The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1854-02-14
No. 3S4.
From the New York Tribune.
TJIr NFxT cR0p

THE NEXT CROP.
The inducements hold out to farmers to
plant large spring crop were never moro fiat
tering than at the present tino. Wheat is
higher this day than was ever known before in
New York, aud SO Of all other grain. Aud
these large prices are not entirely the result
of speculation, based upon European war nows.
independent Of tho war demand, there is a
scarcity of brendstuffs abroad, which has nj :
ready drawn off tho surplus of our crops, until
the prico is affected by tho natural law of do
mand and supply The supply having be-
como exhausted. and the great American gra-
nary in a measure emptiod, the world calls up
OH tho farmers 10 refill it. There is another
demand for grain besides the foreign ones
which will prevent prices from recoeding bo-
low tho paying point for several years to come,
and that is for the immense number Of hands
employed in building railroads. These works
cannot be suddenly stopped, no matter what
the pressure may be upon the money or grain
market, because to stop them would bo ruin
10 the capitalists When current oncc forms
n channel, it is difficult to turn its COURSE
The products Of tho American farmer have
lately fallen into channel, whore tho current
of trade is sweeping them onward to marts be-
fore unknown. producing prices before un-
thought of. Wo therefore counsel our coun.
try friends TO prepare for great spring crop.
Let them SOW all the oats they can got in
to the ground in good order, in proper season;
then plant corn on every acre in good condi-
ton which can be devoted to that crop Let
them also SOW buckwheat, turnips,- and corn
for fodder, SO that they can sell a large por-
tion of all the grain Produced.
At tho West, and particularly in southern
Michigan, northern Indianu and Illinois, spring
wheat is moro EXTENSIVELY sown than the winter
yor sr, that chn,,II
neglect the present opportunity to make pay
ing crop of this grain. Spring wheat, sowri
early, rarely fails upon prairie farm, where
winter wheat isyory uncertain. If possible il
should be sown in February; at any rate
March should not pass before this crop is put
in. oven if it is necessary to wade over shoes
in mud to do it. Wo have seen forty five bush
els per aero Of spring wheat, though tho usual
crop is below that, mainly owing to tho very
bad treatment it receives at tho hands Of the
farmers.
Beans and peas, it will bo eben. nrc qioted
at 81 so to $3.50 por bushel. Both of those
arc spring crops, and may be grown with
profit upon almost any farm in the country
Lastly, look at tho price of potatoes, which
arc now selling for $3.50 per bafrel-mord
por bushel than corn, and more than wheat in
ordinary years. With grain high, as it GER
tainly will bo next season, potatoes will con-
tinue to sell at high rates after the next crop
comes to perfection. Farmers should mako
q note Of this in time for spring operations -
Let them plant largely. Tho crop will be a
paying ono. We add, that thcy should not
plant or sow anything, especially in any part
Of the eastern States, without manure. If the
farmer not enough on his own farm, lot him
buy guano, supor phosphate of limo, ground
bones, salt, nitrate of soda, poudrctte, or somo
of tho concentrated fcrtzers which are sold
now as commonly as the seeds to DO planted.
One of the greatest wants of this country ut
this time is capital, to employ in producing
food and raw materials of manufacture from
American soil No branch of business suffers
20 much for tho lack of capital as farming
Farmers complain of tho poor compensation
hey got for thor labor They say that thcy
work harder, live coarser, and enjoy fower of the
uxuries and refincments of life than any other
lass of men-nll of which wo nre willing to
,oncedo, while we insist that it is because they
10 not employ capital They only work to
ivo-work with thoir own hands, and not. like
he manufacturer, with machinery and means
urnislicd by the power of capital. 1t is equal
y true that many men own large tracts of
and, lying comparatively idlo and waste, be-
auso they cannot cultivate thom alone, and
10 not see tho advantage Of employing others
o do il for them. 1t is this class that we moro
'articularly desire to wake up to their own in
erests, bo showing them that tho prices of
arm products will not fall below tlcir present
ovcl until aftet tho production of another crop.
Therefore, wo rcpoat the counscl-plow early.
ow carly, and plant largely next springl