311] The Condition of the Western Farmer. 33 



he cannot be said to have failed in farming. The fifth had 

 completed his title to a homestead before selling, having been 

 able to do this by taking advantage of the special privileges 

 in time, etc., that the law gave to former soldiers. He had 

 poor health and lacked in energy ; the bad crops quickly dis- 

 couraged him, so that he lost confidence in the country and 

 its resources. Having an opportunity to do so, he willingly 

 sold his farm and returned to his native state of Michigan to 

 work in the more healthful pineries. Thus far, therefore, 

 we find only one man whose departure can in any sense be 

 said to have been caused, or even accelerated, by unfavorable 

 conditions of soil or climate. 



During 1875 prices of grain went higher than ever, owing 

 to the crop failure of the preceding year, corn being sold at 

 over $i a bushel; and this affected the new settler in that in 

 most cases he was compelled to buy grain for his own use. 

 The bad years seem finally to have had their effect on immi- 

 gration, for in 1875 no new settlers entered the township, 

 while five either sold out or abandoned tl\eir claims and left 

 the country. More than this, if we can place any dependence 

 on the tax lists, there were this year but twenty-two persons 

 in the township owning taxable personal property; although 

 the number of persons to whom real estate was assessed had 

 increased from one to thirteen. 



Without considering the following years in such detail, 

 it can be seen by reference to Table I. in what way the num- 

 ber of resident farmers owning their land 1 has changed. 



1 For the purpose of this paper all claimants or contractors will 

 be treated as owners; and in Table I. the acquisition of claims under 

 the land laws, or the making of a contract for the purchase of rail- 

 road lands, is included with the actual purchases under the head of 

 " purchasing," while the alienation of the settlers' interests, either 

 by abandonment or relinquishment of claims, or by assignment or 

 cancellation of railroad contracts, is included under the head of 

 " selling." It must be remembered that especially during the past 

 few years the number of rented farms has constantly increased, 

 and that the table does not show the total number of cultivated 

 farms, but includes only those which have been cultivated by resi- 

 dent owners. It is perhaps needless to add that the figures refer 

 to heads of families, not to individuals, in residence. 



