News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1901-12-18
The Paradise of the Farmer.

Notwithstanding the amazing pro-
gress that has been made in other in
dustries, the United States continues
to surpass all other countries in the
extent and variety of it's agricultural
resources. The census shows that we
are now turning out annually $751;
000,000,000 in manufacturing pro-
ducts. These stupendous figures can
not be matched-noteven approached
elsewhere. This wonderful develop
ment has helped along the farmer,
for it aids him in two ways: 1t gives
him a home market for the things he
raises from the soil and it provides
him with the cheapened facilities he
needs for the effective and economical
prosecution of his work.
Leslie's Weekly truthfully calls the
United States 1.-The Paradise of the
Farmer" An extract from it's col
umns emphasizes the truth:
Forty per cent of our people are farmers,
who not only feed and clothe themselves but
all the rest of the inhabitants, besides export
ing annually 81 900, 900 900 worth of their
States farmer have been shown most wildly
this fall. Though many crops we're smaller
than usual, yet our farmers will realize more
than in any previous year of our history.
The prosperity of the people, the splendid
means of lake and railway transportation,
with low freight rates, combined with a rise
in values for short crops and staple prices
for full crops, mean more to the farmer than
they have ever meant before.
Hprp again ia the ADVANTAGE of diVnrsih-
cation shown. We are not a wheat-raising
country nor a wooEgrowing people, nor are
we exclusively devoted to corn or cotton,
hay or oats. A damage to one or even sew
eral crops is not rational disaster, as it is
made up in the value of the whole. II the
Russian wheat or Rye crop fails there is
famine. Il the German beet is damaged the
whole country suffers if the Australian wool
prices fall there is CONSERVATION throughout
the island So it is in Austria, Argentina aud
to some extent in France.
We number less than five per cent OF the
worlds inhabitants, yet we produce seventy
eight per cent OF the cotton, seventy-five per
cent of the corn, thirty per cent of the wheat,
twenty.siX per cent of the oats, twenty six
per cent of the hay, thirty Height per cent of
the meat, twenty-seven per cent OF the butter
and cheese, fifty per cent of the eggs, twelve
per cent of the wool, and so on. OF the
worlds total agricultural product we raise
nearly if not quite fifty per cent.
In surveying the advantages en-
joyed by the United States because
OF it's geographical location and the
extraordinary diversity of it's pro-
ducts the Importance of it's agricul-
tural interests comes into striking
prominence. There is not equal pros
perity in all branches and all regions.
The farmer of the Eastern states has
for some years past had "a hard row
to hoe" His Western brother has
had the advantage of him with a
new and fertile soil and the relatively
low cost of production. But the
Eastern man is learning a lesson. He
has found out that if there are some
things he cannot do at profit there
are other kinds of work that pay
we'll. He canDot grow wheat or raise
cattle on the scale permitted by the
big and breezy West. He can, how
ever, produce large variety of arti.
Giles which find ready sale at fair
prices right at home or in nearby
markets, andak is adapting himself
to the situation with the readiness
characteristic of the American under
all circumstances.
Meanwhile, life in the country is be.
coming more enjoyable. Trolley lines
run everywhere, giving the farmer
quick transportation to town and
allowing his family ready and com
Portable means of transit, thus in
creasing the pleasures and POSSIBLE
tiles of social intercourse. The mails
are now Brought daily right to the
doors of thousands of farmers, anC
free rural delivery is spreading il
every direction. Good roads are multi
plying. The conditions of country lift
are constantly improving. And every
body is glad it is SO, for the farmer il
the back bone of the country, and il
his prosperity and contentzent II
largely bound up the welfare of tn,
entire community.-TrOy Times,