The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-03-09

had invented reaper in the west, and
was induced by Gen. Tcnch Til gilman
to bring one to his farm on the Eastern
Shore of Maryland. This reaper, the
first one to be brought into our State,
although possessing the correct idea
did poor work. and was not really
perfect machine for that time even. l
remember having seen one of them, or
the remains of one of them, on my
fathers farm, but | do not remember
to have ever seen it in use. An exam
ination of the Americon Farmer for
ls474S, fails to show any reaper Of
fered for sale by the Baltimore dealers
in agricultural implements.
1t is safe to say that during my 10y
hood all the wheat in my neighborhood,
at least, was cut with cradles, just as
timothy and clover for hay was mown
with scythes. | know the harvest
scene of to-day is a strong testimonial
of the inventive genius of man, but it
does not i'm press me rs a similar scene
did fifty years ago.
Possibly, | think this because we do
cling to old things, and to the memo
rles of youth. with y wonderful tenaci-
ty. YET, lor all, Il harvest ii'il with
its men, its women and boys at work
was to my eyes great sight. Let me
try to bring it before yours.
HARVEST SCENES PICTURED.
We see field of golden grain, in it.
self pretty to look upon. Six or more
strong negro men, each with a cradle,
are at hand, with bodies erect they ap-
proach the wheat, and, at the command
OF their leader, with the precision of
military movement, they together
thrust keen blades into the standing
grain. Bringing their cradles back to
their lett side, the load of straw upon
them is discharged and laid with much
evennesss upon the swarth, and they
are ready again for another stride to
the forward Each man is followed by
his wife or sweetheart, who, almost be-
fore the cut wheat has been laid on the
stab5le. has gathered it up and deftly
bound it, ready for the boy or girl in
her rear, who now has to "tote" it to
the shocker.
The rivalry among these workers to
do their part well, so as to maintain
their relative positions in the field; the
occasional shouts from the Graders as
a heavier piece of grain has been
reached, causing renewed effort, or in
response to shouts from harvest par
ty on a nearby farm; all these things
add to the excitement of the harvest.
presents a striking contrast to the mat
ter-of-fact way in which the work is
now done. Doubtless our present way,
a man, machine and team of horses
is far the better, more economical way;
but still it lacks the fascination of the
old-time method.
The binder and the mower were not
the only implements then unknown,
and now to be seen on every well-regu
lated farm For the want of Il tedder,
new mown hay had to be turned ever
to dry; and the absence of a hay fork
made the lifting Of the crop to the NOW
difficult job; wheat and other small
grain was threshed by horse power, as
the steam engine had not yet come;
nor was grain ready for the market
when it left the thresher, as the un-
pleasant work of separating it from the
chatf had still to be done.
AN IDEAL LIFE.
The Sinclair and Moore No. was
the best plow then in general use--a
very primitive affair compared to the
steel plow of to-day, and absolutely in
capable Of dong so fine piece Of fall
lowing as was done last month by the
plowman of the Experiment Station
on the Agricultural College farm.
The smoothing and spring tooth har
row, the sulkey cultivator, and many
other farm implements were not known,
but for all that the Southern Maryland
farmer led an ideal life between 1850
and 1860. He had only to plant and
to SOW, to he sure to reap after ordi-
nary effort an abundant harvest. He
had dry seasons and wet seasons as
now, but in the main prosperity was
his to marked degree.
Worms came annually to eat the to-
hacco. Once the army worm, so called,
destroyed many fields of growing
wheat. These pests, however, were
met and disposed OF rs far as it Was
possible to do so.
Yellows affected peach trees in those
days as Eow. 1t is strange fact
though that the same treatment was
then D ,rsued which understand is be-
ing earnestly enforced to-day, viz: re-
moval and destruction Of the affected
tree.
CHANGES SINCE 1860.
1t is sad, however, to think OF the
great changes which have taken place
since 1860. Why is this?
With much larger fund ofinforma-
ton on the subject of agriculture at
command, with greatly improved farm
implements and machinery with rail