Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1908-10-08
THE FLOWING SEASON
Ancient Superstitions of the Till
erS of the Soil.
SACRIFICES TO THE GODS

Customs That Were In Vogue Among
the Romans of Old = Ceremonies
That Are Observed In India ans
China-Rites of the Siamese Farmers
The formal inauguration of the plow
ing season is very ancient and still il
observed In some parts of the world.
Among the Romans by the institution
of various religious festivals connect
ed with agriculture the seasons came
to be regarded with sort of sacred
reverence. Before the old Roman pui
the plow into the ground he went tt
the temple of the goddess Of earth
Tellus, one Of whose priests performed
certain propitiatory rites. Virgil in his
"Georgics" advises the Roman hus
bandman to observe the signs on heav
en- according to the crop he desires tt
produce. The time to plow for fax
barley and the sacred poppy was wher
balance has equaliZed the hours OF
day and sleep and halves the worlt
exactly between light and shade. WheI
Taurus ushers in the year with hii
gilded horns and Sirius sits facing the
threatening bull Is time for beans. Fol
wheat and spelt the Pleiades should
hide themselves from your eyes will
the dawn. Many have begun before
Maria sets, but the desired crop has
baffled them with empty ears" Blu
first of all the poet admonishes the
farmer to "honor the gods and offel
sacrifices to Ceres"
In India there are certain days wher
1t Is unlawful to plow. Mother Eartf
is supposed to sleep six days in every
month, and on such days she refuses
to be disturbed in her slumber.
In northwest India the cultivatol
employs pundit to select an auspi
cious time for the commencement OF
plowing. Great secrecy Is observed. Ir
some places the time selected Is In the
night; in others daybreak is the Gus
tomary time.
The pundit goes to a field, taking
brass drinking vessel and branch oi
the sacred mango tree, which is effica
cious in frightening away evil spirits
that may haunt the field. Prithivi, the
broad world, and Sesha Naga, thu
great snakes which support the world
are supposed to be propitiated ant
reconciled by this ceremony. The pun
dit satisfies himself as to the direction
In which the great snake is lying, fcl
1t occasionally moves about q little tt
ease itself Of the great burden of tht
broad world which 1t carries. The
pundit then marks off an imaginary
line. Five "a lucky number) clods OF
earth are thrown up, and water Is
sprinkled in the trench five times with
the sacred mango bush to insure pro
ductiveness. Caution must be exercised
lest the charm be broken and prospec
tive fortune imperiled. The farmer
must remain secluded during the fol
lowing day; no salt must be eaten, nc
money, grain or fire given away.
Among the Karnas before plowina
the farmer makes burnt Offering OF
butter and molasses in his own field
and again at the village shrine.
The Chinese begin plowing on the
first day of their solar year. Anciently
the rites which were celebrated by the
Chinese at plowing time were elabo
rate, but rationalistic sovereigns elm
mated one expensive religious rite aft
er another until nothing was left ex
cept the imperial act of homage tc
heaven and earth and agriculture in
the ceremonial plowing.
The Siamese observe q rite called
Raakua about the middle of May
which is preliminary to the plowina
season, and it is not proper for any
one to plow until the ceremony is
over. The court astrologers determine
the time for it. On the day fixed by
them the minister of agriculture, who
is always n prince or nobleman OF
high rank, goes with a procession to
piece of ground some distance from
the capital. Where the festivities are
to take place a new plow, to which
pair of buffaloes are yoked, is in readi
ness, decorated with flowers and leaves
The minister guides the plow over
the field, closely watched by the spec.
tators. who are especially interested
in the length and folds Of the silk OF
his lower garments, because the pros,
perity of the season and its character.
isties, wet or dry, are to be predicted
from these as he follows the plo'a. II
the robe rises from his knee there will
be disastrous rains. If it falls below
his ankles there will be n drought. II
the folds reach midway between knee
and ankle the season will be prosper
GUS.
After a proper number of burrows
have been turned old women strew
grain of different kinds in them and
bulls are released from the yoke and
allowed to feast upon the seeds. The
grain which the animals eat most free
ly will be scarce next harvest, and that
which they refuse to take will be abun
dant