Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-06-24
THE FARMER, THE DROPS. ETC.

T. - - INN& 49,
the vast majority of this class the wealth
err condition is never just what it ought
to be. 1t is either too cold or too hot, too
wet or too dry. They are prone to lay
the blame On the weather for all the
failures resulting from their idleness,
when they ought to be in hot pursuit of
all the enemies TO crops with which the
farmer has to continuously and persist
emily contend.
So far this year, and IN this latitude
especially, the season has been an ideal
one. The conditions could hardly be eX-
celled. Spring opened early, the sun
shine was summary and the earth
bounded into bloom and v ernal fresh
ness. The drought we had was not long
nor excessive, and where the soil was
properly stirred the plants grew vigor-
ously. The predicted late frosts got
caught on the circle north of us and
were delayed so long that when they did
finally arrive they were in that form of
tender and refreshing l%iquidness that
makes the lawns, meadows and fields as
radiantly beautiful as if they were bap-
tized in a mist Of diamonds and silver.
The rainfall has been more copious
than usual at this time of the year but
has not been so great or prolonged as
to seriously retard farming operations
where the work was advanced as it
should have been.
The average wheat crop will fall short
perhaps one half, and oats about the
same, for obvious reasons.
Where the seed bed was plowed deep
and at the right time, thoroughly pull
verified, fertilizer generously applied and
sown in due season the yield is large
and the grain of the best quality. 1t
rarely fails that these conditions insure
a remunerative and satisfactory return.
Where "the scratch system" prevailed,
time and labor minimized as much as
possible in preparing the ground, moth
ing used to give vitality and vigor to
the wasted land and the seed simply
"butchered in" the yield in quality and
quantity is corresponding low and
profitless.
The early spring gave early planted
corn a good start, its general condition
is promising, but at this time prophecies
as to the yield have no reasonable basis
Apples, will be scarce, but vineyards
peach trees and berry canes are heavily
ladened, and what can take the place o.
the purple clusters of the honey drop
ping grape, the delicious flesh of the
peach whose cheek of velvet and golC
will ever elude the most exquisite toucl
of the artists skill, or that habitat of tn,
sedgy waste and the jungled Granny, tn,
homely blackberry-food fit for the god
and whose divine elixir makes man for
get that this world is a world of worry
care and sorrow?
We have indicated that the farmer i
a chronic grumbler as regards tn
weather. We haven't proved it. We d,
not need to. A self evident fact require
no testimony. He may be crushed by
misfortune, the voracious vultures o
greed may hover over his possession
with their claws and beaks of debt an,
mortgage, the tyranny of a mother il
law may hold him in the slavish re
straints of an all conquering fear or h,
may be overridden by the cormoran
tribes Of his wife's unnumbered rela
tons, yet 100000 cases to one revolt h
will succumb unprotestingly to a kind O
Chinese fatalism and in stolidity and il
despair watch the procession of disas
tiers as it tramples over him, thinking o
appearing to think that all his helpless
ness and wo are the DEGREES of destin,
that can not be avoided.
But just mention the weather and he
on his "kazip" at once. He is at home o
this subject, He can depict coming rui.
so graphically that you can see tn
fields whitening in the scorching fierce
ness of a merciless sun or the rapid or
coming of the wide spread wings of tn
Omnibus cloud" pouring down upon tn
earth a frog strangling torrent. w
have to say to the farmer, we mean c
this immediate country, that if he woul
cultivate his acres more and his glool
less, and study more how to take adval
tage of rather than berate the weathe
he would be a happier, wiser and wealth
Ter man.
AS regards the season past and pre-
ent "the Giver of every good and pc,
feet gift has remembered this sectio
= most graciously. He has given us tn
undeserved bounty of sunshine and raj
in fructifying alterations. He ha
: spared us from the ravages of flood an
cyclone. The conditions upon which tn
g generous bosom of our old mother cart
supplies s~ustenance for all that has lii
and must be fed have been most propit
Gus. Nothing that car conduce to tn
peace, rest, plenty and attractiyeness {
the homes nesting in the valleys an
: dotting the hillside of this charming an
historic region but what God has don
: His part to supply. If any farmer lack
the staying and substantial comforts {
fruitful field, garden and orchard-th
l delightful and health insuring luxurie
and delicacies of vine and stalk-lack
e anything that the soil produces whic
: contributes to his satisfaction, enjoy
ment, elevation and welfare, the lack
chargeable entirely and directly to h.
( Encouragement, stupidity and thrift
, ~lessness. He should have all these gift
of nature and providence and thank Go
he is a farmer.