davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The farmers' vindicator., 1875-05-14
AGRICULTURE As A VOCATION

We recur so often to the subject of
agriculture as vocation, because we
wish the farmers, and young men of
our State, to have proper appreciation
of the dignity of the calling.
We often hear the observation made
by farmers sons, that farming is not a
"genteel occupation. 1t is a sad
mistake, to suppose that it is the par
ticuIar vocation of man that makes him
genteel or worthy of respect. We all
know men in every position in life,
who, by uprightness of character and
ability in their particular pursuit, dig
Nifty their occupation, and win respect
and esteem from all whose opinions
are worth anything.
Agriculture asa vocation, if properly
conducted, is healthful, regular, inde-
pendent, and far more remunerative,
taking into consideration the number
who follow it, than any other calling.
The farmers' vindicator., 1875-05-14

MAJOR WALL: Tread with great in
terest your valuable VNDICAToR, and
have watched with unabated solicitude
to see something from "old Holmes,
but have failed so far to see anything.
1 cannot think it is for want of talent,
for we have many talented men, who
are jealous Patrons of Husbandry.
Now sir, ! am no newspaper cores
pondent, never wrote an article of the
sort in my life, though ! am now sixty
two years old; never had the advan-
tages of early culture nor liberal ed
ucation, was literally raised between
the plow handles, and most of my
school days were rainy ones, or odd
times between the making and gather
ing seasons but an abiding zeal for
the cause of the Oranges has drawn
me eout. Holmes mustspeak for herself,
The farmers' vindicator., 1875-05-14

We readily admit, that careless, sloyen'
| ly and discontentcd farming is a hard
life; but the same course pursued in
any other business will lead to the
same results. Agriculture rightly
pursued, furnishes constant, pleasant
and elevating employment for the mind
as well as the body. The study and
management Of the soil, of the atmos-
phere, of plants, Of fruits. of flowers
and Of stock, are all of them directly
connected with farming, and contribute
to success in its pursuit, and make it a
source OF enjoyment.
Agriculture is the basis Of our whole
national wealth and power and would
you not, like the late David Dickson
Of Georgia, be the foremost farmer in
Mississippi leading the van in all use
ful improvements, striving to elevate
the system Of farmiog and the farmer,
and rousing all around you to new life
and progress, than to be the highest
official in the land? 8..
We must impress upon the minds Of
our young people, the Importance and
dignity Of agriculture, and make them
contented and happy at the old home
stead. With all the admitted folly of
the young men, in being carried away
by the delusive sedu:tions of town life.
Might not something be done to make
home more attractive? Might not
pleasant evenings be devoted oftener
to friendly visitors around the tea-table,
with papers, books, pictures, magazines
and fun, to make them entertaining.
We know well, in thousands Of farm
houses in Mississippi, all this and more
is done now, and done we'll; but is
there not yet room for Improvement on
ten thousand farms
The farmers' vindicator., 1875-05-14
The Late Cold Snap.

Perhaps no such severe cold weather
has been experienced at this season of
the year before within the memory of
the oldest inhabitant of this country.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday were
exceptionally cold. The thermometer
indicated % degrees below freezing.
We have made many inquiries of the
farmers around, and they have uniform
ly told us that the larger part of all
fruits are killed. The tobacco plants
which were up, or just coming up, are
killed. We are told that the young
wheat is badly injured. Three days
of snow in succession on the 18th, 18th
and 18th of April were certainly an
anomaly in this latitude, such as we
had last Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The ground was frozen in many places
three inches deep. Much of the early
berries are killed. The probability is
that what fruits that are not actually
killed, will be very imperfect or fall
of, the tender stems being injured by
the freeze.
Last week we published an article
stating that scientific gentleman in
Cincinnati had offered to wager one
thousand1dollars that there would be
tobacco famine this year and that the
plants would be killed on or about the
25th of this month. The latter
prophesy he only missed few days,
and we greatly fear his whole prophesy
will be verified. Surely, the fruit crop
looks gloomy, and we may make up
our minds to do without cherries, early
apples, peaches, pears and many of the
smaller fruits this year. The freeze has
done millions of dollars worth of dam
age in the country, and its full scope
can scarcely berealized.-ToledoB Blade.
The farmers' vindicator., 1875-05-14

LUCK IN BUSINESS. Nothing is
more common than to hear people
complain that they have no luck, that
they cannot get on in the battle of
life; that every avenue Of business is
overcrowded; and they languish in
obscurity and pine in neglect, they
grow old before their time, and die at
last of disappointment and heartsick.
ness. Undoubtedly, there are many
sad instances of capacity overlooked
and talent sighted, but the complaint,
as a general thing, is false and foolish,
and the evil is in the complainers and
not in the world. A knowledge Of
our own capacities and a fixed and
steady aim, steadiness of purpose and
persistent effort are conditions Of, and
will command success in almost any
business. That is the luck to rely
upon.
The farmers' vindicator., 1875-05-14
Time 10 Cut Grass for Hay.

The season for cutting grass and hay
making is nearly at hand. An opera
ton SO simple as that Of cutting and
curing hay every farmer feels that he
understands, and would disdain, on this
subject any attempt to advise or instruct
him. But the wise are glad to exam
inc any subject, on which possible dis
cussion or inquiry may throw some
light, correct prejudices, or suggest new
and better means Of management.
The wise in respect to any and every
subject are never too acise to learn and
though their own observations or sug-
gestions may have no just foundation,
and pertinency, they may be useful if
they excite the inquiries and elicit the
observations of wiser and more expe-
rienced minds.
The rule for cutting grass uhen 1t
first comes into fo,cer applies to nearly
every species of herbage, which is to
be dried for winter food but to coarse
hay, the produce of wet, marshy
grounds, it is more strongly applicable,
for most of the plants that grow in
these situations, when they are in full
vigor are as tender and contain as
great a proportion of nourishing juices
as any other description of hay, and
when cut at that stage and properly
cured afterwards, form valuable arti-
Gle of food for stock but when the
cutting is delayed, as it often is, until
an advanced period of the season,
when the plants have not only reached
their ultimate growth, but begin to
decay, this description Of herbage be-
comes at once the coarsest and the
least nourishing of all food.
The above opinion, here given, is
not from theory, but from the solid
grounds of experiments carefully made,
on different kinds of herbage and at
different periods of their growth, the
result OF which establishes a fact which
cannot be too generally known, viz:
That plants Of all sorts, # they are cut
acten in full uigor, before they haze ma
tured their seeds, contain weight for
aoeight, quantity Of nou'ishing matter
nearly double suhat they do suhen allOaoed
to attain their full gro,ctt, and make some
progress toscards decay.
These suggestions are stated with
great confidence, and are entitled to
much consideration from our farmers
as much valuable hay may be made
from our wet lands, creek and branch
banks, and deserves particular atten-
ton. The cutting and curing of these
grasses receive very little care; they
are left standing generally until very
late in the season, and when cut at
that time, the hay from them is almost
worthless except for litter; but when
cut when in bloom it makes good hay
which is much relished and greedily
eaten by all kinds of stock and is much
better than nine-tenths of the hay we
receive from the North.
The farmers' vindicator., 1875-05-14
1o6 S and Ee1u Other ep Pyodga1y and uD Should

though for the present at least, through
one of her humblest citizens. We
have a live Grange at Acona, ready to
do,every good worri7or work and we
have been discussing the Gas I think)
most important question that could
come before the Oranges Of Mississippi.
Almost every other subject has been
treated, some Of them decidedly ably,
but the labor question" Right here
a question arises. Why are men so
tender on this subject? 1t is next in
importance to the salvation Of the soul.
This want Of systematic cooperation
on the part Of the farmers of Missis-
sippi, has well-nigh bankrupted the
whole State; and thousands of our
best farmers are now finding their
money gone, fences rotted down, farms
washed into gullies, bitches filled with
sand or clay, and houses .dilapidated
themselves infrm with years or wear,
and unable to repair; their sons
anxiously looking around for an easy
place. Too many Of them loafng or
bMmming aronnd for little of the need
fiI, and too often an easy prey to temp
tation and crime. lE
Il Now, in the name of Heaven, is
there no remedy for this woful picture,
the most remarkable attribute Of which
is its singular fidelity to truth? Can't
we change our "base line ?" All can
see that to rent lands, and furnish
hands with teams, tools and grub, new
er can pay, while the hands do not Gas
now make support, and which they
never will do while they are fully run.
and go to the field to work when they
please and as they please, and there is
only a technical difference between the.
above mode and that Of agorkinq ON
shares. When l talk with my neigh
bors on this subject, they readily admit
all / claim, but say it is matter about
which we must Ego slow" Go slow,
indeed when we are rapidly going to.
starvation.
We have climate as salubrious as
Italy; a soil as productive as the delta
of the Nile. Men, brave and wise;
women, as true as the Britton, and as
beautiful as the Hebrew and yet we
have submitted to unconstitutional
taxation, unwarrantable and unreason-
able legislative interferences, hordes of
hungry cormorants and tricksters, Until
the whole picture beggars description,
and it is difficult to conjecture what
we would not submit to.
/ propose remedy. The laborer
is the elector; his interest and ours is.
closely allied. If our lands are sold
for debt he can't buy them. Let us.
quit after this year at once, and all
together, this renting and farming on
shares wages, fair wages, uniform
wages-repair our farms, vary our
crops, live at home, and thus grow in
beautify and adorn our
lovely homes, educate our children,
for education is knowledge and knowl.
edge is power. "Then shall the des-
sert rejoice and blossom as the rose." l
am full of hope the masses will wake
up. Cooperation we must have. Let
the subject be fully ventilated. Crops
all look well just now planting going
on bravely, etc. Please excuse this
great length, as it is great subject.
Yours truly,
The farmers' vindicator., 1875-05-14
A Good Record.

|
MAJOR WALL: Believing that re-
ports from, Oranges are conducive to
the "good Of the Order" | therefore
| hand in an abstract Of the records Of
Center Point Grange No. 535. Said
Grange is located in Noxubee county,
seven miles east Of Macon, and the
same distance from the Alabama line.
Her boundary includes rich prairie
lands; and population four-ffths
colored. 1t was organized about 16
months since, with 20 charter mem
bers and have received by initiation
Al, making present membership 7O;
of which number 40 are males and 30
females. Of the males 20 are mar
ried and ~ unmarried; of the females
19 are married and II unmarried.
The youngest member is 1S and the
Oldest 73 years Of age. Have lost
none by dimit or death, and none are
behind with their dues. Have had,
perhaps near 40 meetings, regular and
special, and have failed but once to
have quorum (13 is our quorum
number), the evening being rainy. 30
much for the " Inner Grange"
In the "Outer Grange there were in
cultivation, last year, acres and yields
as follows, viz: Cotton 5,040 acres,
welding / $50 bales; corn A, ,030 acres,
Welding 68,510 bushels; oats 645
acres, yielding 7,740 bushels; sweet
potatoes so acres, yielding 1,250 bush
els. The number Of hands and amount
of stock employed in making the above
reported crop we're placed on file by
the Agricultural Committee, but hav.
ing been misplaced, can not now be
reported.
In order to protect our prGd1cts, there
is Standing Committee to act as a
detective, to find out the parties, both
the seller and buyer, to have them
brought before the proper tribunal for
trial; to employ counsel, if necessary;
and to obtain means by subscription,
from any one who is willing to stand on
the side Of right, to defray all expenses
that may accrue in the discharge Of
their duties.
For mutual confidence and concert Of
action, the following resolutions were
adopted, and are adhered to:
Resolved, That, as Patrons, we will
not entice, or take away, hands from
the service of another member.
Resolved, That we will not employ
hands who are known to quit the ser
vice Of another member, without first
consulting the former employer.
Resolved, That we will not hire
hands who are drawing rations (Which
includes house room and fueD from
another member, without his or her
consent.
Resolved, That we will not go on
bond for appearance, or appeal; or go
security in any other way, for any per-
son who has stolen, destroyed, or dam
aged any property or interest. of any
member of our Order.
All exceptions to the above to be
submitted to, and approved by, our
Board of Trustees. (This last clause
is to permit member to "bond" a
party that may be embraced within
the meaning Of the fourth resolution,
who may voluntarily turn States evi-
dence, or witness).
A section in the Bylaws makes
any one ineligible to membership, who
deals in spirituous liquors, because he
is regarded as working against the in
terest of the Order.
This report perhaps is not full
enough to be sufficiently plain, and
properly understood; but it is to be
hoped that enough has. been stated to
suggest something useful.
Yours fraternally,
T. N. COLE, Sec'y.
The farmers' vindicator., 1875-05-14
Chicken Cholera.

By request, we again publish the
following remedy for this fatal disease.
1t appeared in the VINDIoAToR of
April Sd, 1874. Hear what CORES
pondent says about it; II have used
kerosene oil with marked success as q
remedy for chicken cholera. | had a
pullet which was actually on its last
legs, not able or willing to feed any
more. My better half took some
grits, mixed with it enough kerosene
to make it into pills, and crammed the
pills down its throat. The effect was,
/ may say instantaneous. At the next
regular feeding Of the fowls, it appear.
ed and ate; since then it has got well.
I have now made it a rule to feed corn,
thus mixed with kerosene, three times
a week, and since adopting this mode
have had no new cases of cholera"
Another remedy friend gave us, is
to use grits and bones. Each is parch-
ed quite black and the bones reduced
to powder; then mix together with
sufficient water to make it into paste,
and give it to the chickens. He as
sures us since he adopted this remedy
he has lost none.
Still another remedy. Mrs. 7. b.,
of Golden, ILL.,, says: "Take peach
tree leaves and boil them in water;
make the water very strong; then
strain the leaves out and stir in enough
corn meal to absorb all the water"
This is said to be a sure remedy. The
above are simple remedies for that
fatal disease among chickens. We
hope some Of our lady friends will try
them, and report success or failure.
The farmers' vindicator., 1875-05-14
WHO PAY THE TAXES !.

Fl
This is THE QUESTION that interests
every farmer in the State. We do
not deny that capitalists, merchants
and railroads pay taxes directly to the
county and State, but they only pay
directly, while the landowners pay
both directly and indirectly. The
farmers have to pay their own taxes
per valuation and assessment Of prop
erty, real and personal, and indirectly
the taxes on railroads by way Of high
freights and unjust determinations,
and upon capital invested in merchan-
die by paying heavy prices for what
they consume, and to United States
bond holders in interest on bonds which
the government allows the capitalist to
hold free from taxation.
This must ever be the case while
the farmers are the chief consumers
and circumstances remain as at present,
and while the whole power Of the coun-
try is in the hands Of capital, as vested
in railroads, banks and bonds. The
few rule supreme over the many.
Let us illustrate the way this thing
works in every day life. If farmer
or consumer wishes to purchase an ar
ticle Of any kind, he must go to the
merchant and pay him good profit
on his wares, ,cih tages included, for he
can rest assured that the goods are
marked high enough to cover rent,
clerk hire, freights, taxes and all
other expenses Of doing business and
then leave profit besides. The same
is the case with railroads, if they are
taxed to any amount, the producer and
consumer would have just the amount
of that tax to pay by an increased rail
road tariff. But how is it with the
United States bond.holders? They
have no taxes to pay, not even in
directly. They go on from year to
year drawing this interest in gold, to
buy more bonds to draw more interest,
until this centralized capital has be-
come the controlling power in the land.
Capital in the present condition Of
affairs fixes prices both ways, it sets
the price on the farmers products
and upon the goods sold to them;
while the producing classes will have
to bow their heads in ruinous submis-
sion and such, we fear, will ever be
the case while we are represented by
corruption and our tax laws remain at
variance with the interests of agricul-
ture.
The true policy of the government,
both State and National, should be to
build up the agricultural interests of
the country the foundation of its great
ness and power. We could never see
the justness of making the bond.hold-
ers a privileged class and exempt them
from the burden of sustaining the gov
ernment. 1t has made them purse.
proud and they look with Indignation
and horror upon any movement on the
part of the farmers to relieve them.
selves from the great burden of un-
equal taxation. All taxes find their
way back to the landowners and hang
rs an incubus upon the industrial in
terests Of the country.
The farmers' vindicator., 1875-05-14

KEEP AHEAD OF Your WORK. -
This is good advice in any business,
but especially is it applicable to agri-
culture. The great trouble with us at
the South is, that we lay out too much
work for ourselves to do. We get a
great many things half done, and work
twice as hard as need be in conse.
quence, when the same amount Of labor
if previously expended would have a
three-fold result. This is just how it
is, when we come to cultivate our crops
and war upon the weeds and grass.
We are so accustomed to get into a
''great hurry" about putting in the
crops in time, that we forget the weed
crop that is already in the ground.
We have. not unfrequently seen the
greatest exertioDs in getting in seeds,
that would have done just as well a
week later and if that time had been
spent in rebedding or narrowing the
ground would have killed the first crop
of weeds and grass, prepared the
ground better for the seeds and enabled
the cotton or corn to get ahead of the
weeds. If we would adopt such a
plan in getting in our crops we could
always Keep ahead Of our work.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-09
A DOUBLE TRAGEDY.
WOMAN CUTS THE THRoATs OF TWO OF HER
CHILDREN AND THEN COMMITS SUICIDE.

WOMAN CUTS THE THRoATs OF TWO OF HER
CHILDREN AND THEN COMMITS SUICIDE.
SEYMOUR, Conn.,, March 8, 1876.
most distressing tragedy TOOK place here at an
early hour this morning. For atroclty 1t exceeds
valley during the past year. For some time past
MIS-. Evans has resided here with her family.
SO far as known she had no special domestic
troubles, and her neighbors had come to respect
and associate with her. Early this morning she
procured razor, and, while the derce winds and
snow were pelting tne roof OF her dwelling and no
the trundle bed where her two children, aged
respectively three and six years, were slice ping,
and inhumany cut the tnroats OF both from ear
10 ear. With singular detei mlnatlOn she then
applied the murderOns blade to her own throat
10 Information was obtained thlt such terrible
deeds had been committed Ut the house till late
Evans. went TO the pre- misses to shovel a pathway
Tor her through the snow. This neighbour was not
in the haoit OF entering the house, nut this morn.
lug he telt impeled to do SO. On stepping across
inc portal he beheld the horrible slght OF the two
helpless little children in their blood, and too
weak through the etrects OF their wounds 10
noor lay the innuman mother with her
head nearly discovered from her body, her clothing
and the carpet on the floor with blood marked
STAINS with the fatal razor still grasped in her
hand. Disconnected ana greatly Mortified at the
sight, he with difficulty recovered himself and
summoned assistance. When 1t came al exami-
nation was made, and 1t was found that the
mothers hand mad been unequal TO the task or
killing ner children, though physicians who have
seen them to-day say there Is no hope Tor their
recovery. The wound IN Mrs. Evans throat Is SO
writing unconscious ana In dying condition.
The exact reason why Mrs. Evans should commit
this brutal deed Ii not known, but 1t Is supposed
she must have been laborlng under At or TEN.
DOrarV insanity.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-09
PARDONED BY GOVERNOR TuDEN.

Yesterday afternoon glad tidings for three con.
vlcts, inmates Of the Kings County Penitentiary,
FlatDush. were received by Warden shevlen and
communicated by Deputy Crummey to the happy
benenciarles of the Executive clemency. The par
doned criminals are John Enrich, who was
sentenced for i've years. in September
1873, by Judge Moore, in the County Court, for
robbery; Henry K0hlert, sentenced at the same
time and tor the same crime; aud George +. Nc
Clelian. sentenced Tor bi2amy for one year, In
November last. The latter named individual 10 u
COUSIN OF the famous general, ana there were
many mitigating circumstances In connection
win his offences. He Is not twenty.0ne years OF
age, and was under the influence Of liquor when
he married his second wife at East New York.
The c0nvicts were overjoyed - they d0nned their
citizen ratment and shook the dust OF the prison
yard from their feet.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-09
ADJUSTMENTS.
WOODS MUSEUM.

Woods Museum Is evidently resort for the
democracy not because the price OF admission
Is low, but because the management have made
up their minds TO cater to their patrons. 1.-The
peoplen always want the worth OF their money
that is. they want quantity-and they reserve the
right "gods OF the gallery" TO be judges or the
quality. And so, last evening, after the crowd had
gazed With delight or terror as the case might be,
the stuffed Polar bear, or fingered over the scene
OF ''Nenlce by Moonlight or the 'Arcuc Regions
III September II The panoramic department on
the first moor they repaired TO the 'leclure roomn
be regaed Dy variety performance the
Carols were billed Tor the nrst part OF The even
ing's entertainment in their original sketch OF
1.-The McFaddenS; or, Collecting the Remt.n A va
rlety OF amusing Incidents and hits were intro
duced, the song and dance business OF course,
predominating. Tne programme Tor the evening
was brought to close by he melodrama, "rhu
Muraer at the Roadside lnn," which was re.
ceived with the usual stamping, ha hau ano
the rafting Of rattans in the gallery