ASTONISHING THE FARMER.

Western Star, Issue 374, 21 August 1880, Page 3 (Supplement)

ASTONISHING THE FARMER.

When a man is liable to be cross-questioned” it behoves him to think twice ere speaking once, if he would not trip over stumbling* blocks of his own creating. A gentleman giving evidence before a Parliamentary Com* mibtee, said that in some districts the number of crows upon a farm would average at least 50 ; that the birds were of great service in destroying wire-worms ; and where they did, not exist, the farmers were obliged to hireboys to do the work of the crows, payingthem at the rate of three-half-pence per 100 worms. Mr Bright inquired how much a boycould earn worm-killing, and was told ninepence ; but, when asked if a boy made nine* pence a day at the rate of three-halfpence a. 100 wire-worms, how many of these noxious.creatures he destroyed in a day, the witness* turning restive, replied that he did not come there to answer arithmetical questions, Mr Bright, however, was not to be put off in that way. He asked if a boy did the work as well as a crow. “ A crow is worth 50 hoys I” was the rash reply. Then quoth Mr Bright—- “ If a boy is worth ninepence per day, and a crow worth 50 boys, how much is the crowworth to the farmer in money ?” Not unnaturally, the gentleman lost his temper: but in vain. Paper, pen, and ink werehanded' to him ; and after battling with the figures awhile, be announced that a crow was worth just 37s fid a day to the farmer. He wasthen asked to inform the Committee what, at that rate, was the yearly value of the bird; and of course could not make it less than L6BI 7s fid. His persecutor next reminded the badgered man that he had gi --en 50 • as the average number of crows on a farm, and desired him to find the aggregate annual’ value to the farmer of his proper quota of these useful aids ; thereby eliciting the startling information that the farmer must he a gainer of over L 34,000 per annum by his. half-hundred crows. Thus was the gentle-, man taken at his word, with a vengeance !