The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-09-12
NEGLECT.


NEGLECT.
sefse things i. Deaasssie and Farm Eeoss-
oiny fhst DO Sst ray.
Neglect It IL mot : hard word. but
IL Is ora Of the most prominent ones
that hover along life's pathway. Meta
phorica1ly speaking. few. II any, weeds
found growing in the great field of pro-
srsssisn cost rs more than tho weed Of
neglect. 1t seems to steal in almost
nnawares through many different az
enues and feeding on our substance.
like corroding cancer. pulls US back
and accomplshes our ruin before we
have really studied cut where the leak
Il. We are prone to become too loose
or too slack with our work and business
operations. There is nothing like sys-
tenn and order in everything. 1t is
Heavens first law. Without II all our
efforts are futile. and our work and toll
avail nothing. But plans and systems.
howsoever good and perfect they may
be. amount to nothing unless they are
faithfully carried out. Here is where
the rank weeds Of Neglect choke the
,asssgezwsy u The brightef fields Of
prosperity beyond. Here Is where the
resolute plow-share should be run un-
sparingly. and the common enemy Of
human advancement exterminated.
Let us look at few of the more COM
mon examples of Neglect and mark
well the results. A common cold Is
thought by most Of us to be Of little ac-
count, As long as we can keep upon
OUR feet We let It take its course. But
how often has ii terminated in pneu-
monia, some lingering bronchial affec-
ton that has ultimately engendered con-
sumption or some other fatal malady!
1t perhaps might have been averted by
due attention to the laws of health; but
they were neglected. and the evil came.
Again, it might possibly have been
cured by q little proper treatment in
time; but neglect gives the destroyer
power, and stripping Us Of our hard
earned gains, want and suffering, and
misery step In to crown our agony. and
we are carried to the grave.
The Canada thistle Ks not the largest
of our common farm weeds. but it is a
very formidable one. 1t roots strong
and spreads rapidly. Prompt action on
Its first appearance would soon stamp
it out; but II it is allowed to remain we
soon find II all over our fields, and when
we come to handle our graft we are
often sharply reminded OF the provok-
ing pest which our neglect has allowed
to get the better of us. We may not
swear, but we go about with sore
fingers, wondering what the obnoxious
weed could have been created for. and
all too late cursing our stupidity for
ever allowing the detestable thing a
foothold in our productive soil.
We scarcely realize how dearly we
pay for our neglect in removing the
scattering surface stones that pillow up
on Dur eastern farms. They arc not
only unsightly objects that bother both
man and team in passing over the
ground, but 1t takes twice as long To
cultivate the soil, and then 1t Is not done
properly; pillow Is broken here and q
harrow there; horse steps on rough,
ugly-shaped boulder. and is lame fol
the season; but little more than half 9
crop can find room to grow; the NOW
ing-machne and horse rake suffer in
harvest timH, requiring our time fro.
duently at the. blacksmith shop; the
wagon is wrenched and goes to pieces
in driving over the uneven field with 0
heavy load, and as consequence the
overturned hay is perhaps spoiled by Q
drenching shower A few days worn
would have rendered the ground com
paratively smooth, increased the crop,
and averted the train of disaster and
expense.
The farmer has an old rotten fence,
dilapidated by the frosts and SHOWS o.
winter. He sows his grain. and amid
the hurry and hustle OF late spring
neglects to properly repair the sur
rounding fence. He neglects to watch
the poor places, but the cattle do not
and they break through and destroy
his crop. Thus his time in blowing anC
sowing comes to Iought, and for yea
afterwards he must buy his grain. ant
perhaps be compelled to ruin into deb
on account Of an hours neglect.
The practice of letting the fences &c
untrimmed at the time the hay crop il
harvested is another branch of neg
iect that soon assumes large proper
tions. The grass Is soon run out by
brfers and weeds; bushes spring up ant
encroach upon the meadow until thu
farmer is almost driven from the en-
closure. What might have been hello
back by an hours work at the start will
now require many days labor with thu
m oh q thnrnunl
grabbing will be necessary before tn
land can be reclaimed. So, too. in tn
case of foul meadow weeds. like st
johns wort and wild carrots. for In
stance. A few minutes work woulc
completely eradicate them at first. bu
by neglect the seeds are scattered fla
and wide. and they soon. spread beyon'
our control.
Many farmers neglect to do their fall
blowing and other work that should b.
done when they have plenty of time
and the result is they have every thing
to do in the spring; and when sowin:
and planting time comes they are over
crowded with work; they get behind
are obliged to hire a portion of it done
their crops are half gotten in, too lat
to do well; they fail to catch up al
summer; their oats are green and rust.
when others that were s6wn earlier ar
bright and fit for the reaper; their whea
is perhaps half crop, and their corn !
cut BY the frost in the fall It cost
them Just as much to pillow and prepar'
the ground late. and Just as much +
manure 1t and cultivate the crop, as
would have done if accomplished il