The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-10-29

And so every man cannot become a
chemist, but the truths of chemistry may,
nevertheless, prove immensely servicea-
BILE 10 him. am very far from going to
the opposite extreme and asserting that
it is immaterial whether he has any
scientific knowledge at all. On the con-
trary, | believe that every intelligent
farmer and mechanic unavoidably ac-
quires large amount of scientific knowl-
edge, and which is none the less science
because he may not call it by that name.
And believe that this knowledge may
be largely and beneficially increased
without encroaching too much on the
time necessarily devoted to manual labor.
| know many intelligent, laborious farm
ers who may with truth be called scien-
tific cultivators, and many clear-headed,
Woodworking mechanics who may with
equal truth be called scientific artisans
and it is one of the most pleasing and
encouraging facts of the age that these
classes Of men-higher estimate of the
dignity of labor and OF the useful arts
are steadily on the increase And 1t IS
by far the greatest merit, gentlemen, OF
associations like yours that they promote
the growth of such men and increase
their usefulness from year to year, nay,
from day to day. When we reflect that
not one farthing can be added to the
wealth of the world without the interven-
ton of labor we must, were we but selfish
men, rejoice at whatever tends to elevate
the calling, promote the knowledge, in
crease the usefulness, and add to the
comforts and well-being of the laboring
man. But there is higher principle
than selfishness that calls upon us to re-
joice at his prosperity-a principle OF
kindness. of benevOlence, of humanity,
an aspiration for a brighter future, and
an increase of happiness for all mankind.
OF the wonderful progress made in the
agricultural and mechanical arts within
the last hundred years | have no time to
speak in detail. The progressive move
ment has not been confined to any one
country in a greater or less degree 1t
has pervaded, and yet peryades, the
whole civilized world. One hundred
years ago there was not a mile of iron
railroad on the globe; not boat, ship or
mill propelled by steam, no electric tele-
graph, no cylinder press, no stereotype,
no cotton gin, no steam-power loom. The
improved plough, now in use, the cultiva-
tor. the reaper and mower, and the grain
elevator, were all unknown, as well as a
multitude of other inventions that now
lessen or facilitate the labors of mankind.
But these are not the only evidences OF
rapid and increasing improvement.
Some idea of the growing devotion OF
mind to agricultural studies may be de-
rived from the fact that out of ,O32 vol
umes ON agriculture and its closely rela-
ted arts and sciences now in the library
of Congress, $40 were printed in the pres.
ent century. More than one hundred
periodicals, newspapers included, devoted
TO the same subjects, are now published
in the United States alone, not one OF
when was published before the year
1900. Over one thousand four hundred
agricultural societies and farmers clubs
exist in the States and Territories, but
very few of which existed only fifty years
ago, and the number rapidly increases
with each revolving year. Agricultural
colleges and schools and mechanics in
stitutes are almost everywhere to be
found, and no one can fOresee a limit to
their numbers or usefulness. Thousands
of patents are annually granted by the
Government for mechanical inventions
or improvements, and though comparI-
tiyely few of them may be either novel
or useful the value of others is universal
ly acknowledged, and the activity OF
mind and increase of knowledge they
display cannot be too highly appreciated.
Each census shows an enlarged agricul-
tural and mechanical production, and
though, from time to time, it may be re-
tarded by temporary causes the grand
result shows a ratio Of increase at least
equal to, if not greater than, that OF the
population. From 1850 to 1860 the in
crease of population was fraction over
95I per cent. In the same ten years the
number of farms increased from 49,
O73 to 2,044,077, being an increase OF Al
per cent. and the area of improved lands
from ll3,0O0,0O0 to l63,0O0,O00 acres, be-
ing an increase of A per cent. From
1860 to 1870, owing to the war, the ratios
of increase Misunderstanding of pOpula-
ton being only % 6-l0 per cent, that OF
the number of farms 30 lilo per cent,
and that Of the area of improved lands
10 $40 per cent.-another striking proof
of the injurious effects of war upon agri-
culture. But, nevertheless, there were
l,2l0,9l2 more farms in 1870 than there
were in 1850, and 75,S8S,484 more acres
of improved landau increase in twenty
years that under the circumstances, is
without parallel in the history OF the
world. And here | desire to call your
attention to another fact of much signlfi-
canoe. 1t is very general opinion that
subdivision of land into small farms is
highly conducive to good cultivation, and
we hear the remark frequently made that
the farms in the United States are too
large. do not propose to discuss the
question how minute should be the sub
division of the land;" or in other words,
"what is the best average size of farms"
but wish to say that the evils of farms
of too great size in our country is much
less than seems TO be generally supposed,
and is eadily diminishing from year to
year as is conclusively shown by our
census reports. Thus, of the whole num-
Der of farms in 1860 nearly Al per cent.
we're farms of less than fifty acres each ;
of the whole number in 1870, nearly 90
per cent. contained less than fifty acres
each. In 1860, 7OI per cent. were under
100 acres. In 1870, Is per cent. Between
1860 and 1870 the number of farms of 3
acres and under 10 was more than
doubled those of 10 acres and under 20
increased from 1862, ,178 to 294, ,607 over 81
per cent. those of 20 acres and under 80,
from 616,55S to S47 ,6l4, equal to 379 per
cent, nearly; those of 80 and under 100
acres, from sos, ,878 to 754, ,25l, "a per cent.
nearly those of 100 and under 500, from
3S7 ,O4l to 565,054, equal to Is per cent.
while those of 500 acres and under l,OOO
decreased 20,3l9 to 1887, and those Of
600 acres and upwards fell off from D.
634 to 3,720. 1t is thus apparent that the
small farms multiply much more rapidly
than the large ones, and that the smaller
they are Me greater is the ratio of theil
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