The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1883-08-04
Farmers Food

upon the fat Of the land. lie is the pro-
ducer of all that Is good and IL comes
first into his hands. He receives IL in
all It's pristine purity and excellence.
BY the sweat of his brow he has earned
it. 1t is his, and If he parts with It, it
Is his own fault.
Do not understand me as saying that
the farmer should live high and fast,
that he should be an eater OF delicacios
and n driHker Of sweet drinks. The
farmer should eat good food and drink
good drink, not that which tickles his
palate and wars with his stomach, but
that which Is nutritious and easily d.
gested; In short wholesome food. That
he can do so needs no proof. Food is
rendered unwholesome by time. Ii Is
tho action Of oxygen that produces the
decay Of vegetables and flesh, and this
renders them unwholesome. But as
the farmer Is the producer he can al.
ways have fresh, wholesome food,
grain and vegetables in season. The
dwcllers In cities are often compelled
to eat tainted meat, butter and yege-
tables; the flesh OF diseased animals;
the refuse and poorest quality Of fruit;
because some Of these evils can not be
detected and Others can not be avoided.
But the farmer can pluck fruit when II
IL neither green nor Over-ripe; he can
have fresh vegetables through the warm
months; II an animal Is diseased he Is
aware Of Il. II no eats unwholesome
food lie can not excuse his so doing on
The score Of necessity.
God gave man meat and grain for
strength, vegetables for health, and
fruit for pleasure. Yet while these are
iistinctiyely the office Of each they all
are necessary TO health. Mans body is
so constituted that for the nutriment
necessary to maintain It's healthy action
II demands n variety Of food; and 10
supply that demand the same wise hand
that fashioned Il has made the golden
grain. the herb aud vegetable, the
luscious fruit, the beasts Of the fields,
the fish Of the seas, and the fowls Of the
air. Yet the farmer, who Of all men
has the least excuse for doing so. most
ncglects these wise and bountiful pro-
visions Of nature. His meat Is pork,
and pork alone; his bread Is wheat or
corn; and vegetables and fruit he often
has not. At all seasons fruit and vege-
tables should be eaten. but In summer
the demand for them Is the most ur~
gent. II Is then that the system calls
most loudly for such nutrlment and
then that Il Is slow suicide to eat bread
and pork alone. Meat contains q large
proportion Of carbon this carbon
nnites with the oxygen taken into
the lungs in the act Of breath
ing. and by their union, similar
to that Of any other form Of combustion.
they produce most Of tho animal heat
II the body. This Is Just what Is need
ed In cold weather. for then tho cold
atmosphere is continually seeking to
rob the body Of It's heat. Because Il Is
needed there Is an appetite for H. We
have n normal desire for meat In win
ter; the inhabitants Of tho Arctic ru-
gions drink seal oil. But In summer Il
s just what Is not needed.
Then the great dcsideratum Is TO IT,
duce the animal heat. for the hot at
mosphere tends TO keep Il In m excess.
i've supply. Meat should be avoided.
But what shall man eat9 Nature never
creates q want that she does not NJ the
same time create . supply for t. frrit
and vegetables contain very little oil nr
carbon. and therefore are the propsr
food for hot weather; and Il Is lust III
this season that they may be had for
the asking OF nature. Health Il the
condition which natum would give 20
all; IL Is u ignorance or Indifference
that creates disease. All the variety Of
food needed TO maintain the healthy
action Of our bodies Is AZ hand, and
each article Is obtainnblo when needed.
The nature Of my quarrel with farm
ers has, perhaps. become apparent. I
accuse them of relying too much upon
pork and bread for food. and Of No
glccting 10 provide themselves with
Vegetables and fruit. ANY one who "a
familiar with the life Of farmers knows
that | have Just grounds for my accusa-
ton. How oftcn do they sit down 10 a
table where fruit aud vegetables afs
conspicuous only BY their sbsenccP No
lice the farmers gardens and orchards
- you take . drive through the coun-
try and how many II them win ron
find meagcr and neglected. People Of
redenfary occupations could not live
upon the diet that half The farmers Of
this country suh<ist upon. The vigcr-