Hi Everyone, I am typing up some old diaries for the website, and have come across a word that is unfamiliar to me. The word is "fallow", and it is used as, "I chopped in the fallow today", or "I helped Mr. ??? in his fallow". I found this term in a diary that I typed before. Both of these diaries were written during the time of the Civil War if that is any clue. I am familiar with the meaning for the word when used as deer antlers in fallow, or earth being left fallow (not being planted that year). Just can't figure out the meaning when used in this context. I tried to look it up on the computer search, but can't find a meaning that seems to apply. Pat Raymond

I grew up on a farm and can recall the word fallow being used as a noun, as in "...pheasants are nesting in the fallow", and "...we have to get after the thistles in the fallow", so I don't think the usage Pat found in the old diaries is an archaic one. My Webster's 1987 Encyclopedic Edition says "fallow" is also used as a noun referring to "...land so treated" ie plowed but unplanted for a season. Annie Sullivan

Hi Pat, I was just reading about "fallow". I had gone to the url for Cornell University recently posted to read pages of "The History of the Original Town of Concord" (Erie Co., NY). On page 109 of the book begins a section entitled, "Clearing Land, Chopping Timber, Burning Brush" etc. On page 110 it says: "After the timber on a piece of land had been cut down for the purpose of clearing the land, and left to lay a considerable time, it was called a "fallow". and when the brush was burned, it was called "burning a fallow". The section then goes on to explain the tradition of when to burn the fallow, i.e. on a dry day. -- Helen Graves ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, July 14, 2002 6:34 PM Subject: [Tri-Counties] Meaning of Word > Hi Everyone, > I am typing up some old diaries for the website, and have come across a > word that is unfamiliar to me. The word is "fallow", and it is used as, "I > chopped in the fallow today", or "I helped Mr. ??? in his fallow". I found > this term in a diary that I typed before. Both of these diaries were written > during the time of the Civil War if that is any clue. > I am familiar with the meaning for the word when used as deer antlers in > fallow, or earth being left fallow (not being planted that year). Just can't > figure out the meaning when used in this context. > I tried to look it up on the computer search, but can't find a meaning > that seems to apply. > Pat Raymond > > > ==== PABRADFO Mailing List ==== > Please post all surname listings and surname or family queries on the Query section of Tri-Counties site at http://www.rootsweb.com/~srgp/jmtindex.htm > > >