PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 253 



country, is generally admitted to have been almost entirely 

 reaped by machine reapers. One great scene, 100 machines 

 were in action at one time. 



We anticipate a near period in which new machines, now un- 

 invented, will perform farm labor which will exceed in amount 

 that of 100 men, and all the men will be indispensable to take 

 care of the crops. 



Some political economists have written against machines, as 

 rendering human hands useless. Crowds of artisans have re- 

 belled against machines doing their work But machines have 

 no ears — they work away, and at last the crowd finds itself 

 better off than ever before. The steam engine ia Great Britain 

 does the hand Avork of 400 millions of men, and yet multiply 

 clothing and food more plentiful. The deaths and famine and 

 nakedness of millions in past ages have fled. It is a question of 

 power, and whether plowing the land or plowing the sea, whether 

 digging the ground, the coal mine, or those of the gold, silver 

 and copper, machinery is the only power. 



Before the machine, the United States paid 25 to 30 cents for 

 a yard of cotton sheeting, which, from its wretched character as 

 hum-hum, would not sell now for three cents. Now an excellent, 

 strong, fine shirting is made by millions of pieces, and retailed at 

 six cents a yard, and enough is made here to shirt the human race, 



Solon Robinson. — It is a fact that harvest hands are in much 

 greater demand than they were before the harvesting machines 

 were brought into the field. This will continue to be the case 

 until some other inventors are induced by the demand to invent 

 other machines far ahead of our present ones. "We have sowing 

 •machines, reaping machines, threshing machines, winnowing ma- 

 chines, and yet the demand for labor increases. 



RENOVATING PEACH TREES. 



Mr. Doubleday said his remedy for peach grubs is boiling ley 

 of wood ashes poured on the roots in the spring. 



USE OF PLASTER. 



Mr. D. also urged farmers to use more plaster in stables, and 

 upon all putrescent manures. 



MINNESOTA WHEAT. 



Solon Robinson read the following letter from Washington 

 city, from the Hon. W. C. Dodge, which is worthy of attention 

 by all wheat-growing farmers. He says : 



