Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-08
EDarIaIiieS in Farming.

Tine was, and in 10 remote past.
when nearly every farmer in the nor
.tarn States endeavored to raise
~ only all the articles of food rc-
iu;rcd by his family, with the OK
option of fish, but all other materi-
j for clothing. He produced all the
ODD crops that the nature Of the soil
M climate rendered possible. lie
"iisel, however small his farm might
-, few bushels of wheat, rye, bar
,Ar, buckwheat, potatoes, plums, APP
pics and pears. He kept a sufficient
number of sheep to supply the wool
necessary to make cloth for winter
.,othing. This wool was manufac-
,urcd into cloth at home. He had a
little field of flax, the fibre of which
was worked upon the place. The
skins of domestic animals were dress
cd by local tanners Oh shares, and the
lumber was sawed at the mills in the
same way.
Many farmers raised tobacco and
hops for domestic use, and all Of them
made their own butter and cheese
The object of every farmer was to
raise enough of everything he could
to supply the wants of his family
BY adopting this course the demand
Tor money was exceedingly small.
Some was required for paying taxes,
but taxes were often paid without
money. The highway tax was work
ed out or paid in material for con-
structing bridges and culverts. 9th
or taxes were sometimes paid by
boarding school teachers, furnishing
wood for warming school houses, or
by taking care of paupers. Nearly all
the farming in the northern States
was domestic farming. Few crops
were produced for the market. In
fact, the demand for farm products
was small, since most persons were
engaged in their production.
Two circumstances favored the kind
of farming that has been desert bed.
There were no means Of cheap trans
portation in portions Of the country
remote from the sea or from the lakes
and rivers. If an article had to be
hauled by oxen over rough roads, the
distance of fifty miles, its price would
not pay the cost Of transportation
As q consequence, no articles were
conveyed long distances, unless they
were of considerable value. Farms
near navigable waters were valuable,
because the owners could send their
crops to distant markets, and could
obtain in return articles of food AMI
clothing that were produced at dis
lance. Farmers living in the inter
ior, however, were obliged to live and
to clothe themselves by the use OF
such articles as they could produce
Oil their estates. Ii they wanted q
variety they must raise it.
Want of means was another circum-
stance that favored domestic farming,
The production Of specialties requires
capital as we'll as facilities for trans
portatioD. To produce but q single
article as wool, hops, hemp, tobacco,
or fruit, farmer must have sufficient
capital to support his family and to
carry on his business for at least a
year. AS considerable risk attends the
production of one crop, farmer
should have sufficient means to carry
.lim over at least one partial or entire
failure. Lack of the means for trans
,i0rtation ana lack of capital are COM
mon in most new countries and they
we're especially so i'll this country.
lnIced, Till railways were construct
| ii there was great difficulty in trans
porting heavy farm products III any