The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-04-01
Agriculture in the Int:
ted States.

\ =" of greater interest than were
. I, "a fore presented to the world,
=. he progress which has been
.. G in this country during the pc
riod since we became q nation, Will
be astonishing to the whole world.
Upon those anticipations OF this
event, at late meeting of the State
Board of Agriculture, Mr.. Chas. Il.
Flint, Sec. of the board of Md, read
a very interesting report on the pro-
gress of American Agriculture du-
ring the past century, which we wish
we could give entire. He quoted
from Daniel Webster when he said
the various branches of business fol-
lowed by men are like pillars stand
ing in q cluster, the largest in the
centre, and the largest is agriculture.
They had the forest toclean, and wild
beasts to destroy"
Previous TO the revolution no at
tempt was made to save manure.
Nor at that time had the idea of SOW
ing grass seed and raising hay as a
cultivated crop been thought of.
Red clover was introduced into
England in 1888, white or dutch
clover in 1894, perennial rye-grass in
l777, at which time dates the cultiva-
tion of the grasses. With the i'm
provement of grass dates the improve
ment of our cattle.
The early colonists were very
poorly supplied with tools Steel at
that time was unknown, and after
the process of making it was discov-
cred it was kept secret in the hands
of few. The first ploughs were of
wood, with pieces of iron or other
metal nailed on the mould board.
These were very hard draught, re-
quiring double the teams and doing
very poor work compared with those
of the present day.
They were also very costly, and
but few were owned in a town. Ii
was unusual for towns topay a boun'
ty to persons who would keep aplough
team. The list of other farming
tools was also very meagrc. 1t was
often the case that q strong man
could carry on his back all the tools
to farm, except the plow and har'
row.
from the Indians they learned to
grow corn. The holes were dug in
the ground with a clam shell, al,
though our people soon made an I'M
provement by using an iron scoop in
stead. A step in advance was made
when a spade was put in the hill, by
which corn was increased two OF
three fold.
Wheat was cultivated TO a very
limited extent. 1t blasted then as
now, and was never very popular
crop in New England. Corn and po'
tatoes were raised in preference to
wheat.
1t was not until 1880 that the first
Horticultural society was organized.
Indeed it was an age of poor tools,
proftless cattle and few books. BE
fore 1850, stages were unknown, and
the means Of communication were
very limited. The policy of the Gov
ernment of the mother country was
to make the colonies a source of prot
it. Manufacturing was forbidden, as
was also trade except with England.
The early societies for promoting
agriculture were rather city than
country societies. They were not
composed of farmers. With them,
theory and investigation would not
go down. Old customs and meth
DDS of thought were bred in the blood.
Common law was the guide and the
rule, not principles but practice was
what they believed in. The war
with its various influences broke up
this state Of things. The farming
interests began to improve. In 1910
was held the first Agricultural Exhi-
bition in the country. The Berkshire
Society was organized in 1911. I'M
proved patterns of plows came into
use, although many were afraid that
the iron ploughs would poison the
ground The Improvement of the
plow has saved to the country annu-
allv, millions and millions of dollars.
The better pulverization OF the soil,
I the lightness of the draughts, the care
with which weeds and grass are
turned in and covered. are among
the advantages gained by the use of
the improved plow.
We cannot at present follow Mr..
Flint in showing the wonderful i'm
provements which have been made,
and more particularly within the past
fifty years From l740 to 1860 the
increase of the production of Indian
corn was from 3T7 million busele to
S3S millions; and of wheat. the brain
food of the world. we are growing at
the rate of 200 millions of bushels n
year. The cotton crop has grown
TO immense proportions within the
century. and was certainly unknown
a hundred years ago. At first ii took
q man one day to pick the
seed from a pound of cotton; now by
the use of steam and the cotton gin,
1900 pounds can be picked in sin
gle day.
The importation of improved stock
has increased very much within n
few wears. In 1852 there were not
seventv-fve pure JERSEY animals in
the State of Massachusetts,. The
same may be said of the Avrshires.
Now many single herds exceed that
number. He also alluded to the
pork-packing business, that is now so
thoroughly systemitized; the improve
ment of sheep and horses; also to the
increase of agricultural literature.
Previous to 1890 we had no mails.
Before the revolution there were but
four essays on agriculture published
in America. The American Farm
er was first started in Baltimore in
1919. Now the circulation of agri-
cultural journals exceeds three hun
dred thousand copies: two hundred
thousand volumes of agricultural
reports are distributed annually, be-
sides the reports from the govern
ment at Washington. Agricultural
colleges are also the growth Of the
past few years; but now there is some
thing of the kind in every State in