The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-08-20
PLUNKETT,S LETTER.
The Old Man Tells of Old-TIme Ways.
atlanta Constitution.


last week upon the Importance of South
ern farmers using improved machinery.
It put me TO studying and made me think
of what uster be and of what now is-of
what has been, what is, and the posi-.
bilities of the near future.
The generation before me used COW
horns for plows and rawhide for traces.
They watched closely for horns Of the
best shape to use in plowing, and they
we're stuck upon the round footed plow.
stocks and used as we now use the iron
plow.
We outgrowed the "horn period"
pretty quick, and then came the Scooter"
or "bull tongue" plow. This made the
avocation Of blacksmithing most desir-
able trade. Many now living can re-
member when the rural districts were
full of these workers in iron, but their
business, like that of wagon makers, etc.,
has been concentrated at manufacturing
centers till there iy mighty poor show
ing for common country blacksmith !;
you can buy new plow now cheaper
than you can have one "relaid." Ma
chinery has done this, but who of my age
would have thought it.
The old two.wheeled ox-cart, the
wheels sawed outen big trees, is another
thing they uster have, but we soon out
grow ed that, and every crossroads had q
man that could "turn" and "mortise"
hub for spokes, and We soon bad the reg
ular old high-wheeled ox-cart that many
now living can remember. A couple Of
bull calves in them days were priced, for
it meant yoke of oxen in ashort time
an ox.cart is thing of the past and q
bull calf is only thought of as fit for veal,
and who of my age would have thought
it?
After the o1-cart period we come to
saddles. Saddles for men and saddles
for women, and mules and horses were
ridden by both sexes as great improve
ment over the jolting carts; but the
wagon and then the buggy took the place
of horseback riding, and have their place
up to the present, but how long before
these will be numbered with the things
that were is more than I can tell, for
steam and electricity is with US and it
looks as if they are to supercede all other
locomotion.
This brings us up to the present, and
looking back, can any old folks see any
relaxation of anxiety brought about by
all these changes? Of course fellow
who does not keep up with the procession
must go to the wall, but is there better
morals, easier living or happier homes?
When pass among the crowded tene.
ments in the manufacturing districts of
the cities, I cannot help but think Of the
cooling breezes that uster fan the cheeks
of the blacksmith's children beneath the
spreading trees of a country home. The
pale.faced girls and boys who drink at
the city hydrants and pant like lizards in
the city's heat, are in sad contrast to the
boys and girls. that uster romp in the
groves and drink from the crystal springs
in days gone by.
But so is progress, it must be, and it is
every fellows business to keep along
with it, but I study over it and now and
then set down and try to figure out as
to where it is to end and as to what will
be the consequence.
The oxen has gone, the mule and the
horse must go, is the way figure for the
future. The sweet meadows of the stock
raising districts, where the young colts
kick up their heels in playful glee must
be turned to some other purpose. Like
the OK the mule must go to the wall, and
as the coming generations skim along
with electricity for the motive power.
there will be old folks Who will look back
and say, "who would have thoughtit."
1t is hard for me to acknowledge that
there is any way better than the old way,
for the most pleasant feelings Of my boy
hood was when / walked barefooted in
the fresh turned soil behind the pillow and
jerked the single line along old "Ned's'
sides. But such work won't do for these
days. While it took me and "Ned"-
"Ned" was the mule-a whole day tc
break an acre, and that was counted good
work, it won't do for these times. Where
hand ulster break one acre he must now
break four to keep up with progress-one
hand now must do as much work as foul
hands uster do. This is the "problem'
and farmers must solve it. If in the USE
of machinery is the only way to accom-
plish this, and I believe it is, the quicker
We get at it the better, and everything
possible should be done to stimulate in
vention and improvements.
1t hasn't been so very long ago since
cotton was "ginned" with the fingers
Just think of picking the lint from tht
seed Of the present cotton crop! 1
couldn't be done, of course. The need o
the gin stimulated men to labor for it,
perfection, and this perfection mas giver
cotton goods to all the world.
Your mothers uster spin and weave
and knit and sew. It is all done by ma
chinery now. There is no woman who
would think of plodding away with knit
ting needles as of old, nor of carding tht
"bats" and spinning the thread for
Sunday dress. Machinery has done
away with all this, every one can see the
great revolution in many lines of busi-
meas that has been accomplished, ane
yet. the average Southern farmer plods
along unconcerned.
Northern farmers have not been so In
J;mos,nk - tbn honaf,tc ne ironroved nc-