Farming

Farming in 1830s

1830

1830
About 250-300 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (5 acres) of wheat with walking plow, brush harrow, hand broadcast of seed, sickle, and flail

Farming in 1840s

1840

1840s
Factory-made agricultural machinery increases farmers' need for cash and encourages commercial farming

Farming in 1850s

1850

About 75-90 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (2 ½ acres) of corn with walking plow, harrow, and hand planting

Farming in 1860

1860

1862-75
Change from hand power to horses characterizes the first American agricultural revolution

Faming in 1870

1870

1870s
Silos and deep-well drilling come into use

Farming 1880

1880

1880
William Deering puts 3,000 twine binders on the market

Farming in 1890

1890

1890s
Agriculture becomes increasingly mechanized and commercialized