The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-31

1 tentlOn ana won the admiration OF the
whole world Nowhere else on the
American continent were a people ever
literally compelled to wrest from the
soil every article Of food as were the
Utah pioneers. Practically cut off from
all other sources of supply, there was
no alternative, and the early inhabit-
ants of these valleys were driven back
to Eden" and they learned of the mar.
velous riches slumbering in the bosom
of Mother Earth.
Such remarkable success and such
varied productions as attended the eff
forts of the pioneers could not fail to
attract the attention of the outside
world Students of social science. as
we'll as specialists in agriculture, have
| written of the beauty and the utilitar-
| ianiSm of the Utah plan OF diversi-
fed farming. 1t was this comprehen-
sive, all-embracing system of agricul-
ture that enabled the settlers to exist
and to even become prosperous long
before the hidden treasures of the hills
were brought forth to attract the seek
er after fortune.
1t was this rural and pastoral life
that implanted that love for home and
| its environments which characteriZes
the youth of Utah and draws them
back like a, magnet from all wander
| ings. however distant.
Agricultural, pursuits make home
|
not present a better exemplification of
this fact than is found in the attach
ment of Utah people to the spot where
for fifty years they have been able to
produce all the material comforts OF
/ life.
| So satisfying have been the results
| and so complete the independence at
tanned by the practice of diversified
farming in the past that it is difficult
| for the present tillers of the soil to
realize that the situation and conditions
prevailing now demand a departure
from the old plan. Whereas, the first
settler must of necessity harvest his
| own bread each year, provide wool for
his own clothing, dig his own potatoes
and secure his own hay, or face the
absolute certainty of going without
these necessaries, today the farmer in
Utah may safely count on raising none
of these articles if through the produc-
ton of some other special crop he re-
Allies the money with which to pur-
chase those staples from neighbor.
Special Lines.
1t is no reflection upon the farmers
of the past nor on the plan of diversi-
fled farming that has sustained this re-
gion for so many years, to say that the
successful farmer in the future will be
he who follows some special branch in
agriculture. Improved means of trans
pOIl u Will Tic
outside world; vastly multiplied avoca-
tons consequent upon the growth in
population and the development of the
mineral resources; a more intimate ac-
quaintance with the character and ca
pabilities of the soil in different loca-
tons; the more exacting demands of
cosmopolitan population, consisting
largely of the non-producing element
these are the conditions which inexor-
ably demand attention to the principle
of political economy known as division
Of labor.
( Thus opens the way clearly for the
specialist in every line of agricultural
pursuit. Thanks to the energy and
foresight of the pioneers. it has been
demonstrated that practically every
line of farming may be made profitable. !
1t now remains for the Utah farmer
to adopt some special branch of the |.
science and to succeed therein even be-
yond the remarkable results attained
by his forefathers.
The sugar factories demand that the
beet grower be specialist in order |
to produce the best beet for sugar and |
to derive the greatest revenue from |
each cultivated acre. The numerous |
creameries make it essential that the |
farmer who would enjoy profits from |
his COWS shall give special attention to
the breeding, feeding, shelter and milk
ing Of his herd. Canning factories !,
scattered throughout the state furnish |
incentive to hundreds of small farm |
erS to concentrate their efforts in the |
line of production of the finer veseta- |
bles. The ever-increasing population Of
the Weather class in the cities call for !
superior grade of vegetables and /
produce for the table. so that the farm .
er with an untidy lot can no longer |
compete with the professional gardener !
who caters 10 the whims of his fastidi |
Gus customers. The small f1ocks of /
sheep that were formerly on every |
wool industry of Utah is controlled |
today by few men who are special
lists in their line.
Horticulture a Speciality.
And so we come to consider horticul-
ture in the light of a speciality in the
broad field of agriculture. If special
thought and preparation and energy
are prerequisites to success in the nu
merous lines above mentioned, infinite
ly more SO is the demand for exclusive
attention to the orchard.
If certain and satisfactory profits
await the concentration of effort in
other pursuits, equally certain and sat
isfactory are the returns from fruit
culture. The extensive sheep owner
who divides his time between his fiocks.
his garden, wheat farm and potato
pdlCllf SOOHcI VI ldlcl ICtOIQS lOSSeS. |
So with the dairyman who regards his
cows only as a side issue to be looked
after by ''the women and the boys"
While the Utah pioneers demonstrate
ed the perfect adaptation of Utah soil
and climate to the production of every
variety Of the standard and small fruits
and established an enviable reputation
for such products, it must be admitted
that the present generation of farmers
have allowed the glory and excellence
Of Utah fruits to depart, simply
through neglect This loss of
is directly chargeable
to the system of. general farm
ing which SO divided the
lime and attention of the farmer as to
result in neglect of the orchard. The
truth of this assertion is found in the
fact that a few exceptions are known
where orchards that were planted forty
years ago are still producing annual
crops of choicest fruits because
through all the years special care and
culture have been devoted to the trees
of the many younger
planted during the past :
twenty years, not one that has received
proper care has failed to sustain the
'ormer reputation of Utah fruits and
20 return a competency to the owner
Unfortunately the original orchards
n a wofully neglected condition are
still permitted to stand and the in !
,erior fruit therefrom appears in the I