366 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



J. L. Pifi^gott reported hay a large yield and in good condition. 

 Wheat a medium crop and in good condition. Oats average crop. 

 Some fields of corn are good, hnt very many looking badly. 



Messrs. Berry, Wilson, Kiser and J. L. Piggott gave their 

 experience with seed corn. The seed grew well; in fact it will be 

 growing still when frost comes. It is three or four weeks behind 

 our home-grown seed. We may look in vain for ripe corn from such 

 seed. 



ESSAYS. 



" Country Homes and Country Folks," by Mrs. A. W. Robinson, 

 of Wythe, and •' Natural Sciences and the Farmer," by Ed. P. John- 

 son, Esq., of Wilcox, were carefully prepared, well read and highly 

 recommended. 



Dr. Lyon congratulated the essayists on so fully meeting the 

 expectations of the audience, and Mr. J. C. Berry said if the value 

 of these papers and the ability of their authors had been known a 

 vast crowd would have filled the grove. 



On motion a vote of thanks was given to the essayists. 



Adjourned. 



JAMES T. JOHNSON, Secretary. 



COUNTRY HOMES AND COUNTRY FOLKS. 

 BY MKS. A. W. ROBINSON. 



It has always been noticeable that people who live in or near 

 cities or towns have a very unfavorable impression of farmer folks 

 or country peof)le. They know the father only as a hardworking, 

 ])lodding man, whose interest is divided between crops and cattle; 

 the mother, a mere household drudge; the sons, shock-headed, ignor- 

 ant, and clownish; the daughters, narrow-minded, coarse, and awk- 

 ward; the home life nothing but an endless struggle to make ends 

 meet, devoid of comfort, grace and beauty. But the time has come 

 when these wise ones should open their eyes a little and note the 

 signs of the times. 



Railroads and telegraph wires have brought town and country 

 so close together that the difference between the two classes has be- 

 come so small as to be scarcely perceptil)le. The latest issues of the 

 press, the monthly periodicals, all the literature of the day, are 

 found upon our tables, and in our retirement, are perhaps more in- 



