Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-04-06
CHANGE IN THE
FARMERS LIFE
Making a Living" Idea Has D.
veloped Into a Money
Making Fact"

A few years ago-and not 30 many
1T that-most farmers we're satfsQe4
II they saw ahead Of them the 0ppog>
tunity to make fair living, reason
able competence in their failing yearA
and an assurance Of an existence foe
their families. They worked hard.
and titled their acres with this end h
view. Honest struggle, earnest q.
fort and true conception Of uprighe
manhood. together with the increas'
Ing knowledge that upon The fruits q
their endeavor rested the structure a
the world, whose people had to be fe9
and maintained. Economy in method.
improved conditions Of working, have
added to the farmers possibilities, ana
today instead of being a plodder for
an existence, which his early training
had bred into him, he has become tho
bulwark of the nation, and, as such.
has become elevated to position
where his word and his work are rec
ognized as the factors it was always
intended they should be. He Is now
the man Of business-0f big business
He has forced an appreciation OF hle
work. and the true value has been
placed upon it. The big men OF the
country today are the farmers, VINO.
with business acumen and forensic
f0rethought are able to tell y0u-from
their bOOks-what it costs to pr0duco
bushel of wheat or pound OF WOOL
All of which is intended to prove
that farming is a business, as much
as banking or selling suit of cl0the2
It is an industrial business, with moro
certain profits than accompany any
other line of trade. It is a manufac.
turing enterprise, devoid Of any Of tho
dangers that the frills of fashions
follies and desires force upon ordinary
pursuits. Food Is something that al
must have and the farmer produces IL
The cheaper it can be produced the leso
will be the cost to the consumer. Ana
this is one of the chief thoughts Of the
farmer. Within the memory Of tho
ten-year-old boy there have been i'm
provements in machinery, changes In
methods, scientific discoveries of chem
icals as adapted to agriculture, all q
which have lessened cost Of production
and made possible the cultivation OF
increased acres. In some parts these
things have brought about more intenr
sified agriculture, growing heavier
crops on less acres. Improved machinr
cry and demand for greater Productions
have led another class in search Il
larger areas, where their ability may
cope with the growing of a greater
number of bushels. That is one of the
reasons why Western Canada lands
have recently come into such demand
These, at from twenty to thirty doe.
lars an acre, and producing the pro-
digious crops that are claimed for
them, have attracted thousands a
American settlers. while other thou
sands have gone out into the lands h
the Western states. But, as to the Can
ada lands, there is this to say Of them.
today they are cheap, and If they win
yield sufficient In one year to pay the
cost of the entire purchase, why should
not there be a demand. The country
is we'll settled. and settlement is In.
creasing. AS evidence of the growth
of the three Western Provinces into
whose territories the Canadian Govern
ment invites settlers, recent reports
show the following increases from 1919
to 1917 inclusive:
Value of Field Crops
1913 1917
Manitoba IS 64,557,O0 $137, 49, $50
Saskatchewan 129,376,OOO 349, 4S8,200
Alberta 90. 46,712,OOO 176,985.000