Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1916-12-29
On The Farm Id 1s4O.
Warner Miller in New York Times.
LANSING.

Warner Miller in New York Times.
In view of the present inflated prices of
the necessaries of life. /, may be of inter-
est to recall living conditions on farm
rs years ago.
The farm have in mind consisted Of
200 acres; the stock was Is cows. yoke
Of oxen. 20 sheep. an old white horse a
dozen pigs, so hens. 10 geese, few ducks
and flock of turkeys.
The farm produced practically every
thing the family consumed both clothing
and food. The sheep furnished the wool,
which was carded at "fuling" mill and
made into rolls for spinning At home it
was spun into yarn and woven on a hand
loom. For beds it was white, for clothing
il was dyed any color desired-a compe-
tent housewife could make dyes of log
wood. indigo or cochineal. The white and
black wool were mixed TO produce gray
like the Confederate uniform. There were
no ready-made clothes all clothes were
made in the home. There was no woven I'M
derwear. Stockings were knitted at home,
as well 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 tannary nearby. where
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. was put
through heckle worked by hand and then
spun and woven. This strong linen cloth
was used for summer clothing, towels. etc.
The seed was saved to make flaxseed tea
"a medicine) or poultice for bruises.
For food we had everything needed
fresh meat. potatoes. beets. cabbage. pars-
nips. pumpkins for pies. apples, which
lasted from fall to spring cider. which
gave us vinegar or produced cider cham
payne. Half a dozen pigs killed in the
fall gave us plenty Of ham and bacon.
lard. sausaees and salt pork. The hams
and bacon were hung up in the smoke
house, a small building with no opening
except the door. A small fire produced
more smoke than heat, but gave the hams
and bacon very delicious flavor. There
were plenty Of chickens for roasting and
pot pies and eggs turkeys for Thankseiv-
ing and Christmas: occasionally roast
goose with apple sauce.
From the cows milk we made both but
ter and cheese. What butter and cheese
the family did not consume was sold in a
nearby village-butter usually brought IL
cents a pound. Cheese was also made at
home, as there were neither creameries
nor cheese factories. Cheese was sold at
S cents to 6 cents pound. All eggs not
used went to the village store and brought
10. TO IL cents a dozen. Every farmer
made his own soap it was called soft
soap; il 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 railroad, the great
four-horse stage coach came every day. |
bringing the mails There were few news |
papers or magazines. The telegraph was
unknown. The Atlantic cable did not sue
coed until 1866. There were only 20 miles |
Of railroad in 1880.
All the wonderful agencies which have |
added TO the power Of man in the last |
will not be lost but will be added |
to constantly. The many problems Of our
present situation can only be solved by |
time and the efforts Of our greatest minds.