News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-09-20
Growth of New England Farming.


A good deal has been said and writ
ten Of late years about the decadence
of farming in New England ; about
farm houses going to decay, once
prosperous farms heavily mortgaged
and vainly seeking buyers, and COM
munities being rapidly drained Of
their young men. 1t is with some
thing of surprise. therefore, that the
ordinary city man learns from Com
missioner LOring's address at the
opening Of the New England fair at
Manchester, N. H., that in one part
of New England, at least, and that
not the most inviting, agriculture has
more than held its own for the last
30 years. In New Hampshire, whose
harsh climate and rugged soil one
would think by no means calculated
to make farming either agreeable or
very profitable, this industry has en-
iOyed a steady, if not marked growth.
The State, in fact, has not only q
greater acreage under cultivation than
it had in 1850, but more farms and
better ones. The total amount Of
land in farms in 1850 was 1892 ,414
acres III 1880 it was 3,721,1 73 acres,
while their value had increased from
SO, 245,997 to $75,834,389. This
gain is represented by the additional
farms, which now, as then, average
about 116 acres. Some of the fur
I
are interesting as showing how wide
ly the changed conditions have forced
the New England farmers from the
old ruts. Hay and wheat remains
about as before, while Indian corn
and barley have considerably in
creased. The yield of potatoes, on
the other hand, has fallen off nearly
one-fourth, OrSrom 4 ,3O4,2IJ lrtohelo
to 3,358,S28 bushels. The manufac-
ture of cheese has greatly declined in
80 years, while the amount OF milk
sold has largely increased, and in
1880 reached 5,739, 126 gallons. The
butter product and the products OF
market gardening have also steadily
increased. incidentally it may be
mentioned that the use of oxen i'll
farm work has fallen off nearly one
half, a change not altogether in the
line of the truest economy.
These figures, while they Indicate
moderate prosperity at le"Ht, also
point out how the farmers of The east
have almost unconsciously come tC
see that it is only in special lines they
can succeed. The staples Of the New
England farms to-day are those which
can find near market and enter into
immediate home consumption. Ii
fine the farmers are gradually learn
ing to exercise something of the same
watchfulness Of the demands Of the
people that characterizes business
men. He must begin to see that he
himself is business man, with all
! business mans interest III a knOWI'
edge of the current taste and the cur
rent market, and the strength anC
weakness of competition. More thar
industry is needed busy Ignorance
may be as ruinous as Incidence. DE-
Loring very properly urges that to the
farmer who would succeed, sound IN
vestigation 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 scien
tifc experiment stations should be
further established and still more lib
orally supported. This is matter
of method, and as such may provoke
discussion. The principle which lies
back of it, however, is one which the
farmers Of New England should take
we'll to heart.