Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-21
THE. FARMERS PRIDE.
Are Tutti-Frutti, Progressive Euchre
and LaceS Running Him?
SUGGESTIVE COMPARISONS GIVEN
As Result of Testimony That it Costs
$500 a Head on Farm.
THE LAND WON'T YIELD IT ORDINARILY

tsIs farming a failure" in Allegheny
county? has often been asked and gener-
allv answered in the affirmative. The an
swer has puzzled many people, and the ex-
plaustion rendered has generally been a
compound one, that competition with local
ities that could get stuff in earlier than it
could be grown here, and at but little more
cost for 2, 900 miles transportation than for
ten, had done the business, first, by getting
it in earlier and taking the wire edge of
appetite; and secondly, by farming land as
sessed at S. or $40 an acre, while here it is
assessed at $50 to $500 an acre.
Strange things happen in these days of
upset-preconcieved ideas, opinions and
methods. The great and only Napoleon
thought he had said something when he in
formed his army, standing in the shadow of
the pyramids, that 40 centuries looked
down on them. But Napoleon never
dreamed that Al centuries in the shadow of
the same pyramids would look down upon
game of baseball, played bT an American
team. What the mighty Anson might
have said had he made a speech, it is
DIFFICULT TO CONJECTURE,
but though the reader may not perceive much
conference of reason in the parallel, il may
serve to introduce one reason why farming
does not pay in Allegheny county. That
reason seems to be that the standard of living
is set higher-much higher-than in farming
communities generally while receipts have not
kept pace.
Judge Hawkins listened to testimony the
other day in the Orphans Court on the subject
of cost of living on Allegheny county farms,
and it was developed that there was a vast
variety of opinion the subject. A lady,
widow, was the plaintiff, and some of her wit
nesses testified that their family expenses
amounted to $500 a head annually. Some other
of her witnesses, however, thought this steep
figure, and on the other side witnesses testified
that they had known women to live well, and
even save money, on dover of 500 year and
free rent
But the question is interesting as a solution
of the other question, Is farming in Allegheny
comfy failure? The farming population is,
as a rule, prolific, and eight to a family is not
at all uncommon. On a farm of 100 acres,
valued at $50 an acre. there must necessarily be
capitalization of $1,000. Hay is said to be
about the most remunerative crop that a farmer
in this county can cultivate, unless he be so
situated that he can garden with profit, and
but few can.
JUST IMAGINE IT.
Two tons of timothy TO the acre are large
average crop, one year with another Suppose
a family of eight were to harvest and haul this
hay to market themselves, they would just
realize at SIS a ton, full average price-S30 900
gross. Out of this must come fully per cent
for taxes, So Then there would be insurance,
say $40 year. repairs, 500 a year, and fertil-
izer at least 500 year more to keep that land
in even moderately good condition, which
would leave but s220 for interest on s., ,OO0 This
is on a basis of full crop; but every farmer
knows that on such a farm at least every three
years there would be so per cent failure of
crop, so that on such year there would be net
deficit in the family budget of $780, or more
than the profits Of four years.
There is evidently an error somewhere and it
must be IN the over-rating of family expenses,
for it is well known that some farmers not only
feed and clothe their families comfortably, but
store up money beside. Come to think of it,
an expenditure of s., 800 in the country would
produce the equal of one of 400 year in
the city. Farmers are evidently becoming too
proud stomached for the safety of a republic.
Tutti-frutti progressive euchre, silk laces and
jewelry, and season box at the opera may
eventually be classed as necessities in the
farmers family. but not likely before the open
ing Of the twentieth century.