Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-04-23
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
EaFuAin0.

Farming.
The decline in the agricultural popu-
lation of England, is indicated by the
last census (for 1879, as very sugges-
tive. The interest belongs chiefly, of
course, to England, and the decline is
due chiefly to the conditions of land
ownership in that country. But the
decline of production there involves an
increased demand npon the agricultur-
nj countries, and SO has . significance
for us, and at the same time some of
the minor features Of the decline repro
duce themselves in this country, and
are indicative Of q tendancy Of the age.
The total English population is given
ut q, IL, 266, and the corrected aggre-
gate of agricultural laborers, male and
female il given at 1880, 0& That is.
about eight per cent. of the population
are agriculturists. In this countr--,
with q population of about thirty.eight
and o. half millions, ~ have nearly
six million s,or fifteen per cent.
agricultusists, and a numerical superb
GRITTY Of more than 5000, 600 in the
agriculturists of the United States over
those Of Great sBxitain.a sz~vs-zs -
ThesnoticeAble feature, showever, is
not our greater numbers; for our terri
tory is vastly greater to accommodate,
but it is the actual decline that is tax
ing place in England in tho numbers
SO Engaged. In 1851 all agrriculturists
were 2,0S4, 153 in 1851, 400, 454; and
in 1871s !, $40 sos showing .aTdeoline
by decades Of Is, 699, and :188, sd, or in
twenty years, 263. $50! Such figures,
marking the decline OF farm work, by
consequence illustrate the increase Of
the application of labor to mining and
manufacturers In connection with the
decline r. is interesting to notice its
distribution among the various classes
during these years. The farmers OF
graziers have kept almost the: same
number all the time, and the farm
bailiffs have increased, more than fifty
per cent. but the farmers son, grand
son, brothers or nephews decline more
than 35, 600, of whom II, 900 were in the
last decade, while during, the same de.
cade the females, occupying the correl'
alive position to the males enumerated,
increased more than 1000 in number.
This is thefeature ofespecial interest
The men, the young men, are DESERVING
the farm and entering the other occu'
pations- those secondary to the sup
port Of life and pertaining to manufac
ture while the women to whom equal
ity-in such labor is denied by man ani
nature both are becoming OF more valu'
on the farm or else stay there for lacl
of elsewhere to 60. This emigration t.
the cities is evident here in America q,
truly as in England, but peShaps for .
different reason. The farmers boz
with us who would rather measure tap'
than com is, ono might almost say, tn,
ru11s and not the exception. 1T il q
era of cities, and their subtle and cues
tiopably beneficial attractions are draw
ing off the young blood from the farms
and diffusing it through factories, of
fees and shops. With us the deman'
for farm labor is great, but those VII
supply it are not the sons Of the farm
ers but the emigrants, and it is Difficult
to persuade them often from the be
guilements of city haunts and idlenes
to fields of usefulness. IF the system
inauguratea in some cities this winte
of distributing food free to all appl
cants shall be continued too long.
will be still moro difficult to persuad
the previously needy that there is any
thing higher in life for them than
free lunch and free loafing.. The effee
upon the labor market IT. already sal
to be manifest in the decline Of applj
cations and the increase of pay demand
ed, instead of decline to balance th
cost of the food thus saved. .,,:.e.~
1t is a possibility Of the ''farme1
movement" that it will cultivate sen
timent which shall make the rising ia,
mer not content merely, but proud I
be such, and that shall maintain an
elevate the standard of agricultura
purity and thrift of life. It woul
certainly be a commendable result.