The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1916-11-17

|" OF the great events in the peas
ants life. Weeks before the
corn is ripe enough for cutting
the bailifr goes around the villages on
the estate and collects the extra hands
needed for the work. Reaping ma
| chimes are now used all over the coun-
try, but as there are many small woods
and clumps of trees interspersed
among wheatfields in the South, one
often sees women with sickles finish
ing off difficult corners, says a writer
in Country Life. They make pretty
picture in their bright dresses against
the high golden wheat, with the dark
woods in the background.
Women predominant in agricultural
life in Russia and are great workers.
Their babies are kept in the village
creches, and looked after by others
till the mothers return at night. Some
times the mothers take them in the
delds. The women usually begin work
about b a. m. and go on till twelve
o'clock without STOP when the mid
lay meal is served. This Is taken sit
ing on the ground. 1t generally con-
ists OF thick potato soup, or perhaps
oorstock (soup made with beetroots),
'casha" Ga brown grain boiled In the
same way as rice), a raw herring
Ind huge piece of black bread. Each
peasant carries her own wooden spoon
N her pocket, or tucked away in one of
ner high boots.
Water is served from barrel, which
goes from field to field, drawn by a
donkey. The oxen are magnificent
.reatures, and it is nothing exceptional
to see between thirty and forty pairs
II them at work the same day. Horses
are rarely used in the fields.
Between p. m. and S p. m. an en-
ormous samovar, "a special kind of urn
heated by charcoaD is brought out,
and boiling weak tea, with two Jumps
Of sugar at least, is served to the work
ars in tin mugs. The men, of course,
used to drink vodka, but now it is
stopped, and happily so, for it is just
about the strongest drink that exists.
The tea hour being only short re-
spite, work Is resumed with vigor and
continued up till six or nine O'Clock,
according to the weather. But, ex-
cept for terrific thunderstorm occa-
sionally, it rarely rains at this time.
Fond Of Fresh Fish.
supper consists of practically the |
same menu as that which is eaten at |
midday, baked or boiled potatoes being |
generally substituted for the "casha," |
and sometimes pond carp, crayfish and |
perch, fried. All the meals are cooked |
outside. An oven and fireplaces made |
OF clay and bricks are built in a sort |
OF trench in a central spot, and here
you see only men cooking.
Fresh-water fish form a very impor.
tant addition to the food supply in IN
land Russia. AS there are hundreds
Of miles of marshy ground, great ponds
are made everywhere. The chief fish
stocked are carp, tench and crayfish.
The streams and rivers give excellent
trout, but cray-fshing also affords good
sport as well as being a considerable
industry. A dark night is chosen, if
sincein the moonlight the fish
are easily scared and retire to the mid
az VI 'hS pohu, Nucit IL Is lIupOSSiDle
% catch them. The fishers are armed
With strong nets about the size of a
washing basin, but deeper and weight
I'd, which are attached to long poles.
Approaching the pond as cautiously as
possible, the nets are dropped in and
allowed to sink to the bottom. Then
everyone sits and waits in silence. but
smoking furiously to keep away the
mosquitoes, which are both large and
'enomous. Then men appear on the
gene suddenly, flourishing large
orches over the surface of the water,
nd the crayfish, retreating, walk into I
he nets, which have to be cleared and
ropped again very promptly. I
Women at Threshing Machine. /
1t is most interesting to watch the 1
uick working of the threshing ma
hine, which is driven by steam. The I
yomen never seem TO cease-sheaf af- 1
er sheaf is dropped in from above, G
nd on one side you see the chaff and I
traw coming out, and on the other the S
Wheat dropping right into the sacks
waiting 1t below. These again are |,
led up by the men. / watched the II
rain being separated from the chan n
or 40 minutes, and during that time n
/ big sacks were tied up, labeled and O
eady to put away in the granary. O