Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-04-16
FARM AND FIRESIBE.
Young Man, 20 West =?

w est has been given 10 CLASS OF HUI
viduls who may be considered as hav>
ing natural sense and judgment, but
who seem to be lacking in indepen-
dence Of character and executive
abilities, or having judgment, use it
not. The advice may be all well
meant and honestly expressed, but
may it not be somewhat differently ex-
pressed, and at the same time be more
practicable? l imagine that those who
give such advice do not look at it in
all its bearings.
Why is it thus expressed, and given?
a question | am unable TO answer, un-
less those who give it, do so without
looking at the matter from every side.
The more general reason given for
recommending this course of going
West, is that these men may become
possessed of cheap lands; have home
of their own; become producers instead
of consumers only. What If We al, lat
least all the surplus not actively en-
gagged In business, become producers?
From certain standpoints the advice is
good, but viewed from different
point it may assume another aspect.
Look at it as it really is: do not the
farmer-producers of the West find
their surplus products have slow
market, and at very low prices, and
that they must produce in very large
quantities in order TO pay their way,
or often to make even enough to meet
taxes, beyond meager support. And
how Is it that anything is accumuls.
ted? Let those who have there gained
a competency tell US if they have got
it by egitima te farming only. Setting
aside the rise in value of farm lauds,
etc., they have probably done it by
close economy, hard work, and deny
ing the nselves most of the Injuries
and privileges of life, If not very many
of what are usually considered its
necessities.
Now. l clam that one living in any
Of the older-settled States and com.
muntics. by exercising the same self
denial. etc, my do even better at
home than he would by going to some
fsr-away place to settle In the first
place, he is at home among friends
aud a'quaintances, is scclimated,
knows all the ''rops," is in the vicini
ty Of a. good mlrketS as there are in
the country, can produce and sell at q
bet,' p of than can be done where
m irkelS mast b. sought al long dis
tauce, saves the expense always at
ten iaut Il ,nn eating in new conn
try anl escapes ems qu"nt hiri-hlps
b'.>i'ie~ many other considerations of
social an other privileges; adean'agc-
which are not 80 freely offered in
new settlements.
"A 1" precincts; let u consider the
one product Of corn, which is so large
ly depended nn in many newly
settled sections. Can We not At the
East grow II At q better proii than the
settler on new land? And is not the
value of the farm prod ucts. isking iuto
account the whole acreage. a. great,
or even great. here, than at h. West
genrr,ll,? LIT Us see: here in Mlssa-
chusrils MT m re than 80 nj X fr",n
" ,rcrster, y few years SING and it
is done yearly although not reported
or notcrd as publicly rrverned
gentleman grew field of coru, pr"
duced entirely bv h red labor-the
weld If which vas 100 bushels Of
sh, II d corn per ere, c1s'ino, at that
time, only IS cents per bu>hel. in the
barrel or bag. This same cora sold
al 90 &c, Is per bnshcl t h me, thus
netting profit Of $500 per acre -
With later improvements in culture,
the cost Of production would be less:
will the richest virgin soil do better, or
even as well?
Take a farm OF 100 or leo acres at
the East or West, if on the line Of r,
+. or near communication with good
markets, the price per acre of land.
will range nearly as high in the West
as in the East. At the latter place,
however. this will include fair TO good
buildings, fences, etc. II the products,
are the same, those in the eastern
section will bring the greater sum, so
that the gross product will be greater
at the East, because OF better home
markets, and then home products are
worth more than those produced at a
distance, handled and rehandled,
sweating and often moldy. l believe
expcrimenters claim that corn grown
in New England is worth for feeding
at least one-fnu'th more that the
average corn we get from the West;
some claim it to be even better
Look at the d~privations which the
pioneer settler must put up with. In
order 20 obtain free hemesiesds one
must 90 into parts where settlements
are very tar apart, where perhaps
none of his kind may be found in a
DAYS journey; where there are nc
social or other privileges except such
res 'urces as they may have within
Themselves. Ii sickness or accident
overtake them, what then? A young
MN from a vll,se io this locality
went 10 Kansas. toui or Ave years since
stock raising for a relative of his; q
year IT two afterwards, his married
brother and wife visited him and stayed
SONS three werks. Tie lady, il
speaking of it afterwards, said that
she saw only one other woman during
her stay, and she, washer~o msr
who cans to do the young mans
wash nR, tc. Now, suppose this, OIL
any other yOung man, would work as
hard, deprive him.elf of IS much, ir
any of the Eastern or Middle States
where he was al home, etc. and was ia
every way as economical, who supposed
he woul be less successful at HON,
than abrosdY The truth Of it is, thai
i, is not what person receives tha