The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1911-12-08
HOST READS ESSAY ON AGRICULTURE.

ers of the soil. Yet in the face of this fact,
they, by combinations and trusts are trying to
drain the pocketbook, impoverish the home
and sap the life-blood fro n the very individual
/ whose forefathers give them birth and those
! to whom they still depend upon for existence.
| When Industries were started to manufac-
ture articles, the farmer had not time to make
villages were built where water power could
be had. Then it was necessary to carry pro-
ducts from the farm to supply their wants
and get in return what the farmer needed
Thus there was mutual dependence of one on
the other AS it is and should be. as the in
dustries progressed and agriculture progressed
1t was necessary to have some medium or ex-
change and money was made. / fear this de-
pendence is SO netimes lost sight of when
| trusts are formed and laws are enacted favor
ing other industries and against the farmer
Boats had to be built and canals constructed
to transport these commodities. The needs
then, as they always have been and always
will be, were greater than the means to meet
them There were no roads SO tramways were
built, Some tried to drive cars by means of
! sails; then the steam came but not until all
manner of ways had been devised. How well
remember hearing one of the honorable
members of this club, while on the witness
stand, describe to the court what was called
teamboat, plying between Havre de Grace
and Perryville and having its wheels driven
by team within the boat, and saying when
the first trip was made how the people were,
excited. even more thanover a flying machine
| of today. Think of the Peter Cooper engine
no larger than hand car, with old gun barrels
for boiler tubes. starting out of Baltimore
hauling load of grain to bring back flour
xxzlfi 4
in Baltimore at SIS a barrel that could be
bought in Wheeling for 81. There was short
railroad in Mass hauling coal by means of
horses, but the first real railroad in America
was from Frenchtown wharf in Cecil county
to New Castle, Del. The Ioadbed is still to be
seen. On July 4 1928, Carroll of Carrollton,
theu 80 years young, dug the first spade of
earth starting railroad to connect Baltimore
with the great West. He said consider this
the most important act of my life next to
signing the Declaration of Independence, and
who doubts the truth Of his statement. In
1882 the B. & o. shipped 253 tons of grain and
in 1852 it shipped 5000 tons, while in 1911 /
doubt if these three figures multiplied would
half reach the number.
These are but a few hasty glances at the
progress from year one; slow perhaps but like
| the tortoise sure to succeed ilsthe end Think
on this subject and you will find mental food
for many hours. We sometimes hear .soh! the
| good old times.n Would any of you like to
i've today under similar conditions? No!
Throw sentiment to the winds; it may do,
when our liver is out of order or when we have
the blues. 1t is our duty as farmers of today
as 1t ever has been from the beginning to keep
not only abreast with the times but forge
ahead, making the best use of our time and
Opportunities, muscular, mental and moral.
trusting the rest to Him who has promised "a
seed time and harvest" Think of the mem
bers of our Club reciting something like this:
Backward. turn backward, o Time in your
fight,
Give me the pine knot and candle light lust
for tonight.
Drive mower and binder away from the door
| And use scythe and cradle just as Of yore;
Tired of Rural Delivery, the telegraph and
| telephone too
The stage coach! Oh the stage coach! my
heart calls for you.''
Agriculture has not only been the founda-
ton of all the useful industries, but it has had
Q like effect on various branches of knowledge.
We have referred to geometry, trigonometry
and surveying but that is not ALL Naviga-
lion, civil engineering to build canals and con-
struct railroads. physics or natural philoso-
ply using the mechanical powers in manufac-
turing machinery, botany to understand the
chemistry to determine and supply the needs
OF the different plants and soils. Dozens of
branches of knowledge might be mentioned
such as veterinary science, architecture. etc.
all dealing directly in agriculture A real
knowledge of agriculture embraces more
branches Of knowledge than any other indus
try or profession. The farmer in times past
was content to get his information by his own
experience or observation, looking down on
any one as being ignorant that would read a
farm paper and never dreamed of a book
written on agriculture. Not so nowl The
i've farmer does not say the three RS was
good enough for the father and it is good
enough for the son. Sentiment again is cast
to the winds and it is only on rare occasions
That we hear longing for the three RS and
the Little Red School House. Much given.
much required is as true in matters of educa-
ton as in religion There is as much differ
ence in the requirements of our education of
today as compared with that of the time of the
sickle and fail as there is in machinery. Men
in the past were educated tits true in matters
that were known in their time, but if the best
educated of 100 years ago were shut in a room
and required to answer the list Of ouestions
in agriculture that the pupils of Calvert
Agricultural High School were required to
answer while their principal was enjoying a
sumptuous repast at the last meeting of our
Club they would give up in despair and in the
words of Patrick Henry would say, give me
liberty or give me DEATH" I know not what
these questions mean.
Dinner being announced the
Pres. proceeded to appoint com.
mittee on premises, Palmer Nc
Fadden chairman, A. FL. Menden-
hall, and Harry Maxwell.
Report of Committee: After hav
ing partaken of a bountiful repast
We inspected the vineyard, which
was in thrifty condition.
We found about HOO bu. of corn
500 bu. of wheat, 600 bn. of oats
| and haV anOnUh RI faor3 his S+r.I~