Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-11-12
American Agriculture .


The many complaints which come from
the farmers unquestionably have some
foundation. The year past has not been
a very prosperous one for these who de-
vote large share of their labor to the
raising of wheat, and the crop of the
previous year, though abundant in quan-
tity, sold at so low price that the farm
er was much disheartened. But bis en-
barrsssments are in large measure due
to mistakes which he himself can reme>
dy, if he will. Certainly the experience
of the past few years ought to lead to an
earnest and determined effort to im.
prove the methods of agriculture in this
country, SO that the prosperity of this
great industry may depend less than it
does now upon the production Of few
chief staples for distant markets.
The farmer, as well as the country,
needs diversiflcation of industry, and
greater economy in production. He
needs to produce at less cost than hith>
erto, and to adapt production more near
ly to the demands of the home market,
and to become himself manufacturer
as we'll as farmer, turning out less of
the raw materials called corn, hay, or
wheat, and more of the finished prot
ducts, cattle, hogs, butter, cheese, poultry
and eggs. In the youth of agriculture
here. with virgin soil apparently of in
exhaustible fertility, the farmer natural
ly devoted his attention first to the pro
duction of grain, for which there was a
ready market and which could be
produced with least delay. Crude and
wasteful methods were tolerated, be-
cause the unwearied soil yielded abund-
antly with little labor and no fertiliziDg.
Land was plenty, and if the soil began
to wear out, the farmer would always
move further west, to cultivate new land
again after the old methods. Thus ag>
riculture has been sweeping across the
country, so to speak, scratching the sur
face and wastefully exhausting the soil,
but nowhere developing economy of
production, nor giving due attention to
that diversity of labor and of production
which will secure the best results in
the long run. But the advancing set
tier from the East now meets In Monta-
ma the advancing settler from the Paci-
fic coast. The area of unoceupied land
is rapidly narrowing, Enormous dis
tancs from the markets renders the
farmer too dependent on lines of trans+
portation, and too exclusive attention to
the raising of wheat, corn and cotton
places him at the mercy Of foreign mar
kets and governments. The changes of
tariff by Germany and France within
the past year warn the American farmer
that he can no longer afford to neglect
those improvements and developments
of this industry which are necessary to
render it permanently prosperous and
independent.
1t is time to remember that more thor
ough and skillful culture is often the
cheaper; that it costs less per bushel
to raise 25 bushels of wheat to the acre
than to raise Il bushels. 1t is time to
remember, too, that the farmer who has
to employ hands all the year, in order to
have their services during the summer
months only, wastes part of his pro~
ductive force if he fails to so diversity
his industry that his labor may be as far
as possible employed in the winter also.
1t is poor profit that he can get on his
corn when the cropis large and the price
is as low as it is this year. But if he can
add the profits of manufacturer to his
profits as producer, and turn his corn
and other products into hogs and cattle
through the winter months, he will find
both his fields and his pocket enriched.
Every winter consumers pay high prices
for meats, butter, cheese and eggs. be+
cause there are too few farmers who
wisely keep the machinery of produc-
ton running the year round. Yet even
in the older States, where soil is scanty
and most worn, some men of shrewd-
ness and science, by diversified and we'll
distributed industry adapted to the
wants of the community, secure profits
which the great wheat farmers Of the
West cannot in the long run surpass.
Not long age. in scientific association,
a paper was read maintaing that, even
upon New England's stony soil, by rails
ing corn for fodder and buying cotton
seed, beef could be produced cheaper
than in Texas, and in such quantity as
to supply all Eastern markets.
The agriculture of this country has
spread over too many acres already.
What it needs is to bring higher intel
ligence to its aid, and to make each acre
produce far more than before. We have
not yet. begun to realize the productive
capacity of this country, nor shall we
until the farmer makes a manufacturer
of himself part of the year, learns to
make all his months produce wealth for
him, and adapts his industry more to the
permanent and increasing needs of the
home market, so that he may be less de-
pendent on the changes of industry or ef
legislation abroAd-N. Y. Tribune.
GEN. MCCLELLAN fell in love with