Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-04-30
ADVERTISING RATES
FARM AND PRESIDE.

FARM AND FIRESIDE.
INTERESTING TO WooL-GRowERs.-
For the interest of wool-g rowing we pub
lish the following article from the ssAmer-
lean Merchant, showing that the demand
for wool will be steady and its production
profitable. The Merchant" says of the
wool trade and it's outlook:
''At the beginning of 1879 the wool trade
was not promising. The previous five
years, and especially the year 1878, had
been those of reyerses and dealers had be-
come unusually disheartened and timid.-
There was little hope of any increased de-
mand at home, and the opinion began 10
prevail that we should need to 60 abroi d
to seek market for our American wool.
As consequence, prices were extremely
low. The general outlook was that Of
general discouragement-to add to tie
gloominess of the situation there were
disastrous failures during the early part Of
the year.
The cheapness Of wooden goods. howeY-
er, at length brought increased 'orders,'
and early in May better demand for the
raw material began to be recognized. The
improvement when fairly commenced sooa
became rapid, and in less than sixty days
wool advanced from twenty to twenty-five
per cent. A reaction followed, and there
was decline Of five to ten per cent.-tLe
result chiefly Of speculative movements
among tho leading operators. This was,
however. temporary, and by the first Of
August prices again advanced, and the
general market became one of extraordi-
nary activity, continuing until the close
of the season.
The wool production in the United
States in 1879 was very large, the increase
being not far from twenty millions Of
pounds. This increase, however, failed to
supply the enlarged home consumption and
dealers sent their orders abroad In all di-
rections. At least thirty millions Of
pounds of medium woods lin which grade
the demand was greatest) were imported
from England alone. Immense quantities
were obtained also from south America
and from the East Indies.
But what of the future? The present
magnitude of the demand in this country,
coupled with the fact that for long time
to come our manufactures are likely to
be taxed to their utmost in supplying the
want throught the country caused by SIX
or seven years of extraordinary economy
in the millions of homes of our people,
must answer the question. There may be
no immediate great advance in the present
price list, but there is sure to be a firm
and hopeful Market"
WHAT THE FARMER SHOULD STUDY.
The farmer should study the laws of con-
centration. He should learn how to con-
centrate his crops in the best paying arti-
cles. Does he consider that butter, cheese,
beef. pork and mutton represent only q
certain amount of grass, hay and grain
that his farm produces That instead OF
selling the raw commodities he can, by
putting them into these articles, get much
better returns tor their products? His
study should be how to transform the raw
products of his farm into something that
is concentrated and that will bring him
most money. What he raises has to come
to some market. BY condensing it little
freight will have to be paid, and this much
will be saved. A farm is not only farm;
it is, or should be, factory for changing
the raw products into articles of general
consumption that have commercial value
the world over-that are of the best quail
ty, that keep well, sell we'll, and bring
prices that will pay we'll for the skill, labor
and capital employed in producing them.
WASTE OF LAND.-H q farm of $50
acres is divided by fences into fields of ten
acres each, there are five miles Of fences.
If each fence row is one rod wide no less
Than ten acres of the land are occupied by
them. This is equal to six and one fourth
per cent Of the farm and the loss Of the
land is exactly equalto charge of six and
one-fourth per cent on the whole value Of
the farm. But nearly every fence row IN
the country is made nursery for weeds
which stock the whole farm and make an
immense amount Of labor necessary to
keep them from smothering the crops.
Much damage always results to the crop
from these weeds, and If these expenses
are added to the first one, the whole will
easily sum up 20 per cent, or tax of one
fifth the value of the farm. To remedy
this we would have fewer fences, or we
would clean and SOW down the fence row
to grass or clover, and NOW them twice a
year. Ten acres of clover or timothy
would at least supply a farm with seed and
few tons Of hay every year. We should
in short, consider the fence rows as val
liable part Of the farm, and use them as
such.
BEAUT1FY Your FARM.-Every man
| owes it to the community in which he is
living to contribute to the general reputa-
tion and public enjoyment by making his