The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-30
HE PUT GEESE TO RoosT.
The Fate OF Prophet Who Presumed
on His knowledge of Farming.


Don't talk Of agriculture to a farmer"
was Daniel Webster's advice to a friend.
discuss any other subject with him-art,
literature, political economy, fuance-but
never farming. for if you once launch forth
on that he will ind You at fault in some
particular ana conclude that Ignorant in
one thing you are ignorant in ALL"
This advice was recalled BIZ q gentleman
of this city recently upon hearing of the ex-
perience of an amateur farmer, & friend Of
his, who, after 4 long and active career, in
which he had achieved fame and fortune,
renquished an extensive practice Of law
for bucoliC superin,endence over an estate
not a hundred miles from New York.
Shortly after he assumed the management
Of his farm the lawyer received a visit from
one OF his neighbOrs, ShTewd old farmer
who had never been hundred miles away
from his home. Various matters were dis
cussed, as together they walked about the
farmyard inspecting the new windmill, i'm
proved water-troughs, catte-sheds and other
"new-fangled fXings."
Naturally the amateur betrayed his gross
ignorance 10 his more practical and expert
enced companion. The latter was some
thing of a wit aud at last, in visiting the
poutry-yard, ventured a suggestion. "Thls
is all very fine, hesaid, as he glanced about,
but whore do your ducks and geese roost
at nightP'
81 never thought of that" replied the
amateur I've seen them 'SQuat,in' around
Mt night and thought they liked that. Pll
have it attended to at once Low roosts l
suppose would be the best?"
The farmer thought they would. "Place
them about TWO feet from the ground" he
remarked. and then, smiling in his sleeves,
unhitched his mare and drove away home.
Nota moment was last By the former New
Yorker. He erected his duck roosts, and
at niGhtfall visited his pOultry-yard 10 OBJ
serve how the fowls enjoyed the innovation.
10 his chagrin they appeared to ignore the
roosting-place and were squRtting as before
on the ground.
Poor things, I've neglected them too
long" thought the humane amateur. "Ihey
don't realize the change" With that he
began to grab at ducks and brakes and
ganders and deposit them one by one on the
rOost. There was 4 terrible cOmmOtiOn
among the fowls, which attracted all the
tarmhaDds with shotguns 10 tue poultry
yard.
When they arrived there they saw their
employer, perspriDg and red in the face,
trying to balance the webfooted creatures
on tile roost, from which they fell with ter
ribe "Quack, quacks" the moment his
back was turned. 1t was not long before
the truth dawued upon him that ducks and
geese were intended by nature TO squat"
not to rest.
He returned to his house deeply ashamed
of his ignorance and speedily became the
laughing stock of the country round. The
illustration Of Webster'S advice came in the
form of an entire disregard thereafter of
any opinions expressed by the man. In New
York his utterances had been regarded as
words OF wisdom. upon no matter what
subject expressed. but in the country they
were greeted with, ION, pshaw, ne don't
know nOthiu'. He puts geese to roost"