The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1886-01-14
Agricultural.


q
II has been the chief drawback 10 The
progress 81 good farming 10 this country
that ito opposite uss, OF al least appeared
Tor the time to he, more profitable. East
ern fafmsr who have tried improved aud
costiy methods Of farming have been IN
dersold by compcsitors in the far West,
The soil Of which section needed DO ma
nure. and which eonld grow . small crop
II greater profit than the lands Of the
East Suffering ~ eastern farmers have
for years from this drawback, il is not
surprising that they should rejoice some
what II the prospect oiiis discontipnance.
The low prices. which leave no margin, to
eastern growers Of grain. are absolutely
ruinous 10 shoss in western territories
where transportation charges leave little or
nothing 70 the producer. The last crop
Of wheat Melted the Dakota farmer less
than 30 cents per buahel. and II this price
even the man whose land costs nothing,
and who has only the expense Of blowing,
sowing and harvesting, cannot figure out
profit
Happy Ia that farmer. wherever helmsy
be, who can figure profit on his years
production Of any agricultural staple.
He may be reasonably sure that it will
never be cheaper than now. and il be can
market this crop 80 as to make profit,
bis gains will never be lees. But we VEN
ture the assertion that nowhere in the
civilized world is this true except among
farmers whose culture and the fertility o.
whose soil enables them to grow large
crops 1t the smallest expense. When
farmers can grow rs to 40 bushels OF wheat
per acre, they can sell at 81 or under per
bushel and still leave some margin for
profit. They can continue in the business,
while average Of poor farmers whose wheat
crops are Is bushels or less cannot.
Farmers in the eastern states will be OBJ
liged to adopt the English policy Of high |
farming and heavy manuring to compete
with the West II will cost money to do
this, but money invested in improving the
land il safer than anywhere else. II is
often supposed that real estate is under
every condition the safest kind Of invest
ment, but thousands who have loaned
money on western lands within few years
have discovered that this is mistake.
The land robbed Of its fertility has often
scarcely been worth the buildings put
upon it. Every year its production be-
comes less, while the interest charges do
not diminish. II is only question Of
time when the interest charges cannot he
met.
Where, however, the system Of farming
is such that yearly production constantly
increases, then the basis is as financially
sound as it can possibly be, Depression
Of prices such as now exists may make ev'
en- the best farming Improbable for time,
but this depression can. In the nature Of
things, be only temporary. Prices Of
products depressed below cost Of product
ion must necessarily 80 proportionately as
far above it. Then it is that the good
farmer, who is enabled to continue in
business while those around him are OBJ
|iged curtail, will receive bis reward.
We are told that the laborer is worthy
Of his hire. Certainly no man earns his
money more industriously and laborously
han the farmer. and none should de more
pertain Of his reward. 1t may not seem
10 inst at present, when all prices are all
10 low, but in the agricultural strife for
cheapest production, as it is 10 spiritual
warfare, the promise holds good that he
Rho endureth to the end shall be saved.
Finally, in most localities it is only farm
RS who follow improved methods who can
70 endure. American Culicdtor.