San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-09-27
Small Industries on Farms.

sorb large incomes, 30 hliLof lnuuS'
tr;es carried on by farmers help pay
sxsenses and eventually render them
waalthy. The great majority of West
srn farmers devote themselves to rails
nc few leading crops, such as corn
and wheat. Those who are not en-
Saged in producing grain, raise cattle
and and sheep for the market. They take
GREAT delight in doing things Oh an ex-
sensive scale. They are fond of in
creasing the number of acres devoted
to cultivated crops, forage plants that
ore to be harvested and pastured, and
addingto their focks and herds. They
are averse, however, to devoting time
to the production of little things.
They keep but few fowls and no bees.
They raise no small fruits, even for
the supply of their own tables. Their
gardens are small in proportion as
their farms are large. Little is raised
in them but the mo c IN .! - .
of yegeta bles. No table deli aacics
produced in the fields or gardens. As
q consequence their living is poor or
their grocery bills are large. Doing
most of their marketing but once in
the year they are generally out of
money q considerable portion of the
time, and obliged to get III debt for
running expenses. During the exist
ence of slavery in the South there was
general neglect of all the small in-
industries by the large planters. Many
of them devoted their farms exclusive
ly to the production of one staple crop,
as cotton, rice, sugar-cane, or tobacco.
They sold everything they produced
and had occasion to purchase almost
everything they needed for their own
use. Having but one crop to market
they received money but once during
the year. The amount was rarely
large enough to last until another crop
was matured and sold. Being in debt
was the almost universal rule among
the large farmers.
Dakota has been settled thus far by
persons who are engaged almost ex-
clusively in the production of spring
wheat. AS seasons have been favor
able and prices high since the settle
ments began, the farmers have been
fairly prosperous. 1t remains to be
seen, however, how they will prosper
when the soil becomes somewhat ex.
hausted of it's native fertility and bad
seasons occur. In most portions of
Texas the raising Of cattle and sheep
constitutes the leading business.
With almost unlimited range for stock |!
the business isvery profitable. When
there are sufficient number Of ami
mails to devour all the spontaneous
productions Of the soil, diversified |
interests will dou btless become q mat
ter Of necessity. In fact, q variety Of
agricultural industries is necessary to |
support large population anywhere.
Farmers in the West and South who
think there is no money in little things
would do well to visit places where
small industries constitute the only
source of gain on farms. In the New
England States the average farmer
does not produce grain sufficient to
feed his family and fatten the stock
he raises for the market. Still large !
proportion Of the farmers are prosper
Gus. They get living and often lay
up money by producing things that
the farmers in the West and South
pay no attention to. They buy their
flower and sometimes their pork, and
pay for them by selling eggs. A half
acre in strawberries affords money
enough to pay the grocery bills. A
few colonies of bees yield good rev.
enue and call for a very small outlay.
AS much money is realized from poul-
try as the average Western farmer
receives from the bullocks or hogs
he sends to market. An asparagus
bed, a few hills of pie-plant, variety
of small fruits, and garden planted
to choice vegetables, some OF which
are started in a hot bed, supply the
family with much of the food required
during the summer and fail.
The great prosperity that prevails
in the rural districts of France IS al
most entirely due to the small indus
tries that ale carried on by farmers.
POultry-keeping in the aggregate is
the source of a large revenue. Per
sons Of very small means raise rabbits
and pigeons for the city markets.
The culture of mushrooms Is carried
on In caves, and in cellars and base
ments of buildings. A great variety
of vegetables is produced in the gar
dens, which are tended with great care.