Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-09-21
REALTH OF EARMERS.

Agriculture should be the most en-.
noblng of all vocations. 1t would be
if farmers cultivated the earth as teach.
ers develop the head, and preachers
educate the heart. Our teachers and
preachers aim to train the thoughts
and feelings to truth and love, to utili.
ty and happiness. Farmers should
train tho earth to produce such crops
and fruits, and such only, as are con-
ducive to the best health and highest
welfare ofhuman beings. Then would
their calling be transformed from one
of degrading drudgery and intermina.
bic toll to ono of refinement aud luxu.
ny. The terminating seeds, the wav.
ing grains, the luscious fruits, so sug.
gestive of the source of all life and all
blessing, and the harvest season, so
typical Of resurrection and immor.
tality, ought to make the life of an ag.
riculturist q continual pastime. And
this would be the farmers lie, iffarm.
ing was managed as it should be.
Farmers have unequalled natural
advantages for health, strength, and
longevity, The statistics of disease
and the tables of mortality, however,
are against them. This is not due to
their vocation, but to the misuses of it,.
No class, as q whole, is probably so ut.
terly reckless of health conditions. So
far as our acquaintance with the habits
Of farmers Is concerned-and it has
been extensive-it compels the conclu-
sion that, as rule, the dietetc habits
Of farmers are worse than those of that
class who have the means Of choosing
for themselves. Fried dishes several
times day, with several fried articles
at each of the three meals, is one OF
their common dietetic denominations
dried beef, old cheese, and pickles, are
among the common relIshes, while lard
and salaratus mako their richer dain.
ties infectious and caustic. We have
seen on q farmers table, fried pork, fried
eggs, fried potatoes, and fried griddle.
cakes for breakfast; fried ham, fried
hominy, and parsnips for dinner, and
fried sausages and fried doughnuts for
suppcr-all the frying dong in lard.
No class is so troubled with canker,
erysipelas, tumors, cancers, and hu.
mors, as farmers and the excessive
use Of pork, lard, fine flour, rich cakes,
and greasy pastry, are enough to ac-
count for it, In dietetic habits, our
farmers are sadly misled by the agri.
cultural journals, nearly all of which
pander to the prejudices and aatter
the morbid appetites by recommend.
ing and commencing swine breeding
and pork-eating, while they Gil their
kitchen column with recipes for maxi
ing rich and palatablo pudding, pies.
cakes, and other complicated dishes,
which no stomach ever carried inside
of human body could long tolerate
without death or dyspepsia.
The essential need of farmers ia plain,
wholesome food properly cooked, This
would give much more available power
for work, relieve them of many OF the
distresses and expenses of sickness,
add many years to their life, and rem.
der old ago "grcen" and normal, in.
stead of dry and decrepid, as 1t is in
most cases under existing habits. We
recommend to their study such works
as Hydropathic Cook Book, Hygiouic
Handbook, Fruits and Farinscea, and
Miss Colmans articles on "Seasonable
Dishes etc.-Ts Science Of Health.