The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-03
DEGENERATE SEV ENGLAND.
The Abandoned Farms In Thor Relation to
tho Problem of Ment supply.

Tho Abandoned Farms In Thor Relation to
tho Problem of Ment supply.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sr: 1t 10 O.
wel-known fact that In this section OF New
England there are hundreds OF abandoned or
non producing farms. comprising thousands
OF acres OF as good grazing lands as there ara
anywhere. and where seventy-Hve years ago
were produced as good cattle. sheep and horses
as can be raised in any section OF the country4
In those days the farmer made money. all,
though the cost OF transportation was far
greater than at the present time. Then theyt
raised sheep for the wool alone. as few people
eat mutton. Now there 10 u steady demand
for mutton, and wool finds a ready ma rketl
while lambs are marketable at any time.
1t Is argued that stock aud crops can be pros
duced in the West more cheaply than here.
that the climate is better adapted and that
farming being conducted on so large scale
the Eastern farmer is crowded out. This line,
OF argument, to Il certain extent Is all right,
but Is 1t not true that II the farmer in the East
Will live az they are obliged TO in the West he
coT tl make farming pay here' ,,r,. TO-
a quarter to tenth Of what they were formerly
worth. whole townships in some cases are in
the market. good buildings are falling into
abandoned so that II our young men would
turn their attention to the buying VI, of these
larger. holdings OF them. carrying them on:
with the same energy and hard work and self
Of the Vest. they would in few years be ir
good financial condition. and the sections new
lot OF run-out Yankees and worse foreigners.
might be restored to the high conditions that
existed formerly when New England was a
Eastern States there nourished mum berless
educational institutions almost wholly sup-
the hill town homestead OF the olden time havet
nearly %Sn, passed , away
Nation. but at the same time work ed their own
downfall; Whyi Because The education ShsS
farming commanities caused the son sons S' and
daughters to settle in the cities. where living
9 T be easily MADE In
clerkship to the broader and m ore independehA
lie ON the farm. Az the old people paced
work and the farms either passed Into shit
lesS hands so pr were sba ait0gether
owned 81 the farmers themsejvss; but ne
sheep Is it not fact that there is only abouS
liver II fiocks OF sheep were Increased. Allow
Ing that sheep Killing Increased in the same
become tired OF paying tor the damages in-
fieted by the dogs, and increase the dog tax 81
1sry nse hs Be9sr Of s sH shs
sheep industry were revived. would not the
a 3Has sTs use of the shotgun soon remove the
The majority Of the farmers Of this section
nave got into the habit OF selling all the hay
possible from their farms. instead of feeding ID
to stock and putting IL back on the farms in
the shape OF manure. II the farmer will stocN
his farm sufficiently to consume what he prod
duces. and sell the stock instead OF selling the
nay, We should soon see marvellous change I'M
the condition OF the New England farmer. and
at the same time VIC should be able to send q
large additional supply OF cattle to All the
wants OF the large cities. Instead of our farmer
buying Western raised meat for their own uses
they could furnish large part Of the meat con1
sumed by others
Something OF this kind must be done before
the Eastern butchers can become less depen-
dent on the beef barons' trust of the Wesa
They will only waste their time and money I'M
lishment OF the Strengthening business in on
Eastern farmer to cooperate with them,
otherwise they must continue to purchase on
the meat trust. as that monopoly controls tho
beef on the hoof as effectually 1t does tha
refrigerated product.
The meat supply il a question that gets moro
serious every year. and unless the section that
formerly furn shed the meat supply can be-
made to turn their attention to stock raising
again; we shall have to pay Just what the cattle-
men demand. or stop eating meat.
Nhen the writer was n boy. the geUg raphy h0
studied placed New York as first among the
states producing live stock. While II NAV he
impossible to regain that rank again, there In
no doubt that II can raise a great deal more
livestock than IL has for the past twenty years.
generally YANKEE
PITTsFIELD. Mass. Sept. q.