Fortunes for Farmers 



dishonest actions. Possibly before the deception 

 is found out, the goods have passed through 

 several hands, and too often the loss is divided 

 amongst all, instead of falling on the thief. 



There is difficulty in sampling corn, especially 

 in a bad season, for crops vary greatly, but the 

 honest farmer takes his sample from many sacks, 

 and sees that no tailings or screenings creep into 

 the bulk, and his deliveries go unchallenged. The 

 rogue is known — at least locally — and watched. 

 His corn is nearly always refused, so that as he 

 is found out, he roams from place to place, preying 

 on the unwary, and unfortunately it is impossible 

 to set the criminal law in operation against him. 

 It is hard enough to penalize him in the civil 

 courts. I once received a " doctored " sack of 

 peas from a farmer, about four-fifths damp refuse 

 with one-fifth sound peas carefully laid on the 

 top to mask them! 



Suggestions have been made as to official 

 sampling, whereby the sample would be divided 

 into two parts, one for the buyer, and one de- 

 posited with some caretaker for reference. A deci- 

 sion would then be easy in case of dispute, either 

 before an arbitrator or a judge. This scheme 

 seems to have lapsed for lack of support, a lament- 

 able affair, and the Union should make it one 

 of their chief points. Until they do, rascally 



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