In an ever-changing world with so much uncertainty, it is both reassuring and rather depressing that some things appear not to change.

I was reading an old publication on-line the other day and a few comments were of interest. Entitled ‘999 questions with answers upon Agricultural and Horticultural Subjects’ by Burnet Landreth (1895) I was attracted because I spend a lot of my time, professionally, answering questions.

And while the following extracts do not pertain directly to home gardening they did strike me as appropriate. With UK farmers (and presumably in many countries) turning to increased mechanisation because of labour shortages, (in part due to Brexit), higher food prices, concerns over the environment, and criticisms of ‘young people’ not willing to work, these extracts struck me as interesting as well as a snapshot of life in the USA more than a century ago.  I don’t wish to make any political point (I have learned to keep my mouth shut on that) but a few points rang true or were at least interesting, and, in contrast to my usual posts, perhaps of interest. 

Of course this is only one person’s opinions.

Warning – I make a rude reference towards the end that you may find offensive if you live with your little rainbow pony and eat pink marshmallows. I don’t want to shock any one.

On to the extracts

Is the fertility of the land in the old states maintained? (I assume this means the NE states because of the date of publication)

NO: it has decreased. First there being too much dependence placed upon commercial fertilisers, and second, through a want of knowledge of the good old agricultural practices of rotation of crops and green manuring. 

Of course hardly 30 years later the ‘dustbowls’ would ruin farming in many areas. And many today would agree with the comments and their relevance to farming today or at least the recent past.

Do farmers in the old States live better than formerly?

They did much better for fifteen or sixteen years after the war of 1861-1865, but are now, by reason of the agricultural depression, returning to antebellum (before the war – in this case from 1812-1861)  conditions of domestic affairs. 

What are the general causes of the agricultural depression?

It is a condition of things which extends over the entire agricultural world. The cause of overproduction, brought about by the introduction of labor-saving machines and railroad extension, leading to overcropping. The labor of supplying the world with food has been diminished. One man now does the work of fifty.

Why do the young people quit the farm?

Young Americans as a rule are not disposed to engage in the laborious work of a farm: they prefer to embark in commerce or manufactures. 

Remember this was written in 1895!

(In 1890, roughly four of five Americans lived in rural areas. By 1915, only 65 percent were living outside cities. The percentage of farmers in the labor force declined from 58 to 38 percent.)

Has there been a profit to farmers by the development of labor-saving macines?

No; not a profit, only a convenience. The cheapening of farm products by the use of machines has been one of the causes of overproduction, and the prevalent agricultural depression. 

Do the people living in cities generally profit by the low prices brought about by the agricultural depression?

No; for while the raising of Western beef is almost as unprofitable to the herdsmen, the people of the cities pay almost as much as formerly, the profits going to the middle men, who by the use of immense capital drive out all competitors and keep the retail process up. 

And the supermarkets still seem to have the farmers by their dangly bits!

( I was going to say that supermarkets have the farmers over a barrel but the more I thought about it the more I thought it was probably even more offensive in origin)

‘999 questions with answers upon Agricultural and Horticultural Subjects’ by Burnet Landreth 1895 Philadelphia – he was partner in the Landreth Seed Company and chief of the Bureau of Agriculture