Milford chronicle., 1932-02-05
GLENDALE
Formers BUSY

liAdl progressive farmers are yer
busy getting the ground ready fo
the planting of the spring crops
The weather has been fine al
through the winter months, givini
the farmers a chance to have mucl
of the work which they general.
have to do in the spring out of tn,
way. So when the time comes t.
plant if the land is ready to receiv,
the seed, put them into the erOunt
and get ready for the next crop
This progressive farmers are now
doing throughout the county. II
many places early plOwing has beer
done for peas. With the farming ma
chinery in vogue today, tractors
gang plows, riding harrows and
ether labor saving tools, Il farmer OF
today is able to do twice as much
work as they used to do with the
OlS methods and do it With greater
ease.
The writer was surprised tc see
farming so far advanced in many
sections. Manure was spread, busE-
es cut, and head rows cleaned up
making the most of the farms we
saw look about ready for the spring
crops. Farmers are learning that
they must plant several kinds of
crops and not depend on the raising
of wheat and corn as their Cnly
means of subsistence. If they do, at
the present prices of these cOmmo-
dities they will surely find it a Jos
ing game.
Progressive farmers of today
grow clOvers of different kinds,
chiefly alfalfa for their dairy stock,
and only grow sufficient grains for
their immediate wants, and ii they
keep many COWS or large fiocks of
chickens they can buy wheat and
corn cheaper than they can raise it..
A man who has the means to pur-
chase a few acres of land, sufficient
to grow the food necessary for his
dairy stock and flocks of chickens,
if he knows anything about progress
siVe farming and will work, he will
not only improve the land, as well
as the buildings upon it, but will
have a comfortable living for him
self and family all the year around.
There is no more prettier sight as
you motor through the country than
to see an up to date, well kept farm
with its painted residence and out
buildings and the fields we'll set in
alfalfa or other clOVers, with stock
and fiOcks of chickens in abundance
and other things which makes farm
life so desirable.
Go into such a home and you will
find a family which is enjoying this
life in a calm, peaceful way and not
like men of the business world who
have neither the time to stop mo-
ment with their families, but must
continue to engage in the business
which today neither bring peace or
happiness to those who take part
in it.
But let us go back and see if we
can in some intelligent way, tell
how they used to farm in the old
days, at least seventy years ago.
What the farmers would be doing
at this season of the year. Most of
them would be splitting rails, from
the giant red and white oaks of the
forest, which were used in repairing
the worn fences in vogue in those
days. All farms were enclosed by
fences of this kind to keep the stock
out, as horses and cattle were al
lowed to run at large in those far
away days. We must also remember
that timber of any variety was not |
of much value before the Civil War, |
was cut for bark and rails and wood |
such timber would be worth today |
millions of dollars to the lumber !
dealers for piling, mine props and
sawed lumber. Pine trees could be |
had free gratis for the, asking.
After the farmer got through with
the repairing of fences, then the
was next in order. They |
Used mostly the head of the river
plows, painted red and made by
Gardner H. Wright at Millsboro or
The plows painted blue, made by
George S. Grier, Milford. No. was
the size used, but many
llOwed with Nos. l, taking about ten
lays to .plow an acre of land, which
/ tractor of today would plow at
east eight to ten acres in the same
ength of time. Some farmers had
lorses and mules, but many of the
mall farmers used oxen and some a
Jingle horse or mule, and others
ried to farm with a single OK OF
.ourse you can imagine what was
lone with the single OK. Riding har-
Ows were unknown and the old
luke harrow was used in all culti-
ating and many of these harrows
re in use today Corn was the prin-
ipal crop raised. Cutting corn up at
he ground was not often practiced,
ut topping and stripping was the
rider of the day and many a glor-
Gus frolic was had when helping
ONE neighbor to harvest his crop;
s whiskey was only ten cents per
uart-it made a good part of the
served to the helpers
efore the regular meal was served
,hich consisted of an old fashioned
hicken pot pie, dumplings and
lenty of good old yellow gravy, po
ltoes, turnips and pumpkin pie ga
Ore. AS there were quite lot of
oung men as helpers the evening
,as turned over to them and with a
evy of young ladies as partners,
ad a party where "chase the quak
r." "snap" and love bridge" had a
rominent part. :
The people in those days were
Apply. They did not have much and
id not want much. Moving pictures )
ad other things did not exist and
Vi young people of the early days :