313] The Condition of the Western Farmer. 35 



We observe that the number of such owners increased 

 rapidly until '74, at which time there were more owners in 

 residence than there are now; that it then decreased almost 

 as rapidly, owing to the successive crop failures, until '77. 

 With '78 began a new rise in the number of such inhabitants, 

 which progressed steadily, though with a slight break in '81, 

 until '85, when the number of resident owners reached its 

 highest point. For three years longer the number remained 

 almost stationary, but by '89 it had begun to fall again, until 

 now there are hardly more owners in residence than in '73. 



We are able to trace a very close connection between the 

 number of resident owners in the various years and the 

 climatic and crop conditions. 1 The number of such owners 

 increased on the wave of immigration until 1875, but a 

 complete cessation of settlement was caused in that year 

 by the grasshopper pest of the preceding seasons, and, in 

 fact, the same cause was at the basis of the continued 

 decrease in the number of resident owners, which lasted 

 through '77. The crop of 1876, wherever it was not destroyed 

 by grasshoppers, and the crop of '77 throughout the whole 

 state were exceptionally good; and with the good crops 

 came a renewed immigration to the state. Moreover, 

 by 1878 the chances to take government land were pretty 

 thoroughly exhausted, except in those parts of the state in 



1 The connection is so close as to do much to justify the claim 

 that Harrison township is really typical of large sections of coun- 

 try. It will be at once seen that unfavorable general conditions, 

 such as grasshoppers or drouth, have within a year or so after 

 their occurrence almost completely stopped immigration, and that 

 they also drive settlers out of the township; that unfavorable local 

 conditions, such as hail, have not hindered immigration for they 

 are looked on rather as accidents than as properties of the coun- 

 trybut that they have often caused the failure and departure of 

 former resident owners. We may add that unfavorable conditions, 

 whether local or general, cause emigration from the township in 

 two ways: first, by completely discouraging the farmer with his 

 prospects, in which case the full effect may not be seen for several 

 years; or, second, by inflicting on some already heavily burdened 

 settler such a severe loss of crops that further struggle for pros- 

 perity becomes at once impossible. 



