Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-02-25
agricultural
Farming Teddy Compared 'cith
Ttreafg Years Ago.

On every hand the complaint has be-
come general that the scarcity aud high
price OF labor is the greatest obstacle the
American farmer has TO contend with al
the present time.
During the war all farm produce was
high, so that the farmer could afford 10
pay the high prices the labOring men de-
rnanoled for their work, and then leave a
fair margin for profit.
For the last three or four years farm
produce has greatly declined. while the
prico OF labor has remained nearly
stationary so that it now takes the
lions share of what the farm pro-
duces to pay and board hired mon; nor
does our trouble end here. There seems
to 10 q growing disposition on the part
of the laboring men TO Shirk responsi6lli'
IN. and to do as little work rs possible.
While there are as many avenues open
To other business as there arc at the
present time; while our government
holds out such inducements for labOring
men TO settle on our Western lands and
build up homes for their own, We cannot
expect TO have smart, intelligent men to
work on our farms without we hold out
some strong inducements to them.
This csn best be accomplished by erect
ing tenements on our farms, aud giving
The laboring man steady employment.
Then we shall be able to hire men with
families. which. a. . general thing, IS
the best help We can employ in our busi-
ness. Their families are then properly
provided with the neceSsaries OF life
their children have the means OF attend
ing our district schools and other means
OF acquiring useful knowledge. BY
taking an interest in their welfare, We
shall stimulate our hired help to increased
energy and Gdelily.
Within the last twenty years. farm
machinery has come into general use, so
that the farmer is enabled 10 carry on
his farm with less help than formerly,
and at The same time pursue more
thorough course Of culture. BY calling
70 eur aid all the machinery necessary
to carry on our farms. and 81 the same
time adopting more thorough course OF
cultivation. we shall DO much towards
supplyin. deficiencies in our farm help.
| intended TO furnish some statistics
of the town. TO show what advancement
has been made within the last twenty
years. bat have failed. in part. to accom-
plsh what desired. | find the assessors
have returned on their books tor 1872, as
follows: Total number OF polls, 664 (;
tax ON polls, Sl496; valuation on per-
sOnal estate. S909, 242; valuation on real
estate. 81 Az, 7O3; late per cent. OF tax.
g, &c; total valuation, May l. 1872,
S2.SSl.9 45. Number OF horses. S9l /;
cows. p07l, a slight increase over any
other town in the county,; oxen, so.
Twenty years AGO the personal property
was valued al S4is,27S; increase in
twenty years. 500. 969; and The real Is
tate during that time. s657 ,S2S; total IN.
crease in personal and real estate. 81. u.s..
797. Of horses owned in the town. the
number has largely increased within The
last few years. find that the number
has increased within the last seven years
IL, as compared with twenty years 40.
Taking the class Of horses kept then and
now, and think we have three times the
number Of dollars invested in horse flesh
to-day. We have - less oxen to-day
than seven years ago. They have been
found little too slow for the rising gen.
Grafton. During the same time COWS
have increased in number 263. Then
there was sold in milk SIS. 270. 40; now
il exceeds $4,000. As compared with
twenty years ago, the milk business has
more than irebled. OF crops raised on
the farm. they have largely increased.
with the exception Of the potato and
grain crops. and these have been more
than balanced by small fruit calture.
The homesteads Of the farmers in gen.
eral are in good condition. Good houses.
good barns, and well cultivated fields
are TO be seen on every hand Most Of
the farms that were mortgased twenty
years ago ars now free from encum-
brance; and while the debts resting up
on them have been paid. il would be diff.
licult to estimate the amount Of money
which has been drawn from them in the
shape Of taxes for general and local pur-
poses
When we compare farming in all its
different branches to-day. with twenty
years ago, think no Intelligent citizen
will dsny that there has been great pro-
greSs in its affairs. When We. also. take
into account the large sums OF money
that are yearly raised for public buildings,
for the support Of schools. town library,
support Of public roads and general ex.
penSss; when we compare the adyant-
ages We now enjoy, with the past. and
find that the rate Of taxation has but
slightly increased. We must admit that
there is a growing wealth and prosperity
throughout the town.-Ne'e England
Farmer.
studies OH the Farm.
Nothing cOnduces more 10 the eleva.
ton and refinement of the mind, than the
study Of Nature. in just IS many OF its