■loiiiftir _ • ~* **-"'
Writ*_ forl_ Indian* Fanaer.
Agronomics—No. 3
BY JOUJf M. STAHL.
I have just been reading an article by
John Gould, in which he states that as he
looks back upon the plans, labors and results of the long ago and compares them
with the methods of to-day, he exclaims,
"Had I known of this way 35 years ago!"
This led me to think of a criticism of
l'rof. Atwater's address delivered before
the National Farmers' Congress, made by
a well-known paper, in comparison with
the views expressed by 1 "resident W. I.
Chamberlain, In bis address before the
same body. Pres. Chamberlain attributed
the agricultural depression in part to overproduction; tbat is, the production of farm
products in excess of the immediate demand from consumers. The question
whether or not, enough is consumed, is
outside of this, l'rof. Atwater stated that
the object of the department which he
represented was to secure and give to the
farmer that information the use of which
would onablo htm to produce more, and at
less cost per quantity. The well-known paper thought that tho two men were tiring in
opposite directions; that one llatly contradicted the other; that ono sought to tell
the farmer how to produce more, while
the other declared that tho farmers had aire uly produced too much; that if I'res.
Chamberlain wero right, then l'rof. Atwater should toll tho farmors how to produce less, not more; and it concluded that
when the doctors so diametrically dis
agreed, both were probably wrong and
should refrain from addressing farmers'
congresses until they know more about
the matter.
This able editor fell into an error that
not a few Intelligent, thoughtful people
do not escape. He and thoy fail to distinguish between the mass and the Individual. They fail to note the fact, well
understood by political economists, that
what may bo applicable to the mass may
not be applicable to those tbat compos.
that mass, individually conslderod; that
what may bo perfectly true of tho individual as a part of a body may not be true of
that person standing alone in liig individual capacity.
The reader may got this idea by considering the acquisition of wealth. A man
may, as an independent individual, increase his wealth without increasing the
wealth . t the social body of which he is
a part. In fact, he may increase his wealth
by methods that will decrease the wealth
of the mass of which he is a part. For example, he conducts a lottery, and thereby
Increases his wealth. But he does not create a cent of value; every dollar by which
be increases his wealth, is drawn from the
■o«ie y of which he is a member. In fact,
by awakening and stimulating the gambling spirit, he induces recklessness and ex
travagance that wastes tho wealth of so
ciety. He can increase his wealth by a
lottery; but the mass can not—thoy could
only draw wealth from ono part to another, while Introducing conditions that
would actually make them poorer; and
yet this samo man might be one of them.
We can no** tho more readily perceive
that what may be true of or applicable
to the production of the individual may
not be true of or applicable to the production of tho mass (society or nation)
of which he is a part. It may be
true, undoubtedly is true, when we consider that many have not had sufficient
food and clothing and shelter, that during
the past few years thore has not been near
so much consumed as there should have
beon; that tho production of farm products has not beon excessive if all had a
proper portion; tbat the absolute amount
of farm products has not been too great.
But it is none the less true, that the relative production  has been too great;  that
more has been produe_, than there has
been a ready call for from consumers; and
that we have been co_f*eilt_ to market
our products under conditions that have
depressed prices. This is what is meant
by overproduction, and itis admitted by
all right, thinking people; also, tbat itdo-
piesses prices, and thst as consumption
gains on production, prices will advance.
It is the operation of tbe law of supply and
demand. Already the relation of supply
to demand, has been changed by short
crop a in some places, and prices have advanced.
While all this ia true, it is equally plain
that whether prices are high or depressed,
the man that produces most economically,
whose products cost him the least, has the
greatest profit. He sells at ths common
price, as great _ that received by the man
whose products have cost more, he has
greater gain than the man Avhose products
cost more. It is true that his increased
production has an influence in depressing
prices, by increasing tho aggregate production; lt depresses the prico ho gets, yet it
does not diminish his relative advantage,
his advantage compared with the man
Whose products havo cost more; both yet
get the samo price. Further, ho makes an
absolute gain; for whilo tho depression of
price is Bharod by tbo productsof tho mass,
henco it is very littlo on each, the gain by
reason of cheaper production, is enjoyed
by his products only, comparatively few,
hence tho'gain much greater than tho
loss. Others will adopt his bottor mothods
until, in time, they aro tho common methods; but if ho keeps ahead, if ho still continues to produ _ at less cost, ho has a
greater prollt, as ho had boforo. It is plain
that urging to do better, more economical
individual offort ls proper enough; wo ad-
dross our appeal, not to a nameless unit of
society, but to an individual. Tlie point
is, that under all conditions, tho man that
produces to tho best advantage has tho
largest profit and in farming ho is tlie man
that produces most, from a given quantity
of land, labor, etc. Thero is a propor province for Individual effort. Tho exceptional man, tho man abovo tho average,
the man ahead of the mass, has the greatest profit. Whether production or consumption leads, tho best farmor is the
most prosperous.
Quincy, 111.
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The Nation's Business aa lt is Viewed.
The volume of business, both domestic
and foreign, continues large beyond precedent and in character prosperous. The
elections interrupted business but littlo
and the result has no perceptible effect
upon trade, though some fear that the extension of manufactures may be checked
by the uncertainty. The monetary situation is practically unchanged. Tho reports from all parts of the country show
that business is large and healthy. lioston wool moro quiet but firm, a good
movement of heavy-woight goods expected at bottor prices. Philadelphia finds
the wool trade less active, the demand being checked by what manufacturers consider extreme prices; the Iron trade a
shade weaker, but rolling mills full of
orders, and tho coal trade hardly up to expectations, with Octolier prices actually
ruling. At Chicago grain receipts equal
last year's; cured meats, butter and hides
show a decrcaso, but dressed beof, lard,
cheese and especially wool increase, and
trade in dry goods, clothing and shoes exceed last year's. At St. I_ uis trade is rallying again; at Cincinnati it is encouraging, tho tobacco trade improving; at
Pittsburg iron is rather depressed, but
the glass trade is fair; at Cleveland business is good, though in clothing dull, and
at Detroit there is healthy activity. Xo
change is noted at Milwaukee except tbat
warm weather checks the sale of winter
goods. At Omaha and at St. Paul business
is excellent,  aud  fairly active at Kansas
City. New Orleans reports a larger t rado
than a year ago, liberal receipts of cotton
and sugar and a good outlook. At Memphis and Savannah trade is sound and
prospects bright.
Iron is weaker here for Southern and
Bessamer is weaker at Pittsburg, but at
Philadelphia revised quotations are ">IS
and upward for standard Pennsylvania,
$17 and upward for standard Southern and
$15 for neutral forge. More enquiry for
rails ia seen. Bar mills are not so full of
orders as they were, but structural and
plate works are busy. Tho textile manufactures are all active and with improved
prospects. Tin Is weaker at $21 35 and
lead at ..(_j 20, and copper is sold by outside parties at }1<> 75.
Foreign trade in October, will surpass
that of any other month in tho history of
the country, for tho exports from Now
York show a gain of (-,000,000, indicating
an aggregate of inure than $105,000,000 for
the country, and imports also show an increase of about £'.1,000,000, indicating an aggregate scarcely exceeded if at all in any
month. Tho money market hero has been
active at about six per cont, iho treasury
having added ?1 ,<.Xi7,5:.2 to the circulation
of silver during tho weok, but otherwise
having paid out only as much monoy as it
has taken in.
Al lioston the market is strong, at Philadelphia firm, at six to soven por cont, with
largo demand for discounts; at Chicago
close with an advance in rat as of exchange
the tightness being duo to Increase, of business, and at Si. I. uis tho market Is strong
at 7(_s por cont. Now Orleans reports an
e_!or markot, but at must western centers,
tho demand is sharp, whilo out-side of such
centers, tho markot is comparatively easy,
Horo it is noted that tho demand for rediscounts is unusually largo. Hut tho reports
as to collections aro again much moro favorablo than usual, complaints of slowness
being almost unknown. Tho spoculativo
markots aro lower, wh_t, two and one-
half conts; cotton, llvoslxtoonth of a cont;
coffee, one and one-half conts, and corn
and lard a fraction. Silver has fallen to
. 0_ conts por ounce, and sugar is also
lower, refined having declined one-eight
of a cont. Tho business failures occuring
throughout tho country during tho last
seven days number 215, as compared with
-.18 last week. Forthecorresponding woek
of last year, the figures were 207.—It. tl.
Dunn & Co.'s Weekly Trado Kevlow,
Nov. 7th.
A Farmers' Beading Circle.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
It is difficult to fully estimate tho good
which might bo accomplished by a reading
circle properly conducted.
It would furnish an incentive to many
to cultivate in themselves the art of good
reading. That this is entirely too much
neglected, that thero are too few really
good readers is a deplorable fact, and yet
thero is no acquisition which can bo made
a greater power for good than this. Itadds
greatly to the value of all other accomplishments. It increases a person's capacity for enjoyment, as woll as hisjpower
to promote tho enjoyment of his associates.
I beleive that such a courso of study as
has been iudicated in previous articles, if
attentively pursued, would increase the
usefulness of Farmers' Instltutes^and tho
meetings of Farmers' Associations everywhere. At the township or neighborhood
meotings, questions would bo likely to
'come up which havo been discussed at tho
Institute-", and those who aro not. in tho
habit of attending Institutes would find
that they are missing golden opportunities for improvement; and thoso who do
attend the Institutes would increase their
own efficiency by this systematic study,
so that they would be ablo to make theso
gatherings more helpful to all those whom
they are intended to benefit.
The local meetings could be mado tho
means of the social improvement of many
farmers' homes and families. Our social
faculties wero given to us for exercise and
cultivation. They need to bo trained and
cultivated just as much as any other of
the mental powers. Thoy need to bo directed into the proper sphere of their
activity, for right and propor exercise is
their normal condition. The fact that tho
farmers' sons and daughters have not enjoyed better soci. 1 privileges and opportunities has often been cited as ono of tho
causes why they are _o anxious to leave
the farm.
At present the farmers manifest too little interest in these matters. Too many
of them think that to raise "corn and hogs
and hogs and corn" is the chief ond and
aim of their living. They pride themselves upon their succesi in raising good
crops and improved stock; they nevor
grow woary of talking about their fino
horses and cattlo and sheep, but they fall
to realize that theso all dwindle into insignificance, in comparison with tho improvement and culture of themselves and
their families.
I havo sometimes thought, tbat tho one
groal requisite, tho only thing to be desired abovo all el_, is an effort to improve
tho social conditions of our rural neighborhood. But in order to effect this improvement, thero must be intellectual advancement, at* well. Tho Beading Circlo
will furnish opportunities for both. It will
unite in many individuals, tho disposition
to cultivate in thoniselves, those qualities
and accomplishments which contribute
tho mo . puro and refined ploasuro not
only to themselves, but to thoso with
whom thoy aro brought in contact. If tho
Heading Circlo should bo instrumental in
accomplishing this ono thing and nothing
olso it would certainly bo worthy of all
tho effort that will bo required to effect its
organization. But this is only one of tho
many ways in which it will bo beneficial.
It was with great interest that I read the
articlo in tho Faumkii, by tho editor and
by Mrs. Meredith. Thoso brief articles
havo suggested many new ideas, and I
hopo that wo may hoar from others, in
ovory woek's issuo of the Fahmeu, until
all its readers are interested in tho worthy
project. It is only by a full and free discussion, that all its various phases can be
brought to notice. I_e t tho good work*go
on. H, S. Babthoi_mew,
Middlebury.
Look Aiter tiik Ma_h**_ No animal
except tho sheep drops its manure so that
it doos not need breaking to pieces for
moro even distribution over the soil. Even
tho sheep will huddle together at night,
and drop thoir manure too much in one
place; but this is usually on the highest
part of the field that generally most needs
to bo fertilized. An exchango suggests to
farmers that wherever cattle and horses
have pastured during summer, tbo clods
of manuro they have scattered over tho
surfaco should be broken up in the fall.
This uncovers tho grass that is smothered
beneath them, and at the same time releases the manuro for use ou a wider area,
whero it will be carried down to grass roots
by rains and melting snows, and will result In a larger and more^vigorous growth
next season.
Almost all of us live by roads where five
minutes' work with pick and shovel put
in at the right place, will save an hour's
or a day's work after the water has gullied or undermined the highway. It is so
easy to put a shovel in the wagon as you
start for town, and to jump off where you
boo tho mischief-making stream straying from its proper gutter. Fill the chuck-
holo, and you will find pleasure every
time you pass it to think you've made
everybody's path a little smoother as well
as your own.—Pacific Kural Press.