The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-06-18
ARE WE RETROGRADING
Some "reminiscences of the Good Old Days
of Our Fathers.


of Our Fathers.
The early settlers of this part of the
country were hardy, hard-working
class of people. The country was
heavily timbered and hard to clear.
The land when new was very produc-
tive, and good crops of corn and wheat
were raised. The corn was fed to hogs,
and the wheat was marketed to the
best possible advantage, sometimes
being as low as forty cents per bushel,
and hauled ten, thirty and even forty
miles to market. Farmers thought that
they were getting rich fast when they
could get one dollar per bushel, and
many load was hauled forty miles on
wagons at that price.
Pork was very low l remember of
its being two cents per pound. dressed.
and it was rarely. if ever. sold on foot.
A few cattle were raised, which were
sold by the head as low as a cent .
pound and less.
A few sheep were kept, but there was
no particular account taken of them;
they lived in the woods summer and
winter. except at times OF deep SHOWS,
when they were fed little coarse hay
or straw. The wool brought from
twenty to twenty-five cents pound.
but was mostly used for making blank
cts, coyerlets and clothing for the
family. 1t did not cost much to clothe
a family in those times. / remember
that, when pockets began to be put in
red ''wamuses," great many objected
to them from the fact that it took extra
stuff and lining.
Previous to 1910 but few sheep had
been kept, but owing to the continued
failure in the wheat crop, and low price
of produce in general, a good many
farmers were turning their attention in
that direction. One great obstacle that
met them was the want of summer pas
turagp and feed for winter. The land
had become so reduced by continued
cropping, that clover and timothy would
hardly grow, and have known two or
three wagon loads of hav to be taken
from q ten-acre field. which was cut
with scythes and gathered with hand
rakeS-
From 1850 to 1860 the country under
went a great change. Land began to
produce good crops of hay, and paStur-
age was more abundant. In the early
settlement of the country nothing but
bottom land was regarded as fit for
meadow. and l often heard nv father
wish he had some good meadow land on
his farm. But he lived to see the day
when he would not have exchanged his
ridge land for the best low land in the
neighbOrhood for meadow.
Previous to 1860 very few farmers cut
their grass; by machinery, the mowers in
use being heavy concerns. which went
BY the name of .'horse killers" There
was great prejudice against horse rakes
at first. as; it was thought they would not
work except under the most favorable
conditions The first one owned | did
not try until partly through haying-I
had no. misgivings about its work after
ward
Light-running mowers began to come
into general use about 1861 and 1862.
The war breaking out made harvest
hands scarce, and in a few years almost
every farmer had one. Since that time
farm machinery has been regarded as a
necessity. and those who have recOg-
nized its Importance are, as rule. the
men who have made money and got
along in the, world.
Since the war the sheep and wool in
terest has hal its 'lapses" and .'col-
lapses." generally being of a discourage
ing nature. and some have given up
their flocks in disgust But the sub
stantial farmers in Eastern Ohio. as a
class. are these who still give attention
to sheep and wool. While there are
here and there those who claim that
the keeping of sheep has been a great
injury to. this part of the country, vet L
can very confidently make the assertion
that sheep and clover have been the
principal factors in bringing about the
great change which has taken place in
the fertility of our soil, and the gen.
eral prosperity of our farmers.
There. never was a decade in the his.
tory Of this part of the country when
there were better crops of all sorts, or
more. substantial prosperity than from
1874 to 1884. Good farms, comfort
able dwellings, and farm buildings, well.
bred stock and general appearance OF
thrift are TO be seen on every hand
Ohio Cor Country Gentleman.