Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-11-29
FARMERS AND FARMING.
The Sterling Dignity of tho Tnlers Of the
Asil

soil.
Until within the past few years farmers
and farming have generally been looked
upon with contempt by most people en-
plOyed in other, and, apparently, more
digBfed occupations; but the true worth
of the farmer is gradually being recog-
uizsd, and, in my humble opinion, he
fully deserves all the recognition he can
get-the latest being Cabinet position
for the Commissioner of Agriculture, and
the Hatch bill, apprcpristing money from
the National Treasury TO enable each State
10 carry on experimental work on sgricul-
tuTal questions.
The agricultural press, which has made
such rapid growth in the past twenty or
twenty i've years, has been mighty factor
10 raising the farmer from the low posi-
ton he once cccuDied in the social scale,
and the invention Of labor saving impli-
ments has enabled him to devote more
time to the mental part CT the business, for
a business il has really become, as much
30 ~ stoTekeeping or manufacturing, and
the truly successful farmer of to-day must
be q thorough business man, for the
composition in all his lines of produce is
40 keen, and the field of operations so large
embracing we might say, the whole civil
lizsd world that to secure a profit on his
productions requires constant appliea-
ton of thought, close study of the laws
OF nature, a watchfuluess on the markets
Of the world, and the reduction of all
operations to a Tigid system. He takes
bis chayees on a crop on about the same
basis a sO.csllsd business man dones on a
business venture, or manufacturer in
producing a line of goods He
mbst calculate the cost, allow
FOR contingencies, provide the best ma
chinery, and ind the best markets. The
former that s0ws on poor land, barvests
with the old-fashioned implements and
sells without sny definite idea Of the sup
ply Of, and probable demand for, his pro-
duCe. Is working 81 a great disadvantage
ard more than probable loss. On such
mems pisces the stock is "scrub" in ap-
pearence, receives scrub" care, and yields
''scrub" returns. The fences are decsyed
and hidden By weeds aud briers, buildings
dlspidated, his help Of the poorest kind
snd poorly paid; meals snd work hours IT.
regular, and he, his wife and children par
take Of the generally miserable appearance
Of everything about them. In short, as
on Irish neighbor expressed it, They are
ill-thriyen.n
Now there ne necessity for farmers to
be dirty, lszy and shiftless. They have
an occupation as ennobling as any, and
With due attention they can keep them
selves snd their farms clean and neat and
be as much honored and respected as the
Judge or the banker.
We all know that the net cash returns
of the business are small when con-
pared with others, and l claim that Is hui
the natural result of the excessive con-
petition. So when / hear the advice
given to some person huating an occuDa-
ton to go TO work on the lsnd, feel
/ like exclaiming, Doa't do it, People in
The habit Of giving such advice have no
/ idea Of the amount of labor, both mental
aud physical, required 10 produce dollar
out Of the land. At one time, especially
the fret ten years following the late Re-
| bellion, farming was q pIoii table Oocu-
patton with wheat at $50 to 81 90
per bushtl corn, 75, TO 81 90; wool, 60 10
75e per IN. hogs and cattle to Sc per b.,
/ live weight; bat now with prices aver
aging about one.hs'f Of what they we're
in those days, the profits are slim, aud
nothing but the improved methods and
machinery have saved many farmers from
bankruptcy, so the advice to 90 TO cork
on the land is very poor indeed. Yet, IN
spite of the short profits the American
/ farmer has mary things 10 be thankful
Tor, that should he IeokOned in the ae
c)unt-such as religious and political
freedom-smp'e educational facilities -
good sOciety-snd the comparative free
dom from anxiety aud worry that charac-
terze many OF the occupations. We may
consider this nuhj cot fnriher in Gur next.
TIMOTHY HAYsRED