XII. MARKETING FARM PRODUCTS 170

A LIVING FROM THE LAND

_Chapter_ I

TURNING FROM THE CITY TO THE COUNTRY

America was founded on the rock base of agriculture. The early settlers
tilled the soil and derived from it the simple things that they needed.
Necessity compelled them to be self-reliant, courageous and resourceful.
The establishment of a home in early days meant the clearing of land, the
erection of a house for human habitation and the building of shelters for
a few farm animals. Each farm home became practically self-sufficient so
far as the family needs were concerned. Clothing was made there for each
member of the family. After clearing and subduing the land, the settlers
were able to produce their cereal foods. Animals were slaughtered and the
meat processed to provide sustenance throughout the year. Through the
exchange of commodities and ideas with neighbors, advances in living
conditions were made.

The family that was not resourceful in those days failed to survive.
Neighbors were too busy working out their own existence problems to
succor the incompetent. Resourcefulness was called upon in meeting
onslaughts of beasts or human marauders. Thus there was built up a
tradition of seeking and utilizing resources that has gone on to make our
country great and the wonder of the rest of the world.

Since pioneer days we have built a great industrial, commercial and
financial machine. American inventive genius, coupled with the best brains
of the civilized world, attracted by resources and opportunities on every
hand, has invaded every field and created a great industrial
superstructure.

With the genesis and development of a great industrial era in the United
States there started a movement of population from farms to established
centers of population. The application of the sciences to the problems of
filling human wants gave this movement greater impetus. Mining and the
refining of metal ores, the exploiting of coal deposits, the building of
railroads, the construction of buildings for business and residential
purposes, as well as dozens of other great enterprises, served to draw
from the country the best of its human resources.

Inventive genius began to concentrate on the solution of engineering and
construction problems created by congestion of population and successive
steps in industrialization. This same technical genius was applied also to
farm operations whic