Smyrna times., 1880-01-21
Pre-eminent improvements.

There are two sOurce5s of wealth tho
average modern farmer has which bis an,
cestors did not have. These are under
draining Of the soil. and improved breeds
OF live stock. There are others, but these
two stand pre- eminent. And 20 mark ED Is
their pre.emiRence that they are still (
readily distinguished in any agricultural !
community where the old and the new
methods are brought into contrast. For. +
with all the improved appliances for the /
farm, the mowers, reapers, thresherS, plant
RS, patent plows, cutlvator,. hay-iork.,
orse.rakes, feed mills, food cookers, etc,
etc, the farm that is underdrained will
produce better crops and with greater Ger.
tinty IN the eXtIrnes of seasons than the
undrained farm; and the tarruer who
breeds blooded stock VIII make more
money whether he raises for the Shamblo~
al for breeders than the man wnO attempts
to compete with only ComEnn stock Tor hIS
capital. The value OF these two improve
InrntS can he best estimated. perhaps, by
considering for uInm"nt what would he
! the condition ut things # lie draining and
| the improved breed. Of fine stock could
! both be swept away and tho world hr
| placed where it was in respect 10 the-e two
/ items, a huudrrd. or even Fifty wears ago.
! Abolish tllr dr;iaiuL aud the product #
! the dairy would Immediately hp reduced.
| The quantity as well as quality 81 Fl e>n meat,
woald suffer lik" deterioration. W1"I
pro luctiun would reduced and ihe supply
Of fac woods would be totally Inadequ ,tr
to our present requirements. Poultry
would be scarce, and If less desirable"
qualities, and many a l.al1tanIr dish t't'
| now graces our tables and t4nIa. tho -
| petite, would be unknpWn. or hn""u ..pi'
| al; :,,,,l
this great decline III the value Of tur
products Of the farm would -"i.rli~.v atirc;
the other industries, as the butchers, the
drovers, the cloth manufactures, scam
machine manuiactul ers and their tn"u
lnds Of employees, the ScalHtr,.>~r, the
meat packers. coopers, and their employees,
| livery men. and horse dealers, harur>-
saddle and carriage makers, etc; am
through them. nearly II lot q lit" all other
! industries. Inu-, We see, that To suddenly
turn back the dial Of ti;n" one hundrc
wears, as regards the one item ot improve,
live stock. would seriously Affect miiluvrou
in luStrc' and throw millions 81 people M
Of employment until they could ad'u>
, themselves To the changed condition @
! things, and leave very httia Of "nrour
. ,9pmrnt except tie hope OF again ro-tur!u,
the order Of things which now blcSse, tn
world. lndecd, such Il rrtrogrldr Rlov,
j ment in the agricultural world would il
| al! probability, produce one OF the srrltrs
: financial panic> ever known IN tine hI>tor
+ commercial nations. ThI- is a,- wIv !
which to estimate the real. intrinsic yaIu
> the improved breed. OF i've -tu.'H.
Il would he interesting, hat inlpp>~ ib.r 10 hay
e that value reduced to ptIp.h.r f-uIr,.
is beyond the ken OF tnt most ski..c
mathematician.
y similar condition OF things, al .hou4
h perhaps not to so neticeabl" an ~Xtrn
= would follow the sudden ahdudunuent ,
a tile draining Some of the tir.j sfirc
would be to rcduc,. the arrea .le OF uli,.h
/ l,nds and to reduce the yield OF tn" +,
L manning lands that were t.Iinle rlr.
Il two sources would. in the aggregate. m j,
II 4 neayy falling oil in the total cereal. ve-
table and fruit production Of tn" Cuitr
States, and correspundingIy ,tttct the dan
g and other farm products. For while thri
,r is an immense amount OF uuarainpd Ian
II that can be proftahiy worRe eli there, i 40
: a very large area OF drained bands wnlc
, have been made tillahc only toy nil.
- and other large areas whose Weld II;
Is doubled, and trebled, (ttklrg - series
~ years and considering crop failures IN e.
m cessivPly dry and wet nr4>0rSj: the>r -r
itoms are two real sources OF wealth AN,
if annihilated would csrre,pondin1iy err
is pie the industries of the country AMI ati,.
" every pecunialy interest.
N The inference is cbviou. II the al,
" donmen' Of these two improvements,
> farming would emtu such >"riou, lo>sr
III and produce SO much misery and dI>tr4
Sc their psrpetu,tion and increase must w"l
nj corresponding benefit. Tnls i, AN
re ference so clear and so logical tina; its a
to plication is equally @bvious.