Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1889-09-07
Worcester County Farmers.

HcUutuI Dcuuts ~ tutS Cuuuty Wtitcs W
the Baltimore weekly SIN as follows In
regard TO the condition Of the Worcester
county farmers
"As whole, the agricultural community
Is more depressed financially than have
ever known II. The low price oi grain
has caused many farmers to sell their
stock To raise money To pay interest on
loans and incidental expenses. Raising
grain exclusively does not pay In this
county for the labor to produce Il. There
are great many exceptions, however, to
this statement about the general deprcss.
ion. The farmers who pay especial at,en-
ton Ia what are considered the small mat
tiers on the farm are as prosperous as ever.
Some In this community sell as much
poultry and eggs during the year as their
farms would rent for. and many ON not
very large farms lend some money annu-
ally because they raise not only the regu-
lar crops, but raise more than they can
consume Of dairy products, poultry. bacon,
lard, live stock, etc. In fact, the farmers
who raise more than their families con-
sumo of vegetables, fruits and such other
things as have enumerated are ms pros.
porous rs they have ever been. In word.
the man who is always selling little can
get along comfortably, Notwithstanding
high wages and low prices. But prices
are no, low for very many things Lambs
wool, calves, poultry, early vegetables,
hog products and beef lave been high this
year: In fact have not been low since the
war. At the present price Of pork and
corn there is profit in buying corn to raise
hogs. \ few farmers ut present prices
make n little by gram raising, but they aud
their families do the work. do not under
stand me TO depreciaic grian raising. 4
large corn crop Is the basis for almost
everything you raise on the farm, and
every farmer ought To- have that, but IL
ought To be used on the farm and such
things raised US do pay.
~ think another cause Of the financial
depression is the removal Of So many
hitherto prosperous farmers To the towns
aud villages. The large farms are ten.
anted out aud not properly managed In
| fact. the desire TO leave the country for
the towns has made the permanent popu.
latiOn in some localities s0 sparse that il
is difficult TO keep up country churches
and schools The educational and other
advantages II the towns make the young
men avcrsc itSS'iying On farms. The high
schools are well managed. and are filled
with scholars. so much So ms 10 cause III,
small colleges in the State that have re-
ccivcd aid from the State Ia be almost de
pendent upon State aid 10 exist at all.
The farmers are more educated thar
formerly and twice rs many people rea,
the newspapers as did some years ago.
The tariff, of course, Expresses our PEG
pie by increasing the prices ofall they buy
So Of trusts. The sugar trusts at present
are robbing the people severely. The tar
iir affects our people very little IN wha
they sell The fact that people sell So lii
tie in comparison IL wha, they have ih'
opportunity To raise for sale nj payin.
prices Is the cause Of u great deal of III,
financial depression at present.
"a bushcl Of wheat or barrel IT cori
will not buy a. many Of the ncccssnrics al
life rs thirty years ago. hut II great man,
things now raised an farm will bring
twice rs much as they would thirty year,
ago.
Farmers sons are very unwilling I,
live on farms because of the hard work
isolation To some extent from associates
and Inconvenience arisip' d
educational and other pri IL
an extent has the desire for town IL. ..wu
tina, many young men prefer To he clerk,
and gain mere substance than work an
u farm and accumulate. undertake Ia
say that managing young man. willing
10 work on "A farm not too far from steam.
boat or railroad facilities, can accumulate
Upon the old system farming does not paw
Farmers who buy fertilizers to use iol
grain without seeding for grass cannot
succeed. Wheat has paid nothing fol
several years. for as wheat decreases in
price fertilizers are still high, and the nnl,
gain from their use Is 10 get grass, and
many do not sow grass 10 any extent
There are localities in every Eastern
shore county where an energetic, manag
Ing man can buy farm. and il he has III,
capital Ia stock II and pay two.ihiris Oi
Of the purchase money, he can support q
family comfortably. give his children ~
ordinary business education and pay III,
balance an the farm in n short time. To
'lo This, of course, requires n situation ac'
ccSsihlc 10 steamboats, and railroads, and
where The farmer has home market fol
many things that he cannot shin.