Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-09-01
Advance in Agriculture.

But few readers or farmers are aware
of the advance in agriculture in the past
fifty years, or within the recollection of
many Of the older citizens. Fifty year
ago the only means of cutting the grain
harvest was the hand sickle, and Of cut
ting hay the hand scythe. The grain
was threshed with a fail, and the hay
raked with a hand rake. Grain was
cleaned by letting it fall and the wind
blowing out the chaff, or by making
wind with a sheetrAthose who lived in
those days recollect it without explana-
ton. Plows were mostly wood, the
coulter, shire and bar only being iron.
The moldboard was wood exclusively.
At hat day farming was conducted by
muscular power. There were no agri.
cultural newspapers to stir up the mind
to advance and improve.
Nor was the absence of improved ag-
r%lcultural implements the only him
drance to prosperous husbandry. There
was virtually no attention paid to the
improvement of stock. The cattle,
horses, hogs or sheep were a mixture
brought together from different coun-
ties. There was no more attention paid
to better stock than there is now in the
improvement of the human race. Nor
was there any particular age at which
steers or hogs could be prepared for
market. They grew slowly and fatten-
ed indifferently, and had to be kept and
fed until they could be sold. They were
small and commanded a less price.
Fruits of all kinds were far inferior to
the present. Nearly all of the orchards
0f onn1o noo,, os rooo oh xra,.n of tho ro%
ural fruit. If grating was known it
was practiced by but few. The varie-
ties of grated fruit wen in the best
orchards or nurseries were but few. In
the smaller fruits the same was the case.
None but the wild strawberry were Gull
tivated. If, however, they did not
have such large ones as the present,
they were rich, luscious and highly fla
vored, or our appetite was better then
than now. There were no improved
raspbelries or Strawberries.
Nor has the advance been solely in
stock and fruits, but in vegetables there
has been a wonderful change for the
better. Potatoes, squashes, tomatoes,
beans, peas, melons, and all other
classes of garden vegetables have been
so improved that if the kind which were
raised fifty years ago were offered in
the market now they could not be sold
at any price. 1t seems almost incredi-
bic that the world in all the past ages
previous to fifty years ago made so lit
tie efforts at improving anything in
tended for human food, or the imple-
ments for producing them.
When the writer first performed labor
on the farm, there was a continual
strain on the physical powers OF the
farmer. And in the house, whether on
the farm or in town, the females OF the
family (and mainly the wife) had to
card, spin, weave and make the cloth
ing with which to keep the whole fami-
ly warm or respectable.
And there are needed improvements
yet to be made, and great inventions to
he accomplished. There are laurels to
be won, and riches to be accumulated
in the future, by those VINO will by mem
tai and moral energy solve the great
problems of the worlds further I'D.
vancement.-1oWa Register.