle will plunge
into their grounds. The hi ghway
fences need o,Ibe kept up to an extra
ordinary heighlh and strengthto pro
tect corn and wheat fields. Children
on their way to school are not ter.
rified by naraud:ng animsls-cattle
droppings do not cover the sidewalks
Farmers are smoothing the roadsides,
and by moving the grass for hay,
get NOR than they did in the days Of
wandering herds. and the side-track
is smooth and level for sleighs in
winter, when the roads are drilted
with sK0w.
1t has beetl interesting to observe
how disorder has gradually yielded
to law, vandalism 10 civilization, and
defiance to neighborly Kindness -
The writer, as sooE as he had
the statute on his side, resolved
that it should be sustained. He
purposely left all his street gates
open. HIS neighbors' cows, as a
matter of course, at once entered his
yard and garden. They were care
fully driven home, and the owner
informed of all the damage they had
done, with the important and add.
t,onal information that the gates were
still left open; and with the assur
ance that II they still ran at large,
the owners OF the cattle would be
expected to pay the loss. They
sqnirmed at first, but gradually telt
disposed to accept the situation
They knew the Mr.. Blanks gates
are open at all times, right into his
orchard and garden" and they did
not dare risk the consequences of an
infraction of the law. Others fol-
lowed the example, and soon nearly
all found it a great convenience to
keep their gates open, and now no
one thinks of turning his cows into
the road any sooner than his pigs In
to his pantry.
When the law was first enacted, q
well known farmer read 1t to his
ne,gl,bors. They were utterly OPP
posed to it. and declared their deter.
mination to disregard it. Finding
he could make no impression on
them, our lrienl adopted a new sys.
tenn Of tactics. He entirely remov ed
the fence which separated from the
road his large and luxnriant wheat
field, AMI informed his ne,ghbors
what he had. done. More dared to
risk the consequence Of turning their
cattle into that fine field; and be tri-
umphed.
II il becoming no longer necessary
to fence against cattle from without.
The only care tor such farmer is to
keep his cattle within his own fields.
He has time to erect fences to plaLt
uUuHO0 ~ I'VE SCtoutCS VI w ICmOvc
any tencc for . time which he may
find convenient. Formerly il was
next 10 impossible to plant . hedge
along the highway boundr,es. The
hedge could not be planted while
the fence was there. and the fence
could not be removed till the hedge
was planted and grown. Now there
is no difficulty. The fence is taken
away, the strip Of land plowe1 and
put 10 perfect order for receiving the
hedge plants, and four or five years
taken for their growth. The adjoin.
ing fields are kept III meadow, corn,
wheat. barley. and other crops, sep
arate from ANIMALS, which are con
fined during this period In the prop.
or fields.-[Co. Geiit.
~ -
LEGENDS RELATING TO THE APPLE.
-Of all fruits the apple seems to
have had the earliest, widest, end
most mystical history. In Greece
the name of the Hardy fruit, which.