1882.] FARM LIFE. 275 



bandman had cast forth the seed that He had so genei'ously given 

 him, that the tiller of the soil should have an abundance for a 

 thank-offering. But farmers multiplied, and divided up the land, 

 and it seems there was nothing done but farming for about one 

 hundred and thirty years. Then, as farmers and cattle and every 

 living and creeping thing increased, the land being overstocked, 

 and pasture grov?-ing scarce, they were obliged to journey out to 

 newer country, and necessity made it necessary to build movable 

 tents. After this, inventions increased, and farming began to 

 wane, and wickedness increased, as at the present day when farm- 

 ing lags, but after the descendants of Adam had in a great meas- 

 ure forsaken farming, and the land was going to waste contrary 

 to creative design, God was wroth with them, and destroyed them 

 off the face of the earth. And this brings the history of the first 

 farmer to a close. 



But we will continue " Farm Life as it was," by the history of 

 our Pilgrim fathers. When they landed on Plymouth Rock this 

 country was one vast, unbroken wilderness. Just imagine to our- 

 selves what they had to contend with ; not an acre of tillable land 

 in a thousand miles. But farming was their only occupation, and 

 land they must have. They went about clearing it in good earn- 

 est. The sound of the woodman's axe could be heard, redoubling 

 strokes on strokes, until the giant oak was hurled from its strong- 

 hold, and God's sunlight let in, to cause food to grow for those 

 starving Pilgrim farmers, who were in earnest in this work of 

 making these farms of the wilderness bud and blossom like the 

 rose. And this same earnest work has been carried on by suc- 

 ceeding generations, until this large domain has come down to us, 

 clear and fertile, ready for the' plow of all those that will put their 

 hand to it, thus lightening the labors of the farm, and giving us 

 double and treble returns for our labors. That was one degree of 

 " Farm Life as it was." But after the trees and stumps had dis- 

 appeared there arose another formidable enemy for the next genera 

 tion to encounter. Much of the land in the New England States 

 was covered with stones, which greatly impeded the plow, and 

 these" multiplied by every plowing, but by this time farmers bad 

 become used to hardship and toil, and they were strong, lijia the 

 blacksmith's arm, and they had large families of strong, healthy 

 boys. They were not brought up on sweet cake and su^ar candy, 

 but plain farmers' food made them strong, and they took hold 

 with a will, and these stones were drawn and placed together 



