The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-05-04
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT FARMING.

Agriculture is a great subject; it is as
broad as the heavens and elastic as a
garter, or some peoples conscience. Ii
IS one of an editors bounden duties to
tell the farmers just how they ought to
run their business, though just why this
is the case passes our comprehension,
lor the average editor does not know a
club-tOoted parsnlp from head OF frIz
ze top lettuce, or whether peachblow
potatoes are sown broadcast the same
dis mashed potatoes or not. We like to
write instructions to the honest hearted
granger and explain to him just exactly
now be ought to 60 about tickling the
bosom OF nature with his httle plow and
harrow, and would inject our choicest
uncture of liquid language into his sys-
TEN every week on the subject, only we
know his constitution is not strong
enough to stand it, and he needs rest !;
and besides, we invariably Drift off on to
our personal experience in such mat
tiers, and then onr entire list of readers
rise up as one man, smIte their breasts,
look wild, and yell at US that we are re-
lated 10 Eli Perkins or some other
noted liar, which is not only untrue but
very dlscouraglng to a modest and re-
tlrlng journalist who is doing his best
TO tell the truth and attract immigra-
ton in this direCtion-any man who
will act so is no ladv.
Our fist experience IN agriculture as
a mtanS OF grace was in Kansas. 1t was
also our last and we are willing TO ad-
mt right mere, to prevent argument,
that the old saying about experience
beng a dear school Is every word true.
Before we would purchase any more
agrlcultural experience in Kansas, or
even accept it as gift, We should most
aSsurcdly embark IN the honest though
unremunerative business of stealing
sosp-grease on shares.
We came to Kansas way back in the
early days, attracted by the fact that
living was cheap there, salvation free
and opportunity good to sort OF rest up,
as it were-a place where man could
retire for brief spell from the great
throbbing world, commune with nature
and get away from his creditors. We
made bet with the United States gov
eminent, of SI4 against 100 acres of
raw prairie land, that we could stay on
the land five years without starving to
death, and have always thought ever
since that the government took advan-
tage OF our youth and innocence, for it
had pointer, and knew well enough
that we couldn't do it. The SI4 was
lost, but we came out ahead on the
deal, as we finally relinqulshed for $50
TO man who was bigger tool than we
were. But while on that Kansas claim
we had lots of fun, if we didn't lay up
any wealth, and we raised big crop OF
pumpkins, sod corn, rag weed, sunflow-
erS and experience, to say nothing of
bigger boar pig and chattle mortgage
than anyone else in Dry Branch town
ship. We also raised several large dis
turbar ces.
In stocking up our farm, about the
first thing we got was wife, for our
experience led US to believe that while
marriage may be failure in many other
walks OF life, it is certainly a blooming
success on a iarm, ror there the woman
does three times as much as man, and
no matter whether the droueth, hot
winds, grasshoppers or the chinch bugs
do prevail, the baby crop never was
known to fail or falter.
God bless that little woman. We hope
that the memory of the days when we
spent our united time agitating the re-
tractory potatobug, wrestling with the
detormed radiSn or worrying the vora-
CiouS t-Worm-days when we were
poor and needy but loved each other
through 1t all, and when instead of
brown stone mansion with an IRON dog
in front We enjoyed sod-roof log cabin
with cabbage patch in front--are as
fresh and dear in her memory as they
are today in ours
A sod hUusr or "dugout" may not
be very hand, me, or vet much to brag
oD, but We have seen happier days in
one than we ever expect IL see again,
though We should yet become as rich
as any Vanderbilt or Gould.
Ii you have eyer been in Kansas and
ridden over the prairies for any length
OF time, YOU have noticed here and
tnere an old building OF this description,
now acting IN the capacity of a chicken
coop or implement shed. There is
something pathetic to US in these old
dwellings, for not a log or sod on their
old dirt roofs but what is associated with
memories dear and cherished. They
are deserted now, and the storms and
winds whistle among and through their
crumbling frames like evil spirits DER
the graves of those who were. The
ridge pole sticks out into nature like a
sore thumb, calm and pulseless through
the scOotng years, and the bend in its
back seems to say, in language more
eloquent than words, that there is no
use trying to hold up It's burden of
rocks and sod, dirt and vegetation any
longer, now that those It Sheltered so
l.. 1.I. Al.