The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1916-12-22
ON THE FARM In 1910
new YORK MAN GOES BACK In MEM
DRY 76 YEARS.
(By Warner Miller in New York Tines

(By Warner Miller in New Iork Times
In view OF the present inflated prices
of the necessaries Of life, it may be of
interest to recall living conditions on
a farm 16 years ago.
The farm | have in mind consisted
of 200 acres the stock was - COWS, a
yoke of oxen, 20 sheep, an old white
horse, a dozen pigs, 80 hens, 10 geese,
a few ducks and a flock of turkeys.
The farm produced practically ev-
erything the family consumed both
clothing and food The sheep furnished
the wool, which was carded at full
ing" mill and made into rolls for spin
ming. At home it was spun into yarn
and woven on a hand loom For
beds it was left white, for clothing it
was dyed any color desired-a COM
petent housewife could make dyes of
lOgWOod, indigo or cochineal. The
white and black wool were mixed to
produce a gray like the Confederate
uniform. There were no ready made
clothes; all clothes were made in the
home. There was no woven under
wear. Stockings were knitted at
home, as we'll as mittens and tippets.
Caps with earlaps were of rabbit skin.
There were no shoes; in the winter
boots came up to the knees. Several
cows were killed each year. There
was a tannery nearby, where the skins
were tanned. A shoemaker made our
boots. They were usually too small
and gave much trouble and pain. The
flax, cut and laid down until the fibre
loosened from the woody part, wa.
put through a heckle worked by hand
and then spun and woven. This
strong linen cloth was used for sum-
mer clothing, towels, etc. The seed
was saved to make tlaXseed tea Ca
medicine) or poultice for bruises.
For food we had everything needed
fresh meat, potatoes, beets, cabbage,
parsnips, pumpkins for pies, apples,
which lasted from fall to spring, cider,
| which gave us vinegar or produced a
cider champagne. Half a dozen pigs
killed in the fall gave us plenty of ham
and bacon, lard, Sausages and salt pork.
The hams and bacon were hung UP in
the smokehouse, small building with
no opening except the door A small
fire produced more smoke than heat
but gave the hams and bacon a very
delicious flavor. There were plenty
of chickens for roasting and pot pies
and eggs-turkeys for Thanksgiving
and Christmas; occasionally a roast
goose with apple sauce.
From the cows milk we made both
butter and cheese. What butter and
cheese the family did not consume was
sold in nearby village-butter usual
ly brought 1912 cents a pound. Cheese
was also made at home, as there were
neither creameries nor cheese fac
tories. Cheese was sold at 5 cents to
6 cents a pound. All eggs not used
went to the village store and brought
! 10 to II cents a dozen. Every farmer
made his own soap; it was called soft
soap; it was soft, but very strong,
and took the dirt off your hands and
face very thoroughly, and some skin
also unless you were careful In your
ablutions
Little was heard of the world at
large. Twenty miles from the rail-
road, the great four-horse stage coach
came every day, bringing the mails.
There were few newspapers or maya
zines. The telegraph was unknown.
The Atlantic cable did not succeed un-
til 1866. There were only % miles of
railroad in 1880.
All the wonderful agencies which
have added to the power of man in the
last century will not be lost, but will
be added to constantly. The manv
problems of our present situation can
only be solved by time and the efforts
OF our greatest minds.