Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1861-07-26
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Illinois, July 10Th. ls6l. {

Illinois, July 10Th. ls6l.
times but little, comparatively, interests
the great mass Of readers, unless it smells of
powder. or sounds like war; but anything
which could communicate on the subject
would fail TO be new or interesting in these
times Of telegraphs and photographic re
porters. Bat as the Bread aud Butter qucs-
ton is of SINE Importance to all hands, and
many are depending on this State to furnish
bread, will speak something of the present
condition and immediate prospects of the
bread crop heraabouts. Corn, the great sta
pie production OF this State, is quite plenty
and like the bank notes, of but little value :;
the last year crop being the greatest ever
grown in this State. is still mostly in the
hands of producers, and the price-l5 cts
per bushel-wll hardly more than pay for
Smelling and getting to market, to say moth
ing of the expense Of raising and cribbing
Many who bought corn last fall at 80 cents,
in expectation of rise in price, would be
glad just now to have their money back.
4 man in an adjoining town hauled a
thousand bushels of corn twenty-five miles
to Ottawa last winter, and stored it , short
time ago he had to sell it, and after paying
the storage, and deductins the expense of
hauling he had three cents busheI left to pay
debts with. Wheat is not so abundant as
corn though the price ranges low.
The corn crop of the present year will be
much less than last, the spring was wet and
backward, 50 that much less number Of
acres was planted than last year, and ui-
favorable weather has prevented cultivation.
SO the crop will not probably be more than
one halt of last years crop.
1t is impossible at present, TO predict what
effect the war will have on the price of
produce, but the farmers are many Of them
badly discouraged, for the tendency thus
far seems to be to lower prices, stagnate
business, destroy confidence and to produce
great depression generally.
One great cause Of the hard times among
the farmers in the west is the use Of SO much
farm machinery. am in favor Of labor
saving machines in reasonable quantities, but
on the prairies man must have plow
which he can ride on if he gets tired, a corn
planter, to plant fifteen or twenty acres per
day and ride, planting the corn in rows both
ways ; then he must have a cultiyator, that
he can ride on and cultivate six or seven
acres day He thus manages to get as
much corn planted and cultivated as four or
five men can husk by March. Thus there
is raised vast number of acres of corn, and
with great quantity comes small prices, and
machinery and labor in huskng cost money.
Corn is shelled by machines, at about the
following rate a two horse shelter, about
$50 bushels per day, four horse 700, and an
eight horse shelter 1900. For moving or
reaping they have machines to ride on and
cut twelve or fifteen acres q day, rake for
HAY TO ride on and rake over twenty or TWEEN
tytye acres.
The machinery for farm will thus cost
three or four crops when prices are good but
when prices or crops fail the poor fellow
must sacrifice something, perhaps his farm,
and SO machinery ruins him. Q. R. j.