The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-05-06

1 DO not suppose 1t Is expected OF me
to give much information that may be
Of practical use to the average farmer,
but l may, from many years close obser-
vation, and some practical knowledge
obtained when quite youth, and the
direction and experience of conducting
the affairs of farm for myself for up
wards Of the past thirty years, may be
able TO say something beneficial on the
subject allotted me, viz :" The Past and
the Present Modes of Farming, Together
with the Benefits Accruing to our Farm
ing Community"
am led to believe that large portion
of the people look upon the farmer as a
being susceptible Of but little improve
ment, and that many of our young peo-
pie imagine they can attain to more prom
inenee by abandoning agricultural pur-
suits and applying themselves to some
thing seemingly more elevating and
agreeable to their achieving more credit
able distinction in the future.
Bot fear such persons are greatly de-
luded, believing as l do, that all classes
of the community are dependent in
greater degree upon the success Of the
farmer-even the clergy, the physician,
the jurist, the banker, the mechanic, the
manufacturer, the railroad magnate, and
all classes of society, witk the exception,
perhaps, of the lawyers and corrupt poll
ticians, are greatly interested in the sue
cess and prosperity Of the intelligent far
mer.
The natural tastes of mankind in a
great measure account for our interest in
the science Of agriculture; its success IS
at the foundation of their general vel
fare, as the fruits of the farmers labor
supports the industry of all other classes.
l would beg leave to impress upon our
young people that many of the most dis
tinguished men of America delighted in
agriculture. The father Of our country,
George Washington, together with sever
al of our leading Observation-Disclosures,
Madison, Jackson, and the lamenied Gar
field, and last but not least our iIlustri-
Gus and far-famed iurist, jeremiah :.
Black, delighted in attending to the eul-
tivation of the soil and verify believe
that no man is entitled to the lasting
gratitude of his fellow-man more than
the tiller Of the soil, who win set apart
few acres of his domain for experiment
ting upon the best means of producing the
largest results possible by systematic OBJ
servations of the effect produced 10y the
best means of culture and full prepaIa-
ton Of the soil and then profiting by his
own experience and imparting his dis
coyeries to his neighbors. Consequently
We may speak, not from what be have
read in history, bat from our own obser-
vations of the modes Of farming, the i'm
plements used, methods of travel, pro-
ducts Of the soil, transportation of pro-
ducts and merchandise three-quprters of
a century ago, and contrast those modes
and practices with those Of the present
day, which will fully cover the subject
allotted to me.
OF the past and the present of the agri-
cultural community in the county Of
Somerset and Commonwealth of Penn
syIvania, modes of farming at an early
day in this region under my own obser-
walton were, the feeling Of the forest by
the sturdy woodsman, hesping of the
logs and rubbish, toiling early and late
in clearing up the new ground for culti-
vation at quite an expense to the owner,
expecting to be remunerated by success
i've crops for the necessary outlay, snd
the prospects Of the future being the
stimulus. Wills: the farmer of to-day
can, by calling to his aid the lumberman,
have his timber converted into marketa-
ble lumber. The branches brought into
use for charcoal, used for producing cheap
! iron and material for the use of the farm
er, have his land cleared and made suit
able to cultivate, paying hin profit, be-
sides enhancing the value of the land
We may also refer TO the time when it
was customary to use plow with a
wooden mould-board, requiring the
ploughman to carry constantly within
reach small paddle to remove the soil
fastening itself upon the various points
Of the plow, stopping every eight or ten
rods, thus greatly hindering his labor.
and then, as was customary at an early
cay, to break up the fallow ground, stir
it again by eross-plowing, and perhaps
covering the seed quite shallow with a