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*'Iake Food!" 



Why ia it that provisions, of all descrip- 

 tions, over every part of the United States, 

 are bringing the present high prices? This 

 question is being pressed upon the attention 

 of our people every where. There must be 

 a cause for it, perhaps many causes, and it 

 would be well if we coasidered thera. In 

 the eastern States, the soils, never rich, are 

 are to some extent ext^austed of their fer- 

 tility, and they do not produce as heavy 

 crops as formerly. Agriculture, not paying 

 well, farmers sons have crou'ded into the 

 towns, into the manufactories, into mechan- 

 ics shops and stores and into the profes- 

 sions. There are far more producers than 

 consumers. Good Ijnsiuess times has thrown 

 into their hands means, and they have lived 

 wellj paying such enticing prices for western 

 beef cattle and hogs, that they have drained 

 the west to an alarming extent. In the 

 west, too, men are speculating. There are 

 more loafers in our towns, who make their 

 living by their wits, than was ever known, 

 , and our railroads are employing vast num- 

 bers of men. j\gain the great' emigration 

 from the east to the west, even of farmers, 

 must for some time be greater consumers 

 than producers of food. It is thus, that 

 while the demands for food are increasing, 

 the supplies are not. There is not at this 

 time, food enough produced in the country. 

 We seriously believe this fact — and hence it 

 is that our farmers should do their bebt to 

 produce food. Stocks of cattle, hogs and 

 sheep cannot be raised and grown for market 

 in a moment; and it will be found true, that, 

 do the best the west can, the prices for 

 cattle, hogs and sheep must rule high for 

 years to come. But we can make other 

 food — corn, wheat, rye, potatoes, beans, 

 and so on; and in doing this oar farmers 

 will be well rewarded for their labor. Liv- 

 ing even in the teeming west is high. Wc 

 are now paying ten cents per pound for fresh 

 beef, pork, mutton and veal; $4 60 per 100 

 pounds for wheat flour; 25 to 30 cents for 

 fresh butter; 10 cents per dozen for eggs; 

 $1 15 per bushel for potatoes; 13 cents per 

 pound for ham and clear side bacon; 15 



cents per pound for lard — retail prices. 

 What a contrast with the past? We recol- 

 lect when beef was 2 1-2 to 3 cents per 

 pound; wheat flour from $1 50 to $2 per 

 100 pounds; butter 8 to 10 cents; 5 cents 

 per dozen for eggs; 25 cents per bushel for 

 potatoes; hams 5 cents; meat less; and lard 

 4 and 5 cents. We do not desire to see 

 these old prices again; but we do wish to 

 see such an amount as will reduce the prices 

 so that the purchase of articles of food will 

 be within the . means of every industrious 

 man. At present prices, the most industri- 

 ous laborers do well if they can support their 

 families in comfort. We say to our farmers 

 as we began this article — "Make food! 

 MAKE food!"' 



Crops that can now be Planted. 



The seed for crops required to be planted 

 early, is now in the ground, and, we think, 

 doing well. There are some other crops 

 that even now can be made, which will in' 

 crease the quantity of human food, and the 

 sale of which wilt fill the farmer's purse. 



Potatoes can yet be planted. The best 

 crops of potatoes are often those planted 

 late. Have yon any good land left for this 

 crcp? If so, try and plant it 



Beans for several years past have-brought 

 high prices, and a good article could scarce- 

 ly be had, They are now worth $4 a 

 bushel! Can't this price be reduced, and 

 still the raising of beans be made profitable? 

 They produce 20, 25, and as high as 30 

 bushels to the acre. One dollar a bushel 

 will, in a go^d season, pay a profit to the 

 farmer for raising them. New land on 

 which wheat was winter killed, would be 

 capital for beans. All who can would do 

 well to plant if not a field, a good "patch." 

 Turnips are a good crop for many purposes. 

 They are valuable for stock, and excellent 

 for the table. Sometimes the first sowing 

 is destroyed by the fly. It would therefore 

 be well to sow early, — so that if one sowing 

 should be cut off, another should be tried. 



The Ruta Baga turnip is larger and far 

 richer than the common white turnip. It is 

 better for stock, and most persons greatly 



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