Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-04-01
A TIMELY SUGGESTION.

We commend tho following comnu-
nication to the attention Of our rural
friends
| EDITOR STANDARD:--is the ieyclopcrcat
| OF the various resources, and the prosperity
of our Territory is, and should be, the OBJ
ject of every one identified with our interests.
and as this Development and prosperity can
| only be brought about by individual. az well
IS combined effort, and As the general pros
perity can only come through the prosperity
of the individual, it is but logical to conclude
| that whatever will enhance the prosperity of
the individual will add to the wealth and ma.
! terial interest of our Territory. Niewinr
the subject in this light. and feeling a partic
ular interest in enc class of our peoplc. (the
| farmers we would like, through the medilu
of your valuable paper to make few sug-
gcStlons to the farmers of our Territory in
general, and to those who make OLYMPIA
their market place, in particular Farmers,
as general thing are not systematic enough
in the management of their business. In
every occupation in life; in every business
transaction, every trade and profession svs.
tenn, and method is needed, aud it is to be
regretted that among farmers there is less
system than among any other class We DO
| not say this in reproach, and the suggestion
we wish to make is, that if farmers instead
of devoting their whole attention to tie raise
ing of a little Of most everything that a farm
will produce, and only realizing from that
variety of products scarcely enough to feed
and clothe themselves and their families: if
instead of raising little hay, little oats,
little barley, few potatoes, etc, etc, keeps
ing cow or two buying his meat, or keep
ing only few pigs for home consumption;
keeping no poultry except & few dozen chick.
ems every egg from which has to be carefully
laid aside to buy groceries with; if, we say,
instead of farming in this way, each farmer,
or combination of farmers in one locality.
were to turn their whole attention to the pro-
ductiOn of one or two main articles; say
for instance, in one locality let the principal
production be wheat, in another hay, anoth-
er potatoes, still another butter, cheese, etc.
by this method, the farmer will always have
something to sell, some article of export, that
will bring him in the money. We all know
it is the exports that enrich the country. and
the imports that impoverish; nevertheless
there are many things we are obliged at pres
ent, and will be for many years to come, to
import, but by adopting systematic course
of production, our exports will soon exceed
our imports. and thus will not only our farm
ers be enriched and placed in easy circum-
stances, but the Territory itself would be
able to carry on public Improvements that
would give us the first place among the Ter
ritOries; not to say would hasten the time of
our becoming State To the farmers who
make Olympia their market place, we would
suggest that as the Pacific Steamship COM
have decided to run their steamers to Olyn-
and have appealed to the people to furnish
them with cargos, that they Send all their en-
ergies to the production of staple articles
Suppose the farmers of Mound Prairie and
Chehalis Valley were to turn their attention
to the production of butter and cheese, they
would soon realize such profit from it that
they would be astonished. A farm that
would keep from 20 to 50 cows would also
keep from 100 to 500 fowls, or from 10 to 20
hogs to be fed from the refuse of the dairy
An acre or two devoted to garden would sup
ply the family with all the vegetables, pota-
toes and fruit that would be needed. We
will leave each farmer to figure up the cX
pense and profitit of dairy farm, such as we
have limited at. Cutter, cheese eggs, towels,
pork, all bring fair prices shipped to San
Francisco, and the shipping las soon as the
Olympia and Tenino railroad is built will be
at their doors. Thus you see that should
the farmers in one locality turn their atten-
ton to the dairy and poultry business, and
those of other localities to the production Of
other staple articles, those residing on the
Sound who have orchards, to the boxing,
canning and drying of fruit; and other in
dustries that could be mentioned, kept in
fourishing condition, cargoes could be fur
nished to every steamer; and instead of the
cry of hard times, every body would be
wearing bright and happy countenance,
with plenty of money in their pockets. a
to the wise is sufficient 3. NJ. o.