River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-02-16
MADISON LETTER.
MAnnon. VS. Feb. Is. 1888.


pose of keeping up an acquaintance
aud to let your readers know that the
capital city still continues its existence
in spite of the fact that the legislature
does not manipulate the law making
mill this winter. On Monday and
Tuesday Of last week the State Board
of Charities and Reform held CON
vention in the Senate chamber attend
ed by representatives from the various
charity institutions of the state and
from other states who discussed the
methods of caring for the insane now
in vogue, as well as obsolete methods,
and the improvements Of the present
over the past as clearly set forth, in
dictate the advancement of civilization,
and furnish hopeful signs of the APP
proach of that happy time when the
unfortunate will receive that humane
treatment which becomes christian
lied people.
The State Agricultural society fol-
lowed and held the fort in the Assem-
bly, Chamber until Friday night To
| undertake to tell all about this gath
ering would overtax my feeble ener-
gies, and also oyertax your columns;
but to have so much of sheep and hog,
COW and horse. sorgum aud silo, hay
and corn, eggs and butter, ensilage
and oats, oleomargerine and axel-
grease, go by without prominent mem
tion would be treating our agriculture
al interests, (of which am one) with
too little consideration.
/ The convention was well attended
by farmers from nearly every portion
of the state, and the speeches made
were of an excellent and instructive
character. But to enjoy the occasion it
was necessary to hear the discussion
which followed each paper. The farm
ers came here, evidently, not only TO
learn but to enjoy themselves, and
they helped themselves to the free
| lunch of debate with deliberation
worthy of observation, and with an
ability that would not admit of slight
or reputation. Sharp satire, sallies
of wit, and comical humor were in
dulged in freely, making every session
extremely interesting, and bringing
out the best, and most profitable
thought pertaining to the various top
les which came before the convention.
The convention was q success, and
the officers of the society are deserving
of much praise for the presentation Of
program replete with subjects of
vital interest to farmers, and for their
selection of men and women to present
the several subjects, whose abilities
were in keepiug with the work given
.hem. There were but few lapses in
this regard. consequently but few
weak addresses, but the jolly farmers
had their own fun with the weakness
of the speakers, and their keeness of
observation. good humor and persis..
ent criticisms had the effect of bring
| ing out the solid truth, SO that if the
speaker was at sea and among the
breakers, the farmers saved the craft
every time and divided the spoil3.
Such gatherings cannot fail to be of
great service to the farmers in social
way, as well as eminently instructive
in the vital questions now agitatng the
agricultural world relative to methods,
and the scientific investigations need
full to a proper knowledge of the lie.
mands of the soil uuder the various
taxings to which 1t is subjected. The
convention was conducted somewhat
like the farmers institutes, although
the subjects discussed were not so
strictly confined to the lessons needed
for practical farming, and the adj
dresses were generally too long to ad-
NIT of sufficient discussion, and leave
time to complete the programme.
Many of our farmers know a good
deal and to get at it they must be in
duced to talk, and there is no place
more certain to waken that desire in
them than at such convention where
the invitation is to all.
For my own part, agricultarally
speaking, (and that's the way | speak
now there was no subject presented
so full of agricultural meat as saving
off hornes. Now that does not seem
very meaty, except perhaps to those
VINO get their porterhouse from just
back of the horns, still there's meat in
it hence it is mete that ! soliloquize,
and elaborate thereon. Now it seems
a proper soliloquy to imagine myself
leaning on fence watching the
growth of my premium pumpkin, deep
ly meditating on the diploma | am go
ing to get at the pumpkin show, when,
suddenly | am lifted so to speak,
on the hornes of an ugly gentleman
cow and with some ahruptness landed
on the other side of the fence, gored
and bleeding and considerably grieved.
Now, if / must be cut goring ]
want the workman to know his BUSH
ness and follow the pattern like
first-class tailor. / am opposed to be-
ing cut bias under any and all circnm-
stances, its too feminine, and sounds
too much like polinaise or a basque;
and yet have basked before now in
loves sweet smiles. but the woman
that did the smiling is now repenting
at leisure, lover the South Fork.) But
might be reconeiled to the goring
process If given an even chance, and |
learned the process Of evening UP the
goiing business by attending the con
vention. Dehorn is the word; that is.
take off the horns, and cast them
hence and the promise is that imme-
diately after four-year-old hoy can
command a fiye.yt ar-C.d bull, and a
arling calf en- haste whole drove
of them. | think shall get "a few in the
spring and dehorn them just to have
some playthings for the children.