The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1870-09-09
The Hoe.

Poets and musicians have written
and sung of their ideas of perfection
in the production of sweet sounds
and harmony will be found TO exist
between nations music, the instru-
ment by which it is produced and the
character and natural surroundings
of the people. So the harp and the
violin, the guitar and flute, the bag
pipe and the horn-have each its
place in a peoples life, and are keys
to their character anu condition.
So we have the spade and the pillow
as the accredited imptements of hus-
bandry, par ercel land ancient
delved," as the initiatoTy period of
the culture of the soil. We have of
ten felt inclined to take exception to
this idea, and to-day, with the Their
mOmeter in the shade, in q draft, at a
hundred-feel positively opposed to
the idea that Adam was so simple as
to start the spade when he lett Para
disc first, because there was no ne
cessity for it till long after-nature
was young, pure, rich in productive
element, and it took years of bad Gull
ture or neglect to produce the trouble
some weeds. Second, when he found
he had to stir the soil he had but to
"tickle 1t with g stick to make it
laugh out golden grain" And third,
no man with the thermometer in the
ninetfes would touch, let alone, in
vent, a spade when hoe would do
the work so much more simply.
The ancient forms of the pillow are
but pointed, forked stick, drawn by
an OK and guided by the husbandman.
The ancient pillow is but the applica-
ton of extra power to the familiar
form of the hOe-nOt the spade. The
turning principle was evidently an
after thought first in the spade and
then in the turning pillow. 1t will be
we'll, however, to leave this truly val
liable theme for some learned disser-
tation. 1t may produce b. A. or
L. L. D. diploma to looming gent
us" when his handling the hoe itself
would prove failure.
All play aside, we have long felt
that there is no unemployment of hus-
bandry ofgreater importance, less UNI
derstOod, or more universally under
valued than the hoe. We have long
known of blowing matches and pre-
miums offered fer the best spading-
but we never hear a word in behalf of
the hoe. We would suggest that an
appropriate premium for an essay on
the hoe be offered by some of the en-
terprising agricultural societies. This
is a want of the time and move in a
good direction.
The hoe is capable of performing a
greater diversity of work under a great
er diversity of conditions than any
other implement of husbandry. We
can. with il inyert the soil or simply
stir it can work it up in clods or leave
if fine as ashes hill, level or produce
burrows; can strike deep or only
shave the surface and expose the cut
up weeds to the crisping influence of
the sun. IL is essential alike in the
cornfeld, orchard, vineyard or flower
garden and can be used with ease,
convenience and profitable results by
the robust man, the delicate woman
or the fragile child. At this season
its use is Invaluable. What, in this
dry. burning weather, will maintain
life in flower or plant like the hoe ?
Where the pillow, or spade, or cultiva-
tor. would be certain death, the hoe
gives life and vigor and beauty.
How few know how to use hoe
We doubt if we have seen three men,
in a life spent mostly in horticulture
and agriculture, that thoroughly I'M
derstood the hoe or were masters in
its use. How few know what hoe
really is! When we see and think of
the clumsy, heavy, blunt weapons
that used to be generally in use, our
wonder becomes less in regard to the
undervaluation of this implement.
But now, just to see some of those
light, handsome, bright, polished, ar
tistic tools, and we do not envy the
man or woman whose hands do not
Jingle to ply them in the garden or
vineyard.
Then there are so many forms and
notifications, for particular purposes
that all can be suited.
The great strife of mechanical in
ventors has been to produce machines
that could do the work of the hoe, but
$50 far with little success. Let US see
the hoe put in its true position by Gull
tivators, and its use hOnOred as it de-
serves to be.
A woman's heart is like a fiddle; it
requires a bow to play upon it.