The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1883-10-04
Agrirnltnral.


A good deal has besn said snd writes
az late years about The decAdenee Of farm
ing 10 New England. about farm house,
going " decay. once prosperous farm,
heavily mcrsessed and vsialy SEEKING
buyers, and communiiiss being rapidly
drained 81 their young men. II 10 with
something Of surprise. therefor. that The
ordinary city msn learns from Commi.
siooer Lorinss address At the opening oil
the New Enelsnd fair Of Manchester.
SEPT 4, that in one par, Of New England
a, least, and tia, not the most inviting.
agriculture has more than held its own for
the lss. ihiri, years. In New Hampshire
whose harsh climate and rugged soil one
woul1 think Of no means calculated TO
make farming either agreeable or very
profitable. this industry has enjoyed .
steady II %, marked growth. The state
in fact bias not only greater average I'M
der cultivation than il bad 10 1850, but
more farms and better ones The total
amount Of land IN farms in 1850 vas 81
800. Ala acres; in 1880 it was 3,72I,i73
acres, while their value had increased
from s55.245,o9 7 to s7o.s34, $50. This
gain is represented by the additional farms,
which now AZ then averaged about ll6
acres. Some Of the further figures which
DR.. Loring gives are interesting - show
ing how widely the changed conditions
have forced the New England farmers
from the old ruts. Hay and wheat re-
main about as before, while Indian corn
and barley have considerably increased.
The yield Of potatoes, on the other hand.
has fallen of nearly one fourth. or from
4,304,9l9 bushels to 3,35S.s2S bushels.
The manufacture OF cheese has greatly
declined within these 80 years while the
amount Of milk sold has largely increased.
and in 1880 reached 5,739, 1913 gallons.
The butter product and the products Of
market gardening have also steadily in.
creased. Incidentally il may be men.
toned that the use Of oxen in farm work
has fallen of nearly one-half, . change
not altogether in the line Of the trusst
economy.
These figures. while they indicate
moderate prosperity at least. also point
out how the farmers Of the East have al
most unsconciously come TO see that 1t 10
only in special lines they can succeed.
The staples Of the New England farms
today are those which can find near mar.
ket and enter into immediate home con-
In fine the farmers are grad
ually learning to exercise something OF
the same watchfullness OF the demands OF
the people that characterize business men.
He must begin 10 see that he himself is
business man. with oil business mans
interest in knowledge Of the current
taste md the current market and the
strength and weakness Of competition.
More than industry il needed; busy igno.
rance nay be as ruinous q Incidence. DR.. |
Lorng very properly urges that TO the far.
mer who would succeed sound inyestigs.
lion and well directed science are of the
utmost Importance. The moral which he
draws. and which forms the substance Of
his address. is that agricultural colleges
and scientific experiment stations should
be further established and still more lib
orally supported. This is matter Of
method, and as such may provoke discus.
zion. The principle which lies back OF it,
however, is one which the farmers Of New
England should take well to heart
Springfield Republicans.