The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-02-16
he feed he ate was OF more value than his

the feed he ate was OF more value than his
flesh.
The present hog fattens, but is seldom
healthy. Scarcely any oxygen colors his
blood led, as formerly, but the sluggish
black blood, propelled by a heart smaller
than il should be, enables him to live along
with great care, until he is ready for the
market His lungs are so delicate that one
"dogging" kills him. His liver is discol-
ored and spotted. He has kidney worms.
His bones are soft and easily broken. His
intestines are full of wind. He has catarrh,
trichina, cholera, etc. The improved (O
hog is fast degenerating, and what nextY
If this article on hogs has not much truth,
il is too long already; but it has good deal
of truth, then | may some day say little
more on hogs if our readers wish.
Machinery In Agriculture.
The various agricultural shows held last
autumn in different parts Of the country,
says the Scientific American, can not fail to
impress all who visited them with the ex-
traordinary developments made in recent
years in mechanical appliances for agricul-
ture. 1t is well, therefore, to notice the
benefits which this industry has derived
from the genius and the labOrs of the
mechanician. We may go back in thought
to the time when the spade, the hoe, the
sickle, and tie fail, comprised the farmer 5
store of machinery, and when the pillow was
the rudest contrivance, hardly worthy to
be called tool Then every man titled the
soil or engaged in pastoral pursuits because
il was all that one man could do TO provide
himself and his dependents with food
Then each man was forced to clothe him.
self and be his own mechanic for this SIM
pie reason. He labored long and with in
finite pains, and the ancient sentence that
man should earn his bread by the sweat of
his brow. came home to him with until
gated force. In course of time i'm
proved and effective tools so lightened
the labOrs Of the agriculturist, and so in
creased his products, that the opportunity
to make division of labor arrived, because
there was food to spare for the mechanic.
This condition of things became more and
more firmly established, until it changed
the whole social and political aspect of hui
man affairs. And now what do We see.
The true landlord is not the owner of al
English estate, proclaims writer in Capita
and Labor, but the farmer who command:
an army of farmers, with brigades of plows
reapers and other machinery upon the
plains of Western America. He makes law:
for countries thousands of miles away, anC
his products rule the worlds markets. The
genius of agriculture to-day Is the mechanic
the soul of agriculture is the inventor. One
farmer can now, with the help of machinery
feed hundred men with greater ease thar
at one time he could feed himself alone
The farmer supports the railroads, for stock!
rise and fall with the good and indifferent
reports of what the harvests shall be. He
supports lines of steamers with his wonder
| full freights of breadstuffS, provisions, meats
cattle and sheep. He maintains the mil
lions of artisans who clothe and shelter him
and who provide for every one of his want.
outside of the field.
The mechanical power OF the age is like ,
series of concentric and eccentric circles, oil
W hich the former stands out in the principa
center. These all revOlve with and abou
agriculture, and the same force sets all il
motion. 1t is the farmers duty now L
make the most of his opportunities. HI
should be the foremost man of the age. Hi!
influence should be felt everywhere. 1t il
| felt everywhere. for the wealthiest mer
chants and capitalists and the most activ,
politicians all ask themselves how far the
farmers can be depended upon before they
make a movement in their special pursuits
| But the farmer should feel this himself. II
is one thing to have power, and anothel
thing to be cognizant of the possession. Let
the farmers consider now their position
and, as they take view Of il, let them con
slider what they owe to the power and in
| tiuence of machinery. One most conspicu
Gus example of the results pointed on
may be noted. A few years agt
Minnesota spring wheat was graded
very low in the grain markets and brough
low price. Unfortunately for the Western
farmers this grade of spring wheat was tn
only one they could produce. A new proc
ess in milling was introduced. Elaborate
machinery was invenetd to perfect the proc
ess. The best wheat by this process was tn,
grade know as Minnesota spring." hereto
fore despised and rejected-literally ere
jected." IN fact, in the markets. Afterwart
this grade became sosght by millers, an,
the value advanced to point equal to, anC
sometimes more than that of the previousl,
much-sought winter wheats. IL Minnesota
farmers produce 40, 000, 900 bushels of whea
annually, this advanced value, due to tn
new process, puts several millions of dollar
yearly into their pockets; and what vas
amount OF comfort and happiness may b
secured by the right use of so much money
This is but one instance of the vast concatC
nation OF circumstances which points tn
moral here alluded to.