Agriculture and Society in 1860: Farms and Land Use

Notes

Increases in farm production throughout most of the nation’s history had come mainly from the development of new land, but by the late 1800s poor farming practices had depleted nutrients in the soil – and agricultural production and quality began to decline. Previously, farmers had just plowed up new land when this happened, but now they began to push for scientific knowledge to improve agriculture. While most farmers had little understanding of the proper treatment of soil or plants, scientists were making new discoveries that would revolutionize agriculture. The 1887 Hatch Act established agricultural experiment stations in connection with Land Grant Universities in each state (universities that receive federal funding for for agriculture and mechanics research, such as Texas A&M). The State Agricultural Experiment Stations worked to help farmers find practical solutions to agricultural problems. By 1900, machines had drastically reduced the amount of manpower required on farms. This increased productivity freed more Americans to pursue new endeavors in industry and in the arts and sciences. Fewer people and less land could now produce the same amount of food. 4 By 1900, the aver...