Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-08-11
Farmers Rights and Wrongs.

river bank round a jntting ledge and
met the owner Of the premises upon
which VIC were unwittingly trespass-
ing. lie wasn't ill-naturcd but he
felt that he had been imposed upon
! by strangers, and, after hearing bis
story, we felt so too. Just around
the ledge, though who'll Y hidden from
sight, until one came very near TO il,
was his house and the beaten path
brought up in his door yard. In
plain sight Of his house and not
stones throw from it was a large,
nearly fiat rock, the continuation Of
the ledge jutting out into the river
| Around this in warm weather, young
| men from the cities were in the habit
Of disporting themselves in the most
primitive Adamic costume, utterly
regardless of his expressed wishes
which were sometimes met with di.
rect insults. He was long suffering
and didn't want 20 he unreasonable,
but hc felt that he had some rights in
his own door yard which these fcl-
lows were bound 10 respect.
Not many farmers are annoyed in
the precise way in which this one
| has been, but the city man or city
woman, especially if il be a young
man or woman is very apt to be
extremely careless Of the farmers
rights when in the country. in the
sense of freedom which comes with
release from the city. there is very
apt 10 be n spirit Of license which
does not hesitate at acts which the
person would not indulge in al home.
Most farmers chccrfuliy waive their
| rights Of ownership TO the berries
aud nuts growing on uncultiyated
/ lands and visitors are welcome II
! they will not break down the fences
or leave open gates or dropped bars
| which will set free the stock in pas
turc: but it should not be forgotten
by these visitors that they are simply
/ privileged intrudcrs. and that the
owner of the land has the same right
to whatever grows upon it. as they
to the produce Of their gardens and
orchards; and when the city berry
| pickcrs come MP close 20 the house
and CLEAN the bushes along the gar.
den wall. "a they DO sometimes, IL
savors OF Ill-manucrs to say the least.
The same kind of people will not
mind wading around in moving lots
tor whatever strikes their fancy in
the time of fruit or flowers, tramp.
ling the stout grass until it looks
like buffalo wallow, and the hus.
handman finds the softcnc1 language
OF the Revised Version altogether
too mild TO express his feelings
when he comes 10 NOW it.
Another lawless character is the
city fisherman who meanders back
and forth through the grassy mead
ows to display his skill in capturing
half ounce trout in the few brooks
where bis illustrions predecessors
have not already cXtcrminatcd the
race. His boon companion is the
amateur sportsman whose game bag
is redolcnt with murdered woodpeck-
ers and chipmunks, his only large
game being the farmers unfortunate
cat, which, mistaken for a rabbit or n
woodchuck, fell victim 10 his appe-
titc for n wild dinner but wasn't
brought along as trophy though
the sportsman" hy this accident dis.
posed of his most formidable rival.
We have touched upon a few
of the most prominent anuses TO
which the farmer is subjected by
thoughtless visitors from the cities
and towns. They all arise from a
disregard of rights which the offend.
ers are perfectly familiar with, and
therefore incxcusable. In some in
stances these lawless acts produce
only annoyance in more they are at.
tented with greater or less degree
of absolute loss. There Is direct de-
struction of property, as well as eX.
ira work and loss of valuable time
10 the farmer. lie earns his money
by hard work there are no sudden
fortunes made in legitimate farming.
What seem triiles to his rich visitor
are often no triGes TO him. As a
rule he likes to hc accommodating.
II isn't his nature To decorate his
lands with signs forbidding tres.
passing. The offender has no evil
intentions. He is simply careless.
Both will get along very pleasantly
together if the city man will respect,
as he should, the country mans
rights.
It is doubtless one of the economic
functions of the clover plant to ar.
rest and store mp the nitrogen of the
nitric acid in the soil, which would
otherwise be drained away during
] A 4.