Warren sheaf., 1903-08-20
The La1mbersOn Ranch.

:
induce the ancient Romans, who
lowered around the towns, and as
pratorian guards. clamored for bread
and circuses, to forsake the debauch-
ing pursuits they were following in
town and assume the role of honest
old farmers, thus staving off the in
evitable decay and fall of the .Ro-
man empire, as was mastery mar
rated by Gibbon. Even Falstaff,
that sad old reprobate, in his dying
hour, according to Dame Quickly,
'''plucked the coverlets and babbled
O green fields.
This is simply a prelude to what
I had the intention of saying. A
few days ago took the notion to
visit the Lamberson ranch, a few
miles west of this village, and to say
that the trip was not enjoyable is
putting it mildly. I was introduced
to the high-muck-a-muck, manager,
superintendent, or whatever you
might call him-I think his name
was Mr.. Munger, or something like
that. Any way, he seemed to be an
intelligent, capable man, and talked
farming all right. Now, as [ have
had some little experience in ranch
ing myself and can with certainty
tell you to which end of a plOw
a team Of horses should be hitched,
his conversation was appreciated.
On the $40 acres I found wheat
which I was informed would go
well along up to the Is bu. mark.
Decision reserved. I await thresh-
ing returns. The oats appeared
to be somewhat measly, while the
corn now in tassel was simply su-
perb. A few weeks more of favor
able weather and big crop of corn
will be there, "johnny-on-the-spot. ;"
But live stock is the principal item.
Here will be found all kinds of cat
tle-Holsteins, Devons, Jerseys,
Job lots,'' some of them pedigreed,
and all sleek and fat, about a hum
dred I should say. I do not like
sheep and share the prejudices OF
John Randolph of Roanoke, who,
during tariff debate, said that he
would walk a mile out of his way
any time to kick a sheep, but the
bunch of .Shropshires on the farm
certainly deserve favorable men
ton at any state fair, even if they
do not take a premium.
But the hogs-all Poland China,
and black as midnight. These were
reserved for the last scene. About
sunset Mr.. Munger q think that is
his name) took me out to see d cir
Gus. With sharp 'tOo-hee" hogs
sprang up from all directions; un-
til the landscape was fairly black
ened with black hogs of all sizes and
ages. In parenthesis, I would re-
mark that nothing in animated Gre
alton, to my way of thinking, seems
half so cute as hree-weeks-old pig,
with the possible exception of a Mig
ger baby. They came for theirfeed,
of course. I was told that the count
ing up of the bunch would find the
result about 217 in number. This
was disappointing, as I made the
estimate as fully thousand.
then made the acquaintance of
two aristocrats of the bunch, en-
closed in separate pen, pedi
greed and registered and all that
sort Of thing. They were beauties,
of course. Then I was shown some
fat hogs, too lazy to get up. | could
not help thinking that if we were
all as fit to die as they we need not
concern ourselves about the fire
works in the sweet subsequently.
AS a finish, Mr.. Munger (if that's
his name) invited us in to supper.
where we were served by two young
women presumably his daughters.
but I was not introduced), fairly
good lockers and extremely modest.
After the repast we all started for
town, thoroughly satisfied with our
afternoons outing.
I found the buildings on the ranch
newly painted and neat as a pin A
new barn for the accommod odation Of
live stock is in course Of erection.
Altogether it is model farm and
to my way Of thinking excellently
managed. y
& Thus endeth the lesson.