Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-08-27
FARM AND GARDEN.
0hanges Produced in a Very LaborIo,, ooe,
pa'i0h oy the Introduction Of Machip.y ,s'
Various Suggestions.
Ancient ana Modern uo ,.,,...

Sphcration as that of hav-
ing. Many speak of the reyaln,;o,,
tnat mas occurred in almost eyarv L 'iO
u manufacturing establishment bo tLa
introduction OF various macbinas VIC
are propelled by water or steam nor saa.'
but greater change has occnrroa =,
the held where grass is cut and cnra =,
ior the support of animals dnrino III
/ winter. In almost all manufact,1r,
! establishments some of tho honJ -
s sna1 were "a use forty years ago are
sun needed to do the work. In the
haying held, however, the work il nov
performed by machines drawn or ON
eratoa by animals. On MANY large
FARMS Where several hundred acres ~
/ grass are harvested, not n hand scrtLa
or rake can be found. Grass tbot aa,,
not DC cut with a mowing-machiro =
ieit untouched. After the orassIs cnI
ihe tedder scatters it about ar ploces
IL Where IT Will be in the best copditinn
to dry. When it is sufficiently cnroJ
the horse-rake collects il int ,yinI
TONS. On many farms all or nearly
all inc pitching is done by machinery
Inc labor is placed on animals To- pcr.
FORM. The machine has driven ont NJ
the haying field all kinds OF hand
| tools. nun"
NoI many years ago having was the
most laDorious occupation on farms
NOW IL Is one OF tho lightest. Than II
employed not only ali the mon anil
poys on the places, but all that could
DC procured in the neighboring villa.
ges' often many kinds OF business
were suspended to give the men AN
opportunity TO work in the HAVING
held. They were sure of rcceivinT
hlgher wages than could be obta;naI
IN most other omploymcnts, and Of
having chance to work while there
was little going on in towns. Not nm
frequently women, girls, and children
worked in the haying fields. Thev
I spread out the green grass from tia
swaths, raked IL when dry. and "foI.
lowed The cart that the men were
loading. 1t was generally necessary
TO employ all the available help in the
neighborhood in order to secure the
hay crop IN proper season. Hov-
makers we're obliged to work very lone
hours. The mowers were expected IN
be up by daylight and to be in the
Held before sunrise. Time was often
too precious TO admit Of going 10 the
farmhouse to obtain meals. Lunches
and often dinners were brought ont
for the men in the fields, and simmer
was not eaten till il was too late to adj.
NIT OF working. With the many la.
borerS, the hard work, and the long
hours, the haying season was extended
through fully two months.
Haying has now become an easy oc-
:upation, employing only the
humber Of men who ordinarily work
on the farm. Old men, women, girls.
and little boys are no longer seen in
the haying field. There il nothing for
them to 90. The hours for having are
no longer than those for planting or
cultivating. 1t is not necessary to cut
grass while the dew is on it because
the work is done easier. The machine
and the horses that draw it never
complain being fatigued. Men engag-
cd in haying do not go to the field in
the morning twilight or remain til
dusk. The cost of hay machines has
been greatly reduced in places where
improved machinery can be employed
to advantage. In many parts Of the
west grass Is cut, cured, and put in
stack for rs cents per ton, although
laborers receive much higher wages
than they did thirty years ago. There
is no longer trouble in securing all
the hay needed to keep any amount
OF farm stock. Hay is so easily put up
in many places that farmers pay little
attention to taking care of straw or to
saving corn fodder They raise no
roots for stock food and SOW no rye
for atfording winter pasturage. Sci
entilic discovery and skill in the
construction OF labor-saving ma
chinery have accomplished more
in the haylng field than IN the work
shop.
In no respect has the condition of
the laborer been injured by the intro
duction of machinery into the having
field. The poet, noyelists and painters
find little to admire in tho haying field
at the present time. IL know moth
ing" writes an English novelist, 80
cheerful, SO genial, and yet so peace
bestowing, as the sound, in the first
hours of the morning. OF the whetting
Of scythes 1t is the happy mean be-
tween utter rural silence and the roar
of the crowded city; so eXhilarating,
so sociablc, and yet SO undisturbing
Is its unaffected music. What a quiet,
happy laugh there is IN it! What half
subdued humor, what friendly good
naturel The sound never ceased.
Field after field took up the magic
morning music. Sometimes it was
played on q perfect orchestra of in
struments." All the pastoral poets
from Virgil to Wordsworth have sung
of the merry haymakerS. The paint
ers of every land haze transferred the
picturesque scenes of the haylng field
TO canvass. They have shown the
mowers bending TO their work, the
boys spreading out the grass to dry,
the women and girls, clad in scarlet
frocks, with gypsy bonnets on their
heads, raking the hay, and the strong
men pitching it on to carts. The
building OF the stack has been the
subject that has inspired many paint
ers. There is little poetry or romance
about the modern haying held. Every
thing pertaining to the picturesque
has departed, never to return. Every
machine designed to do a large amount
of labor in short time is, in the ma
turo of things, prosaic 1t is only
suggestive of gain, and any money
getting employment is unpoetical;;
The losses that have been sustained
by the introduction of machinery into
the having field have, however been
very small compared with the gains.
Cheap and abundant hay amply com
pensates for the loss Of a few pie
turesque scenes and alittle poetic sem
timent.
Farm Suggestions Fftl
Air the stables.
The cabbage needs q rich soil,
See that your stock IS in good health.
Carrots and rutabagas require
light, rich soil.
Dry earth is an excellent absorbent