The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-11-23
The Living of Farmers.


living on farms because the food offer
ed in farm-houses is not as desirable as
that found on tables in villages and cit
les. There is no good reason why as
excellent food can not be afforded on
farms as in large towns. Most farmers
might live well and be at no more eX-
pense than they are al present Most
of the articles that pertain to good liv-
ing are or can be produced ON farms
with very little trouble or expense. The
water afforded by springs and deep
wells is superior to that supplied by the
service pipes in cities. Fresh butter,
pure milk, and newly-laid eggs can all
rank among luxuries. They are arti-
towns, even by persons of wealth At
most times in the year there are fowls
Fit to be killed as occasion may require.
During the spring there is veal, and dur
ing the summer and fall lamb, for fresh
meat. If a farmer has an ice-house it
is comparatively easy to have supply
of fresh meat of home production
large proportion of the time. Fresh
fish are, of course, difficult to obtain
unless farmer has fish-pond or lives
near river. He can, however, have
salt and smoked fish as often as they
may be desired to form change in the
ordinary bill of fare. AS to flour and
they are Us easily and cheaply obtained
in the country as in the city. The like
is true in relation to tea, coffee, sugar,
and all other kinds of groceries, The
articles above enumerated constitute
nearly all the substantial things that
pertain to good living.
Fine fruit, fresh from the tree, bush,
or vine, is one of the most essential ele-
ments of good living. This can be had
in abundance by all farmers who live in
most of the states of the union. 1t can
be produced as cheaply as any kind of
food and is vastly more wholesome and
nutricious as well as more palatable
than most of the articles found on far
mers' tables. A small plot of land will
ries, red, white and black currants that
any family can consume during'the sea-
son of their ripening, and enough to
the balance of the year. AS to grapes
they are as easily and cheaply raised as
potatoes and are adapted to a large
number of purposes. During at least
three months they will supply the table
with a most delicious and wholesome
article of food which is relished by per-
sons of all ages. As q breakfast dish
grapes are unsurpassed. As table Or
naments they are the equals of flowers.
They are excellent when canned or
when made into pies and jelly. Wine
can be made of those that are not quite
fair enough to supply the table or mar
ket, and vinegar can be made of those
that are quite inferior. By taking pains
with their preservation, they may be
kept in a fresh state till the winter holi-
days. In this latitude no kind of fruit
is more easily produced than the early
Richmond cherry. The trees come into
bearing quite early and are very produc~
tive. The trees are ornamental as well
as useful. In nearly every state in the
union some variety of peach, plum. and
pear does exceedingly well. AS to ap-
Piles, they will grow anywhere that
corn will mature, and in many sections
beside. In all the northern states and
territories cranberries and blueberries
can be raised with very little trouble or
expense. With all these fruits at his
command no farmer can afford to set
poor table.
Next to fine fruit, fine vegetables add
as much as anything to the essential
part Of good living. It.is singular, how
ever, that, while they are always found
on tables in towns and cities, they are
seldom seen on the tables of well-to-do
farmers in the west. Nearly all farm
ers raise common potatoes, cabbages,
beets, and onions, but the list of vege-
tables extend little further than these.
They have no asparagus, lettuce, rad
ishes, eggplant, celery, cress, or pie
plant. They have n ''mess' or two of
green peas and few string beans, but
no attempt is made to have a succession
of them during several months. They
have no Lima beans, and few or no
good bush-beans. Ordinarily they have
no sweet potatoes, and very poor toma-
toes and cucumbers. Many farmers
raise no pumpkins, and are at no pains
to raise squashes for use during the
winter and spring. If they raise tur-
nips, they are of the varieties that are
only fit for stock food. No water-cress
is found in any of the springs or streams
on the farm, and no grape-vines flour
ish on the high places that are valuable
for the production of little else. Com
paratively few farmers raise melons,
though they will grow with very little
trouble. In short, farmers deny them
selves most of the cheap luxuries of life
that they might enjoy to an extent that
no other class of persons can for SO lit
tie labor or expense. They seem to
think that great skill is required to pro-
duce fine fruit and vegetables, while in
point of fact they are raised as cheaply
as most field crops. They insist on eat
ing large quantities of pork on the score
of economy, while it is actually one of
the most expensive articles of food at
present prices. 1t will pay any farmer
who has considerable family to en-
ploy one man to raise fruit and vegeta-
Dles for the supply of his own table.