Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-07-26
"Haying under DIN cuIties" Inde ed.

Mr.. EDITOR Your little article in to-day S
Journal-"HayiDg under Difficulties" has been
read by many, and has created no little applause
among the workman OF the MILL of which the writ
err of that article is foreman. He has given
your readers one side of the question, will give
y on the other.
lie came to me last Monday. and wanted me to
go up and help him hay enc or two days, too
him would SO about eight o'clock took his
team, drove to his place, he having told me
would find the scythe and snath in the barn.
When got up there could not find the tools, un
til had hunted high and low. / finally got his
wife to help me hunt and after searching the prem
ises over and over found an old broken scythe
and snath. These had'b the property of the
former owner Of the place.
saw at once l could not work with those tools
but thought would hang the scythe, yet could not
find any wrench. looked in both of his tool
chests. but they destitute ofall tools; finally
got a wrench fixed the scythc and went to NOW
ing lit was then nearly noon.) After moving
some half acre. the rigging gave out and started
for the city; got new rig and went back moved
the rest Of the piece (about an acre in all) then
thought would spread the grass, SO went to the
barn for a fork found three tine fork minus OF
two tines finally found a two-tned fork with
out any handle. put stick in this and spread
the hay.
In the afternoon, went to rake up tn hay, and
set out again to hunt. went the usual rounds
through the build ings and finally came across a
lively -tooth-rake with the handle broken and but
garden rake with the full amount of teeth but no
handle Again had to apply stick.
l had got the hay all put up, when my brother
came home and thought he would NOW awhile.
He had not moved more than five minutes when
the scythe struck against q rock and broke its
point; strengthening the scythc he AGAIN went at it
but not without great effort, for after moving
through the field one swarth he cut down his tran
descent crab-apple tree! olet your readers give
him credit for breaking the scythe, not me.
He then went into the pasture to get the old
horse that she might feed in the new mown fields ;
but neglecting to watch her she got into the gar
den, ate down two rows Of the best corn, trod out
twelve hills of nice squash vines, and kicked up
Cain generally. He wanted me to hoe some of his
beets so again went to searching the grounds for
the hoe, which was found in the barn yard
where it had been since the time Of planting. 1t
rather worse for wear and needed grinding
On seeking for the grindstone the bench was
found in hog u, the crank in the barn yard. and
the grindstone was brought up from out Of the
cellar where it had been since last fall when he
killed his hog, he took the stone to put on top Of
the pork to keep it under the pickle. think the
pickle must have had great effect upon the stone
for it was of an oval shape and about as large as
two quart dshe.
The next day he wanted me to help get in his
hay and finish hoeing his beets. l commenced
work carly in the morning clearing away
the old traps from the barn floor. took out
one hay cutter, four barrels OF coal, four bottom
less churns ten empty tubs. three hundred weight
of old horse shoes, one broken down single ma
chine, six large baskets marked 81. J. F." three
ladders leach having only two rounds one emp
ty grain. box, four full bags Of grain marked 20.
& d. F. NJ, i" which by the way had been well pick
ed by those turkeys that gobbed up that milk.
finally got the hay into the barn and finished
the day by picking up the tools. hoeing beets, &c.
| don't know but what he farms it under the
L. Il. hail 10 ,lsata, ,,.n
p. S.-Since writing the above, he has built a
temporary shed over the goods moved from the
barn floor, and earnestly declares that he will give
notice at an early day Of public auction, his
farm in ward 4, those goods must be sold to the
lowest bidder, without regard to cost owner.
Let J. j +. and ID. & d. +. NJ. take due notice
and govern themselves accordingly.
Augusta July %, 1875. Z. ii. j.