The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-11-19

flourish only in an Indifferent way;
mans principal battle would be to get
the bare necessities OF life-its lux
uries would be out OF the question.
The development OF agricultural ma
chinery has so enhanced the produc-
tive power OF the individual farmer
that fully three-fourths Of those who
formerly obtained their living by till
ing the soil now may find profitable
occupation in other vacations.
The economists declare that every
reduction in the cost OF food produc-
ton works Unreasonable benefit TO
the entire race, benefiting in turn
every trade and profession in which
men engage. That the American in
ventor has been able TO effect such a
reduction is shown by the cost of har-
vesting a century ago and now. Ac-
cording TO a reliable compilation OF
figures. TO cut an acre OF wheat with
the old-time sickle, cost $4.95. When
the grain-cradle was brought into SER
vice, the cost of harvesting was re-
duced to $3.50 an acre. The modern
binder reduced that cost TO 1926 an
acre. The big steam harvester-thresh-
ers have lowered IL to fifty cents per
acre. When the Chicago Worlds
Fair was held, a delegation OF foreign
agriculturists was taken TO a big Da-
kota ranch and shown how the Amer
lean wheat crop is harvested at a
smaller cost per bushel than the cost
OF the mere food OF slave labor under
old.time conditions. II is estimated
that II the worlds crops were har-
vested today with cradle, the an
nual additional expense would be
nearly half billion dollars-and that
is taking for granted that IL would De
possible 10 get enough laborers.
The remarkable rise in the use OIL
| farm machinery Is illustrated by the
figures of the Patent ONCE and the
Census. More than $4,000 patents have
been issued on agricultural nipple
ments. and the money value OF farm
machinery and tools in the United
States today is not far from billion
| dollars. With these the farmer has
been able to make his property hold
inRs worth some forty billion dollars
and his annual gross income greater
than the capitalization OF all the trusts
in the land. Even his hens win the
aid OF the incubator and brooder' pro
duce a great revenue than the entire
income OF the governments or SPAIN
and Portugal combined. The farmer
finds that four-hfths OF the manua
labor involved in his calling has been
eliminated by the inventor. With
tank of gasoline he can saw hfty
cords OF wood In a day, and with
milking machine he can milk sixty
cows before breakfast. With modern
wagon leaders, portable elevators
grain shockers. potato diggers, oea'
toppers and leaders, and hundreds o.
other kinds OF machinery TO tighten
his labor. the farmer finds his busl
ness "a calling with the bother let'
out"
The pillow was one OF the first nipple
ments with which the American IN
yentor concerned himself. Ihomas
Jefferson and Daniel Webster both IN
vented improved plows, and when Jet
ferson was not concerned with grave
matters of political Importance. nc
was cogitating the shape or mould
hoard on n pillow. The first pillow
patent in the United States was grant
| cd to Charles Newbold, a New Jer
aey farmer. Il was of cast iron, bu
the farmers concluded that it "soured'
the land and made weeds grow. Al
though he spent $4,000 in missionary
work the farmers still stuck to the
old "bull-tongue" pillow with It's rud'
wooden mouldboard. In 1919 Jetnrc
Wood took .Jefferson's idea and patent
ed a pillow which revolutionized meth
DDS OF breaking the soil. lie dice