Farming after 1876 Flashcards
What name was given to the experimental technique that aimed to conserve water in the soil?
Dry farming
How did dry farming prepare the soil?
It trapped rainwater under the surface, promoting strong root growth
What stopped dry farming from becoming more popular in the 1890s?
Severe droughts
What problems did the windpumps of the 1880s help to solve?
Requiring maintenance every few days (now needed oiling just once a year)
Failing to stand up to storms (steel blades and towers replaced wood)
What was used in the windpumps of the 1880s to maximise the amount of water pumped?
Sophisticated geared mechanisms and larger blades
What problems with barbed wire had been resolved by the 1880s?
Rusting quickly and breaking
What impact did new production methods have on barbed wire in the 1880s?
Made it cheaper
What was developed in the 1880s to plough the soil very deeply?
Improved steel ploughs
What was developed in the 1880s to plant seeds deeply?
Seed drills which automatically planted seeds at the correct depth
What impact did mechanisation have on farming in the 1880s?
Expanded homesteads as farming became faster, more efficient and more productive
What impact did mechanisation of agriculture have on industry in the 1880s?
As farmers became more successful, they brought more industrial products, which boosted US industry
What impact did machinery in agriculture have on the number of workers?
Reduced the number of workers
How much money did William Deering’s company make in 1880 from producing harvesting machines?
$400,000
In the 1880s, particular regions began to specialise in particular products - give two examples
California produced beans, fruit, wine and sugar
Texas produced cotton
