Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-03-21
Farming in California in Early Days.

A WRITER in the San Jose Mercury gives
this account of early agricultural meth
DDS and implements in California under
the Mission rule:
Plows were roughly fashioned from the
stems of small trees, while tree brush
was the only material of which harrows
were composed. Yokes for cattle were
merely poles of suitable length, lashed to
their horns by means of rawhide thongs,
and the only vehicles were carts, of which
the wheels were sections of logs, and re-
sembled huge cheeses with holes through
the centers. Instead of chains, rawhide
ropes were used. In fact, at this period,
the whole business of blowing and seed
ing California farm might be accom-
plished without the use of iron in any
implement, if we except the pole or goad
used for driving the cattle; for in the
end of this persuader was inserted small
brad or awl
Relating to these carts, an anecdote is
told which may not be out of place here.
In a certain section of California the peo-
gle were greatly annoyed by marauding
parties of Indians from the mountains,
or wild Indians as they were called. Now
it happened one day that an American
who was riding past a grove in which was
situated a ranch house, heard issuing
from the thicket the most terrible and
piercing screams. Hurrying with all
speed to the next ranch, he informed the
people what he had heard, and that he
believed the place was attacked by In
dians, and that they were numbering the
women and children. The ranchmen
bravely responded to his call, and hastily,
with such arms as they could collect,
hurried back with him to the place, VOW
ing, by the way, vengeance upon los ptrutoS
q r06er0s-the pirates and robbers. Ar
irving at the place of the supposed attack,
| they found no robbers there, but only q
| couple of tame Indians engaged in the
peaceful occupation of hauling fence
poles with two of these carts propelled by
oxen, and as wheels and axles were com
posed entirely of wood, and no lubri
eating material used, a great screeching
was the consequence.
| The manner of plowing was peculiar
To every pair of oxen there were two mer
Indians. The business of one was tC
hold the one-handled plow upright, anG
also to use the persuader, or goad, while
the other acted in the capacity of guide
marching solemnly just in front of tn,
team. These plowmen were accustomed
to wear only the boots and pants provided
by Dame Nature. A serape blanket will
slit in the centre), and an old brimmeC
sOm6rer0 (hat) completed their outfit
Sometimes the plow-holder acted as guild,
to those in the rear, as frequently Their
were six plows running in the same field
| The burrows were mere scratches, bein!
four or five inches wide and about thre
in depth.
The harvesting was accomplished in tn
same primitive fashion, the grain bein,
cut with sickles and stacked in a small
circular enclosure, having space betweel
the stack and fence for passage or road
way. Into this a band of horses wa
driven, two or three mounted driver
being among them whooping and yellin
like madmen. Round and round tn
stack went the flying band, the grail
. meantime being thrown on the ground fo
them to run over After a few hours
exercise of this kind, the horses wer
turned out, the threshed straw throw
; over the fence, more of the unthre she
grain spread on the ground, the horse
again turned in, again the wild, ma
chase performed, and so on until tn
stack was finished.
The threshed grain was then impel
fectly separated from the chaff and di1
by carrying it upon high scafolds an
pouring it down while the wind was blow
ing. This, it will be perceived, was tn
process practiced three thousand year
ago. Though poor and rude, the plan
still, owing to the fertility of the soil
crops fair in quantity and quality wer
obtained, and the padres, mddres, SenOr
latter being poems and performing nearl
all the labor-were enabled to luxuriat
on tortillds, onions, beans, ETC., to thei
| t-, oontapf