Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1869-12-17

Report of tho Commits
sfonei. OF Agriculture.
The report of Gen. Capron, for thu
present year deals with present Is
sues, is practical, and in some point
suggestive. It is not a dissertation
upon Roman agriculture, as was on,
of the reports of a former commits
eicner. ...
EQUILIBRIUM IN PRODUCTION.
1t refers to the popularity of the
present year, in its meteorological
productive and financial aspects
calls attention to the high prices Of
certain crops, as cotton and corn, and
to the low prices of others, as wheat
and potatoes. In this connection the
following passage occurs: "This
difference in values and resulting
profits, always varying, yet ever OBJ
served in some degree, is more strik-
ingly prominent than usual, and
teaches the necessity of accurate cal
culation of the changing proportion
of supply and demand, and the im-
portance of variety i'm farm produc-
ton, with due regard to a careful
equilibrium between the multiform
branches of rural industry" .@
STOCK FARMING. .
"The tendency of present prices of
farm products indicates the necessity
of increased attention." says the
Commissioner, Ito the propagation,
growing and fattening of farm ami
mails, and to the production of meats,
poultry, butter, cheese, milk, and
various other animal products, while
the prevalence of special cropping,
upon q depicting and exhaustive
system, enforces urgently the appeal
for mixed husbandry based upon
stock growing"
SPECIAL FARMING.
While he recommends system of
mixed farming for the mass Of farm
ers, "of limited means and moderate
AMBITION" he does not discourage
the large enterprises in special cul-
ture undertaken by linen OF ample
capital and great executive ability"
unless such experiments are made at
the cost of the deterioration of the
soil. He admits that examples of
large products and great profits act as
spur to the enterprise of the aver
age farmer" but thinks it 'may
work a serious injury among those i'm
whom energy and zeal are not effl-
GENTLY supplanted by capital and
ability to manage large affairs"
THE AGRICULTURAL PRESS.
A deserved tribute is thus paid to
the agricultural press: "The Ameri-
can farmer is cultivating, not soil
alone, but brains. The most potent
agricultural educator is the agricul-
tural press. 1t yields power, a
1.-THE. of which it did not possess
twenty years ago. IT'S improvement.
within that period, has been wonder
full. and its progress was never so APP
parent as at the present time. The
most practical, earnest and scietific
workers in agriculture are the editors
and writer's of our agricultural litera-
ture. The mass of farmers are adj
vancing in intelligence, and no long
er stigmatize as book farming the
written experience of the most scien-
tific and the most successful Of their
own class" The progress of organi-
cation of industrial colleges is report
ed in connection with this topic oil
mental culture"
NATIONAL TOPICS.
Opposition is made to the PROPOSE
sit,on for the renewal of the recip-
rocity treaty. 1t is shown that |:
might benefit q few eastern trades
and forwarters, but no class of Amer
lean farmers would derive any adj
vantage from it. The wool question
is also considered, and wool-growers
sre advised not to sacrifice this inter.
est. Any change i'm the wool tariff
ia deprecated. Important sugges-
tions are made relative to the agri-
cultural schedules of the census OF
1870.
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURE.
IT Is shown that the culture Of cot
ton is at present more profitable than
at any former period, but the tenden-
CIV to neglect other crops i'm consa-
1uence is deeply deplored, and flu
ture disaster is prophesied If such a
course is continued. More cotton
will produce less money. He says
81 would not advise an attempt to
keep up prices by limiting the yield ;
a somewhat larger supply of the sta
pie is needed i'm the markets of the
world; the present rates cannot be
sustained indefinitely but l would
not foster the suicidal mania foI
eheapening the money.produeing
crop while rendering dearer every
auxiliary Of production.
A gratifying exhibit is made of the
progress of cotton manufacturing in
the South and throughout the coun.
try. The South has now eighty-siz
mills with 225, 063 spindles, using 81,
4l5,750 pounds per annum. In 1860
the United States consumed 422 704,
975 pounds of'cotton; i'm 1868, 49,
O0O, 900 pounps; then 10 per cent. OF
the crop-now 40 per cont.
WHEAT Culture.
The commission tells some whole.
some truths about the culture oil
wheat, as the sole and perpetual crop
of that useful drab of agriculture
the pioneer, aud ventilates anew the
"skinningn process by which oul
bread is grown, showing that the
center of wheat production Is all the
while moving westward, while the
distance to market is increasing, anC
the railroad monopolists are increas
ing the tolls of freights i'm proportion
to distance i'm the same ratio. for thu
purpose of securing dividends upon
watered stock, and putting money
i'm their purses at the expense of the
sweat and life blood of the farmer.
NON-PRoDUCTIvE LANDS DON'T PAY.
The report makes good point in
showing the superior profit of invest
ments i'm farm improvements owe
those in wild lands. We think tn,
farmerspeculator of the West will
find food for reflection i'm this table
never before prepared, showing ,h'
comparatively poor annual interes
realized from advances In values evSi
under any but the most extraordina
nv circumstances, The table give
the percentage of increase i'm tn
value of farms, between 1850 AM