Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-31
PRoGREss ~ FARMING.
what the TiiIerS OF the Soil Have
Accomplished.
philadelphia Record)

With the opening OF the new year and
the approach Of spring the farmer viii
find himself buster than at any other
time before the ground is ready, and
among the most important matters to be
considered IS the Improvement Of the live
stock and the varieties Of crops. 1t mas
been demonstrated IN the past that as
many improvements have taken place on
the farms as In the workshops, though
differing in forms and methods, and the
farmer stands as high In the line Of pro-
gress ne do those I'm other 0vocations.
The horse IS made 20 do duty in several
capacities. and breeding has produced
severay varieties. each adapted for speed
or draft as occasion requires. Cattle
have. been greatly improved within the
past half-century, each breed being cassi-
fled for certain duties. The COW IS no
longer an animal for producing milk az
the class that cNcels in milk production
may not prove superior for butter pro-
duction. It Is the same with sheep. swine
and poultry also, for the farmer can now
select what he desires as a farm animal
Breeding has separated each from the
other and given one and all characteris-
ties which have been secured by patient
and careful selection from the best. But
for the work OF the breeders and farmers
who have made such wonderful progress
with the breeds of live stock, the wealth
Of this country would be much less than
that tho Advancement OF a nation can
be noticed IN the success Of its farmers
with live stock. The live stock Of to-day
shows that our farmers have kept pace
with the progress Of the age. The cattle
horses, sheep and swine OF the present
differ widely from those existing I'm the
year 1900, and the condition OF the farms
has improved with the stock.
Since the year 1900 there have also been
many wonderful changes I'm the varieties
Of fruits and vegetables The tomato
cauliiiOwer, celery, satisfy and other we'll
known vegetables were not i'm existence
as articles Of food. The cabbage was a
sOft-headed plant, known Is "cOlard"
the carrot was but a small root. and the
beet and turnip were almost Insignificant.
The list Of fruits and vegetables has been
50 extended as 70 give almost an unlim-
tied variety. The fox grape was king IN
this country I'm 1900 ana the Concord,
CataWba. Delaware. Niagara and other
varieties We're produced from IL. The
blackberry. which grew along the road
sides and bitches, has been brought into
the garden and fields. while the Wild
strawberry has been converted from an
insif hiicant berry into varieties which
bear but little resemblance 90 the original
Apples. peaches, pears, ounces, piums,
berries have also been greatly improved
ana modlhed, so much 50 That IT one llV-
ing a hundred years ago could be brought
back to lie he would be unable 20 recOg-
spection. There has been no chance" I'm
the Improvements made. Not a single
breed Of animals or variety Of fruits or
vegetables has been brought forward that
was not the asult Of skin and industry.
and only a comparison with those exist
ing in the past (Which Is impOssible) will
demonstrate what the farmer has done.
Others may have invented labor-saving
implements for his use and he has been
forced 20 dispence with the spinning
wheel, the loom and other appliances
now unknown on the farm, but in his
lines the farmer has walked Side BY side
with the inventors, ana with eacn new
discovery on their part he can point 10
a corresponding Improvement on the farm
as the result Of his skill.
PROGRESS IN CULTIVATION.
With what may have been done iu the
past there IS yet more 20 do on the farm.
In the year 1900 the farmer knew nothing
OF artificial fertilizers. lie did not even
understand how ID feed for best results;
i'm fact, he considered IL economical 20
turn his live stock into the W0cds that
each animal should seek It's food. The
sunny side Of q barn was warm shelter
and the OK did more service thaui.f.e
horse. The list OF fruits was very short
and the mulberry was regarded as entltl-
cd 10 a place among the fruits. the wal
nut hickOrynut, chestnut and persimmOn
holding high places IN the affections az
the young people. The roads We're fear
ful. and the shipping of produce TO mar
ket was very difficult Live stock went
10 market ION The lOOf" and turkeys
were driven I'm large droves hundreds or
miles. The farmer now understands the
use Of fertilizers and plant foods, and he
actually employs the bacteria of the soil
to increase his yields Of crops and put
bacteria into his cream TO make the pro-
per butter flavor. II is no eXaggeratlOn
TO state that bacteria is sold 60 farmers
10 be used for different purposes, and be-
fore another decade has passed the far
ner will probably be master of The
drought and be In position TO control
the moisture supply. What IS more in
favor OF the farmer as compared with
inventors Of machinery is that he had
no. patent laws 10 protect him. His Inn
proements passed ont Of his hands and
became public property as soon as his
work was finished and the only reward
he could secure was to make quick sales
the first year, as competitors met him
the next with his own weapons. Great
fortunes have encouraged inventors. put
the farmers work has been done without
hope of any reward other then That
which could be derived from the farm.