The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-10-10
THE FLOWING SEASON
Ancient Superstitions Sur
rounding Tillers of
Soil.
SACRIFICES TO THE GODS.

The formal Inauguration of the plow-
Ing season is very ancient and still is
observed in some parts of the world
Among the Romans by the institution
IF various religious festivals connect
ed with agriculture the seasons came
to be regarded with a sort OF sacred
reverence. Before the old Roman put
the pillow into the ground he went to
the temple of the goddess OF earth,
Tellus. one Of whose priests performed
certain propitiatory rites. Virgil in his
Georges" advises the Roman hus-
bandman to observe the signs on heav-
en- according to the crop he desires to
produce. The time to pillow for FAX.
barley and the sacred poppy was when
balance has equalized the hours of
day and sleep and halves the world
exactly between light and shade. When
Taurus ushers in the year. with his
gilded horns and Sirius sits facing the
threatening bull Is time for beans. For
wheat and spelt the Pleiades should
hide themselves from your eyes with
the dawn. Many have begun before
baf1ied them with empty ears" But
first of all the poet admonishes the
farmer to honor the gods and offer
sacrifices to Ceres"
In India there are certain days when
1t is unlawful to pillow. Mother Earth
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 cultivator
employs n pundit to select an auspi-
cious time for the commencement of
blowing. Great secrecy is observed. In
some places the time selected is in the
| night; in others daybreak is the GUS
tomary time.
The pundit goes to a field, taking a
brass drinking vessel and a branch of
| the sacred mango tree. which is effica-
| cious in frightening away evil spirits
| that may haunt the field. Prithivi. the
| broad world. and Sesha Maya, the
| great snakes which support the world.
are supposed to be propitiated and
| reconciled by this ceremony. The pun
dit satisfies himself as to the direction
| in which the great snake Is lying. for
it occasionally moves about little to
| ease itself of the great burden Of the
broad world which 1t carries. The
| pundit then marks of an imaginary
line. Five "a lucky number) clods OF
earth are thrown up, and water Is
| sprinkled in tho trench Eve times with
| the sacred mango bush to insure pro.
i 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, ne
money. grain or fire given away.
Among the Karnas before plowins
The farmer makes a burnt Offering Of
butter and molasses in his own field
and again at the village shrine.
The Chinese begin blowing on the
first day of their solar year. Anciently
the rites which were celebrated by the
Chinese at blowing 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 tt
heaven and earth and agriculture In
the ceremonial blowing.
| ne oldIUSse OUseEFe a TlIe Cdfltt
Raakua about the middle of May
which Is preliminary to the plowint
season, and it is not proper for an,
one to plow until the ceremony Il
over. The court astrologers determine
| lnc time cor l.. 'Sn -.e Gay liked D,
them the minister of agriculture. wh'
is always prince or nobleman o
high rank, goes with a procession to |
piece of ground some distance from
the capital. Where the festivities ar
to take place new pillow. to which
pair of buffaloes are yoked. IL in readi
ness, decorated with flowers and leaves
The minister guides the plow owe
the field. closely watched by the spec
tators. who are especially intereste'
in the length and folds Of the silk o
his lower garments, because the pros
perity of the season and its character
istics. wet or dry. are to be Predicts
from these as he follows the plo.Y. !
the robe rises from his knee there wi
Ne disastrous rains. IL it falls belo,