Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-07-28

Asricuisursl Machinery and it, Enecss.
The last ten years has witnessed a
great revolution in Agricultural Arts
or, rather, before that there were no
Agricultural Arts except the pillow and
the grist mill. Now Agricultural
machinery has been so extensively
introduced that several factories
have been erected in Ohio and
are doing a large amount Of work
merely in making agricultural ma
chimes. The origin of the introduction
OF these machines is quite recent. 1t
is not fifteen years since Mr.. McCor-
mick, OF Va, came to Cincinnati with
a Mower of his own invention. He
was introduced to us, and (having full
faith in the possibility Of making and
using agricultural machinery with great
proft) we attended an experimental
trial back of Covingtou, Ky. The re-
suit was entirely successful, and it was
demonstrated TO us, at least, that this
sort Of machinery must take the place
of manual labor in all large farms.
Mr.. Mccormick went with his Now
or TO Chicago, that he might have &C
cess to the more extensive fields of ILL
nois, where he supposed they would be
most profitable. There they were
speedily introduced, and he was emf
nently successful. After this McCor-
mick's Reapers and Mowers were ex-
hibited at the Worlds Fair, and the
American machines were regarded as
one Of the most valuable of practical
inventions. Since then the career of
agricultural machinery has been on
ward, and the revolution brought about |
in this country, and especially this
State, is most extraordinary.
Six years since, in Ohio, there were
very few agricultural machines-now
there are a great number. The ma
chimes here introduced are Mowers,
Reapers, (combinedD Threshcrs, Guilt
vators, Drills. The effect of these in |
doing the work of men it is hardly
possible TO estimate, although it must
be very great. A Mower, with two
men and boy, must accomplish the
work Of at least twelve men at least
Now we know of one county which
has $50 Mowers and Reapcrs, and they
must SAFE the labor of about 800 men!
In the State at large there must be
about 5000 of these machines, thus
saving labor of 10000 able-bodied
men. Surprising that they are employ
ed only two months in the year, for
harvest only, they will sape, ii money
paid for labor, about s2,5OO,OOO per
annum. The interest on their cost
will be about $4,000 only; so that
there will be net absolute gain on
them of more than two millions per
snnum. If We look to..the prairie
States the saving will be much greater.
In the United States at large probably
he labor of 100000 able bodied men
3 saved during two months in the
year. This is equal in money to twen-
" millions Of doitors per onnum. This
saving, too, is made in the last five
years. But the saving of money is by
no means the most part of the saving.
The economy Of iabor is, in our modern
of the highest value, with
,ut reference to the money or market
'ble value. We have already referred,
Is our readers will remember, to the
cndencies of our present civilization ,
owards Capitalization in cities and
owns. This is really, and without
heory, drawing large portions of our
'ural or country population to the
owns. This is diminishing the agri-
cultural laborers, while it increases the
towns. The consequence is that both
in America and Europe the reiatire
proportion Of cultivators is continually
diminished. If We suppose this pro-
'css to 90 on like mathematical ser.
es, without arrest, the consequence
would be ultimate starvation but, of
curse, the preliminary symptoms Of
uch a calamity would be sufficient to
lrive many from the cities to the com.
ry, and thus change the CURRENT
still We must regard the invention and
uccess OF this agricultural machinery
S providcntal interference to avert
or a time the alternative Of starving in ,
tiles or returning to the country
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