The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1910-10-13
THE FLOWING SEASON
Ancient Superstitions of the Till.
erS of the Soil.
SACRIFICES TO THE GODS

the Romans Of Old - Ceremonies
That Are Observed In India and
China-Rites Of the Siamese Farmers.
The formal Inauguration of the pillow.
ing season is very ancient and still II
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 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 dax.
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
Maria sets, but the desired crop has
baffled them with empty ears" But
nrst Of all the poet admonishes the
farmer to "honor the gods and offer
sacrifices to Ceres"
In India there are certain days when
It 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 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 us.
tomary time.
The pundit goes to a field. taking a
brass drinking vessel and 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
1t occasionally moves about little to
ease itself Of the great burden Of the
broad world which it carries. The
pundit then marks off an imaginary
line. Five Ia 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, Mt
money. grain or fire given away.
! Among the Karnas before blowing
! the farmer makes burnt Offering Of
butter and molasses in his own flelG
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 thu
Chinese at blowing time were elabo
rate. but rationalistic sovereigns elm
mated one expensive religious rite Mt
er another until nothing was left ex
cept the imperial act of homage t.
{ heaven and earth and agriculture II
the ceremonial blowing.
The Siamese observe a rite called
Raakua about the middle Of May
which IL preliminary to the plowin,
season. and 1t Is not proper for an!
one to plow until the ceremony 1
over. The court astrologers determine
the time for 1t. On the day fixed b!
them the minister Of agriculture. VIII
Is always a prince or nobleman~ 0
high rank. goes with procession to {
piece Of ground some distance from
the capital. Where the festivities ar
to take place new pillow. to which
paiF Of buffaloes- are yoked., Is An rreadI
ness. decorated with flowers and lea vel
The minister guides the pillow 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. nre to be p-edictc'
from these as ne follows the plov. l
the robe rises from his knee there Wi
be disastrous rains. II 1t falls beloy
his ankles there will be drought. l
the folds reach midway between kne
and ankle the season will be prosper
GUS.
After a proper number Of furrow
have been turned old women strev
grain Of different kinds in them an
bulls are released from the yoke an
allowed to feast upon the seeds. TIL