AGRICULTURE AMONG THE NEPHITES--GRAINS--STOCK RAISING--IRRIGATION.
No sooner had Lehi and his little colony arrived on the promised land
than they commenced the cultivation of the soil, planting therein
the seeds they had brought with them from the land of Judea, which,
to their great joy, yielded abundantly. The grains and fruits of the
Asiatic continent were found to flourish as luxuriantly in the soil of
America as in their native land. This not only held good in the land of
the Nephites' first inheritance, but also in the lands of their later
possession--Nephi, Zarahemla, etc., as all through the Book of Mormon we
have occasional references (incidental to the story of their history)
to the success that attended their farming operations. Nor must it be
imagined that their business was carried on in the primitive manner
that characterizes the labors of Laman's degenerate descendants today.
Agricultural machinery, and all manner of tools of every kind to till
the ground, are mentioned by more than one writer.
Of cereals, corn, wheat and barley appear to have been, as in the land
of their forefathers, the staple crops. If we mistake not, oats are
never mentioned in the Bible, nor is rye spoken of more than once or
twice. In the Book of Mormon we have no recollection of the mention
of either of these grains. On the other hand they appeared to have
cultivated grains with which we are unacquainted, known to them by the
names of neas and sheum. Had there been any English equivalents to
these words, we should doubtless have had these equivalents as in other
cases, instead of the original Nephite names.
All kinds of fruit flourished under their careful cultivation.
Special reference is several times made to vineyards and grape
culture, as well as to the manufacture of wine. Like the moderns,
they understood the secret of fortifying or strengthening it with
liquor or alcohol, of which knowledge they took advantage when paying
tribute to the Lamanites, in cases when they intended to escape from
their task-masters while the latter were under the influence of this
intoxicating drink.
It is evident from the sacred record that the Nephites carried on
their farming very much in the same manner and for very much the same
reasons, as the early settlers in Utah. When a new colony was planted,
a town or village was built in a suitable location, somewhat after
the style of our early forts. This city or settlement was generally
named after the founder or leader of the colony. The farming land
contiguous was called by the same name. The land was tilled in every
convenient place around the city, and when the Lamanites appeared,
or other danger threatened, the people retreated into their place of
refuge, in the center of their lands. As an example, we will cite the
case of the followers of Alma, in the land of Helam. When the army of
the Lamanites made their unwelcome appearance, the people were mostly
engaged in tilling the soil. At the coming of the dreaded foe they
gathered with all haste into the city to await developments and to
receive the counsel their wise, brave and good leader might give them.
By his advice the men went out of the city in a body, and made a treaty
with the Lamanites, which the latter, as soon as their purpose was
accomplished, failed to keep.
It is probable that in many parts of the continent some system of
irrigation was adopted to raise the crops. But this was not necessary
in all portions of the Nephite possessions; we are inclined to think
it was not so in the cultivated portions of the valley of the Sidon.
Certain it is that when the righteous Nephi (the father of one of the
Twelve Disciples chosen by Jesus from among the Israel of this western
continent) called upon the Lord, at his request a famine desolated the
land. The sacred historian records: For the earth was smitten that it
was dry, and did not yield forth grain in the season of the grain. But
when the people had repented and Nephi had pleaded in their behalf,
it is written, And it came to pass in the seventy-sixth year (B. C.
16), the Lord did turn away his anger from the people, and caused that
rain should fall upon the earth, insomuch that it did bring forth her
fruit in the season of her fruit. And it came to pass that it did bring
forth her grain in the season of her grain. We judge from this that in
those days the Nephite agriculturist depended on the direct rains from
heaven; for it appears that in the same year that they fell, the grain
harvest was reaped and the fruit harvest gathered. But it is unsafe to
form positive theories on these points, until we fully understand the
great changes that took place on the face of the land, with consequent
alterations of climate, etc., at the time of the awful convulsions that
attended the crucifixion of our Lord and Savior.
Except in the days of their excessive pride and ungodly arrogance, the
calling of the agriculturist among the Nephites was a most honorable
one, as in truth it should be among all people. King Mosiah, the
beloved, reminded the people that, to prevent their taxes being
grievous, he himself did till the earth for his support, and to
maintain the expenses of the monarchy. With this royal example, it is
no wonder that the farmer and the horticulturist were esteemed among
the greatest of nature's noblemen.
The Nephites were also successful stock-raisers; their flocks and herds
formed no inconsiderable portion of their wealth. The abundance of
their horned stock, sheep, goats, wild goats, horses, fatlings, etc.,
is frequently referred to. To this industry the Lamanites, who were
great meat-eaters, also gave considerable attention. It was a business
that suited their semi-civilization. It did not tie them down so
completely to one spot, as did agriculture and manufacture. But it is
a notable fact that whenever any bodies of Lamanites passed over to
the Nephites, they not only adopted the latter's religion and faith,
but also their mode of living, and became skilled in the pursuits of
industry. As an example, we read, in the days of the Judges, of many of
these people joining the people of Ammon (their former brethren), when
they did begin to labor exceedingly, tilling the ground, raising all
manner of grain, and flocks and herds of every kind.