The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1916-01-13
THE PEOPLES FORUM.
Notes by The Way.
To the Editor of The Republican:

having occasion 10 Drive across the
county. the itinerary including Oakland,
some things were learned 'by bobser-
walton" as darkey was reputed as
saying; and some deductions made which
may be helpful if passed on to the
public.
The change, in the line Of improve
ment in buildings, more especially farm
buildings and in farm lands is very
marked but there Is room for much i'm
provement yet.
One of the most encouraging features,
that bespeak progress, is the large num-
Der of silos which stand out so proml-
nently as the vistas of those character
istic valleys or coves come into view.
The types of barns are a great i'm
provement upon those of the past, but
they ought TO be used more c0ntinn-
0HSD. please use italics, Mr.. Printer
What | mean thereby is-They should
be used to shelter the live stock in in
clement weather which some acre not
on one Of the 0oorSt days Of last 70eek.
This indictment does not apply to the
apparently shiftless only but TO some,
whose premises bespeak thrift and
prosperity, had cattle and even a few
horses outdoors-the cattle in some
cases being supplied with a ration of
uncut corn fodder or slower. And one
farmer who is rated as somewhat
prominent, had mower, tedder etc. ,
standing in the barnyard in readiness (0
for next seasons hayIng, And all this
in plain sight of the state road. Live
stock affords improbable source of
/ heat or water shed for the great out
doors and the quicker our farmers rea-
lie and appreciate the fact the quicker
will change contribute to better pros
perity and to more humane treatment
of our dumb brutes which are a charge
/ for which we are responsible.
Referring to barns recalls to mind
what consider defective construction
and also short sighted planning in barn
construction. Some barns along Gar
! rett county's state road have too low
building site to begin with and addition
ally are built on walls
that are obviously and beyond question
too low. The result is the yards and
grounds surrounding barn do not drain
off in wet weather, water forms IN
pools-there is mud and filth, insani
tatlon and unpleasantness all of which
are unnecessary evils and the founda-
ton timbers will soon begin to decay
where exposed to much dampness.
| Again judging from the distance some
farmers have their nearest barns placed
away from the residence one would
think they had not figured on going to
the barn very often. | can readily see
why some barns or cattle sheds are
remotely located from residence, but it
| is not to those that | object in this
article. But it certainly is a short
sighted policy to locate house and barn
/ further apart than safety from possible
fires and proper sanitation demands.
| saw one man walk to the barn
through the steady rain, in a stumbling,
slouchy gait he looked tired and prob
ably was, too, if he had made several
trips to the barn that morning for it
certainly was a tiresome distance,
but he may have fallen a victim
to some other mans folly in planning,
but some one was responsible for the
plan. The addition of some windows
in most barns would be great, an eX-
| ceedlngly great Improvement, for sun
light contributes much to sanitation
and health-a fact that is too little APP
preciated and when the stable doors
must be left open IN order to enable one
to see, it not only indicts-it convicts,
of Encouragement.
/ also saw woman very Industrious
ly devote her energies over an old wash
board-tub combination-an | looked
sharply, with the object of seeing near
by, somewhere, an improved washing
machine, but there was none to be seen
and am of the opinion that there is
none in use on the premises, yet the
family, have reason to believe, is a
prosperous farmer family and has ad-
ditional investments and interests and
the head of the family drives an auto
mobile and has considerable mechani-
cal talent and skill. 1t is not the de-
sign or purpose of this article to
knock" or severely criticise, but to
plainly and frankly call attention to de-
fects as they were observed in passing
along and | trust they may be read by
some farmer who 7OIU not attend far
mer's Institutes nor read farm papers,
for | know Garrett county has many
farmer in that class, and in evidence of
the correctness of the last statement |
cite the fact that farmers Institutes
are no longer held in Oakland because
nonattendance. To be just however,
the institute management may in a
measure, be blameable, because sub
jects and lectures were not always suit
ed to Garrett county conditions and
needs, when soils and climate are con-