Wilmington journal., 1873-07-18
For the journal
REIDsvILLE, ROCKINGHAM Co., |
July 18th.

REIDsvILLE, ROCKINGHAM Co., /
July 10Th.
Dcar Journal The questions
''Why do the young, energetic and |
healthy boys and men who have been !
reared to habits of industry and taught |
the occupation of farming, thus con-
tributing to the producing element of
our population, aud vitality increasing |
the material wealth of our country, |
leave their comfortable, happy, moral
homes on the farms, for the life III
town and the occupation of clerkshlp, |
uncertain in salary and surrounded by
numerous temptations to vice and dis
honesty 2" presents 10 the rejecting
mind of every farmer and patriot one
of the most vitality important subjects
of the day and time.
The remedy to prevent this great
drain of our best population, and the
method to be adopted by farmers to
retain their sons, and other young
native farmers after they have become
of age, at home, at this particular time
especially demands the judiciousin inves-
tigation of every wellwisher to our own
and the neighboring States.
The future injurious effects, upon
posterity, of the large loss of these
young native farmers, and the substi-
| tuition of an lmmigrating population
| in their place, is also problem de-
| pendent, IN great measure, upon the
solution of the same portentous ques-
| tion. And as one of the prime objects
of ''The Patrons Of Husbandry," the
extensive and influential organization,
is to protect the farmers or producers
interests against the exorbitant exac-
| ~f
mission merchants and railroad cor
porations, this same question will
necessarily command their careful
attention, since very large number of
farmers in the Southern States have,
since 1865, removed to towns and cities
to become commission merchants and
produce factors, thus swelling the
very class of "Middle Men against
whom.the patrons" are organized
We, therefore, now submit for the
consideration of farmers, old and
young, a rough but reliable calculation
of the loss to the productive class, and
the increase to the consuming class of
our native population, resulting from
young farmers between the ages of
eighteen and twenty-five, entering
upon mercantile life in towns, cities
country stores.
The facts accurately collected and
clearly stated are, taking the to-
bacco farms as the basis, that one
. healthy youth eighteen years Oh
age, raised upon farm end
taught how to farm from II years OF
age cultivates 10000 tobacco plants
requiring 3 acres of land, yielding
an average of l, 500 pounds, worth al
least II cents per pound, and amount
ing to $3.50; 10 acres of corn, produ
= cling so barrels at 81 per barrel
| amounting to $500 10 acres in wheat
, producing 60 bushels at 81 % pen
bushel, amounting to SO 10 acres o
oats, producing stacks at Sl2 pei
, stack, amounting to $50 the tota
4 amount of the tobacco, $50, corn 5000
wheat $75, and oats $50, yielding &5l;
worth of produce, made by this Il
year old apprenticed farmer, Now t.
/ keep these young farmers OH the land
s let their fathers take them into part
a nership, allowing them one-half o
what they make, or $257, to be pal,
. when they arrive at II years OF age
+ but not before, unless one-tifth @
n that half, or sol. 40, to cncour
age some by the sight an! possession
of his own production, every crop
o the prospect OF three times one-haif @
e $515, or one-half of 81, ,545, S772 t
, crown their industry at majority. an
= in addition, a good occupation to sta,
life for himself. If the father need
the use of the $772, let him secur
e $500 worth Of land to be his sons .
. twentyone years of age, and nine OF
of ten young farmers will remain {
II home, or on the average farms of OF
Southern States, because they realiZ
~ that they are to start life rich, con
le pared to having nothing; and they WI
have good home to which they cs,
. bring young wife, which is the frs
20 aspiration of every Young farmer, az
30 thus increase, by the same pla1
that most necessary population, til
1T native agriculturists OF a county,
-, We know 26 farmers who carry OF
this plan, and they now have their sor
le and wards near them, thrifty farmer:
10 We now apply this calculation to tn
Q entire State of North Carolina, con
prising 80 counties, from each {
which, in three years, ten able-bodie
n young farmers, at least, go to me-
chandising or emigrate, between !
4 and % years old, and it amounts t
- 900 III three wears, and 800 youn
farmers III The SIX years, at the II
- duced average of $7OO eacl, or (S1 ,26o
OOO) one million two hundred and sixt
II thousand dollars, and the 1,S00 fa1
ae mers made clear to the State and
IF twenty years these make 81 time
this amount, Or 81, 7S0, 900, and at leas
- 1000 mole substantial, indispensabl
le citizens; producing regularly, increa;
1t ing steadily and healthily, and built
% ing up the great foundation of a State
20 wealth and prosperity. We desir
% farmers to give this plan their Garrett
IS consideration and point out its defect
y if they find any. OF course this ca
d culation is upon tobacco, alone, but
~ similar one will readily suggest itsel
- to cultivators OF corn, cotton. an
$ other products, and the plan is IL
; game for all. Again, this $3.50, 90
IS and it's 1900 producers, are kept on
! of the consumers class, which double
its advantages, or makes 81 GOO, 600
600, zone billion dollars) and 3,60
n farmers for the State. Ii some of tn
v politicians gas could shine slightly O
g this subject, State debts could b
:. paid. T.
e CRAMPS T1ssKDI s3EtM.