Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-12
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Ignorant Farmers VS.. Progressive.


Mr.. Editor: 1 CHANGED to hear seven
farmers all residing on farms between
my house and Voluntown telling their
troubles few mornings ago and the
wall of woe sent up by them caused
me to look back to those days 80 years
ago when-according 20 d know it all
farmers were ignorant and followed
the moon changes IN planting. Each
of the seven are descendants of those
Ignorant times.
The first complaint was the enor-
nous cost of grain. All agreed that
it was something terrible. All are in
debt for last months grain. All agreed
that where the next lot was coming
from was a great question. Turning
back the clock OF time to the so years
ago Ignorant" days I find that where
as the present farmers who of course
must be wise, are all in debt their
ancestors of so years ago planted by
the moon and raised their own grain,
never thinking of buying even a bag.
The second howl was about the price
Of meat. All agreed it was altogether
too high to purchase. In looking ba ok
to the Ignorant" times so years ago
find their ancestors all raised their
own beef, pork and mutton and had
it to sell. They planted by the moon,
they must have been-accordinS to
certain a very unreliable interest now
living over Voluntown way-'igHor-
ant"
The question of fertilizer was the
nothing but failure followed the use
of commercial fertilizer of today, but
in those ignorant davs of 80 years ago
their ancestors did not even know
what commercial fertilizer was.
Going little further I found that
instead of long lines of farm wagons
going down to Norwich loaded down
with meat. poultry, eggs. butter and
with strict attention to moon changes
-iSnorantly of course-the same far
mers now send empty teams to the
city to bring back grain. all kinds of
meat, cheese if they have any, and
in some cases even butter
There is not one of those seven far
mers that owns his farm In the zig
Eorant" days so years ago, those seven
farms were all owned free of any in
cumbrances by Ignorant" farmers
who planted. set hens and harvested
even killed their meat by the moon
Every one of them when he was call
ed from earth left an Independent
family behind him. farm out of debt.
money in the hank and children we'll
fed. clothed and educated They were
Ignorant poor fellows. / wonder
what these more progressive" de-
scendants will leave behind them? Not
only success in farming of the zig
norant" moon planting days has gone
but the social spice of rural life has
gone also Fifty wears ago those far
mers living between here ard Volun
town who must have been Ignorant"
as thev planted by the moon, used to
hold debating societies and lyceums.
where great and small questions were
handled in as mastery a manner as
they are handled today in the senate
chamber at Hartford. The Hopeville
Lyceum for instance was known and
favorabiy commented on far beyond
the six New England states.
I find as I pass along this way that
the word ignorant is always handled
very freely by those who themselves
are very, very Ignorant" BY those
who nurse grouches until no word ex-
actly sounds mean enough to them
but a word whose very meaning they
are ignorant of themselves.
It's easy to saw when people were
ignorant so wears ago" and also pro
gressive" today. but the truly pro-
gressive are those who in taking up
line of argument present some SEN
sible, truthful. progressive views who
prove something new before they tear
down what already exists. who do not
1et-Oh, Lord, what's the use? An iS-
norant woman will always have the
last word, hut in one particular case
I know Of like taking Postum, There's
Reason" =
THE CLOUD DIGGER.
Packer, Conn. April II, 1917.