The Newtown bee., 1901-01-04

and yet, in my knoweldge, they neglect the very system of success, and that is to thoroughly dry and season the soil in the rough and tumble manner of blowing. In two foot furrOWS cross and re-cross the land: let the sun shine down into the bottom of the furrOwS and also let the land lie in these ridges and have the froStS of winter work down into these open furrows, and deepen the soil. That cannot be done so etfectually in any other way. want to give the heroes of the old wooden blow a just tribute of their la bors, but my pen would fail me. These heroes are scarcely second to the sol diers that give us our great liberties that we enjoy, but only think of the millions of the hardy sons of toll that in this land of their adoption, for pe- riod of 200 years broke through the rough surface of every conceivable Ob- stacle and turned the wilderness into fruitful fields and happy homes, which, throughout the world is called the land of the free and the home of the brave, and yet would not forget the just tribute to the old wooden blow which holds scarcely second place beside the flag of our country, and think it de- serves an equal place beside the flag of our nation, and hope every one that reads these words will join with me in giving my humble tribute to the old wooden blow:
 Inspire now, my Muse, throw light on my pathway;
 A treasure, thy worth to the nations untold, That gleams from the vista of hallowed re- membrance
 And shine with the light of pure. burnished
 gold.
 Thy star did shine bright In the fields of thy l glory,
 As fair as our nations high emblem of light, That shone through the mists the clouds sil- | yer lining'
 And gave to us hope through the darkness
 of night.
 Through stern rugged forests thy pathway has lighted
 The brightest of hopes through the vision of
 thought,
 That caught but a glimpse of the future be-
 Ere all this fair land to thy sceptre was
 brought
 Thy plowshare of steel. like the might of ma . ] ton.
 Oppressed and bowed down to tyranny sold, Broke through the rough surface that dared
 the brave spirit
 And opened with light the pathway of gold. This land fair as Eden, a tribute we bring
 thee,
 'Tis free from all dress tls earth's richest
 gem;
 The brightest, the fairest of wealth's rarest treasures,
 The robe, the coronet. the diadem. It begins to look to me as if some scientific farm editors refuse to print any of the old fogy farmers plain com mon sense, practical facts because some particular parties, (if what I think should be generally known), some agents would not have so good chance to sell patent fertilizers, and mixed feeds, and neither would they have so good a chance to hold their farmers institutes about the country. AS gullible farmerss where the blind arc leading the blind, etc., etc., will ask the question, "DOeS not SulphuriC acids, that are used in compromising fertilizers leave it's terrible effects in the soil so there can scarcely be crop what they are affected with rust, blight, scab and rot; and oats will also be affected with rust?" I will repeat my ideas again, that our soils need thoroughly drying and seasoning and every particle of the soil wants bring ing into direct contact with the air el ements, natures forces, that provides for it's rcuperation. Our ancestors kept up the fertility of their soils fol 200 years and in their crops and rota. tions the lands were half plowed three times each year, and there is no doubt but there was much of the lands of the first settlers that ad been half blow. ed over 300 times. as their crops were generally four in rotation, rye, cOrn potatoes, flax or oats. I don't believe . those old farmers were either fools OI idiots, for up to the advent of the iron l plOW UIlcfc Was dS IlcdF dS l Cttu uldke out, on the same area, from five to 1C times as much grain and pork raised as there is now
 Men who lived 100 years ago have tolG me that it was common practice ir our section for farmers to fat from 2( to 40 hogs yearly, and grain was raised in large proportions from our rough, hard soil.
 Plaster was very generally used, and in my farm life of more than fifty years, started on a neglected farm, have sold hundreds upon hundreds O1 tons of hay and I have used plaster quite freely and my farm has kept ul in good healthy and productive state 1 never have used much of phosphate but whenever have think my land has been worse for it, as SOrrel would invariably come in and the land seem ed dead and lifeless for several years afterwards.
 Should we look over the records o1