Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1870-07-07

OLD TINES AND NEw.-lt will be re.
membered BY the most u gray haired
readers that prices of farm produce were
very low from 1926 70 1880. There vas
little money in the country. and that was
mainly kept out Of general circulation
The following statement Of the prices OF
stock and produce as we'll as the rates Of
wages, is believed to be below rather than
above the general average.
In the spring o: each of these ycsrs,
good working oxen. from four to six
years old. were sold from forty to 6f-
ty- 1--we dollars q pair. If they were older,
forty dollars WAS considered large price.
The same cattle would have sold in the
spring OF 1859 for $500 to $3.50 pair.
At .he "a me time. COWS Of the bss.
quality were worth abcrt eighteen dol
lars. while ordinary animals brought from
twelve to sixteen. and. taking them TO-
gether. the native. COWS then were quite
as good as the samo grade Of COWS now.
In the fall, the same quality were sold
for eight and ten dollars. In 1869, these
cows would have sold in the spring for
sixty aud seventy dollars, and in the fall
for at least 6fty--ncarly Eve tunes as
much now rs then.
Good ox-besf sold in al the fall Of 1879
for three dollars and twenty-five cents q
hundred. dressed. and common COW or
small-stesS beef for two aud half aud
three dollars. The same animals now
would have sold respecti vely for fourteen
dollars.
Calves in the spring. in these years,
could be bought for two and two and q
half dollars head, and ss the height Of
the season veal sold at two cents . pound
for the fore, and three for the hind quar-
ters. Calf-skins we're then but six cents
. pound.
Lambs that would weigh. alive, city
pounds, and from that up to seventy,
were sold BY the season for one dollar q
head.
Butter, the very best. went 10 families
for New England shilling a pound, aud
in June. when feed was flush, it brough,
ten TO twelve cents. Cheese, in 1920,
sold for Eve ccnts pound: pork, at the
same 6gures; aud eggs not far from ten
cents dosen.
Potatoes sold at twelve and half cent,
. bushel corn, at City cents; oats, mo-
over twenty five cents cider, at the mill
about fifty cents barrel; and good win.
ter spples At twenty-five cents . busbel
On the other hand. good selp was hiret
Tor six. seven aud eight dollars month
and board-men would do quarter NOR,
work than those who ask and get S22 and
$25 and board nox. The day bcgar
shen as sunrise. and lasted till sundowu
and generally the cows we're MIXED be.
fore sunrise at that.
Good women to do house work could
then be hired for ffty cents . veek-girl,
that would do ~ much in ono day as q
least three vish to do now. beside beins
srussJ and honest Lady school-seacLers,
yell edsoaied. taught daring the Sam.
ucf for the same pTies, and men teacher.
in shs Winter At from Eve to six dollars
month for beginners, aud ireu eight Il
twelve dollsrs thereafter, and not unfre
9asntly they had from seventy Ave t.
eighty scholars each aud in addition 4
instruction given in the various branche.
then taught. they not aafreqaensly rulct
the homemade vriting-bocks. and al.
ways made the goose-guill vsns. b.sid
setting the copies, that numbered some
tines kffy each day.-HeaytA AID Home