publications

Agricultural Prospects in 1859

Letters to the Nebraska Farmer



The first issue of Robert W. Furnas’s Nebraska Farmer was published in October of 1859 in Brownville. Furnas (who had established the Nebraska Advertiser, also at Brownville, in 1856) asked for contributions from farmers, mechanics, educators, and “every lady in Nebraska and adjacent thereto,” and included several letters in the first issue.



T. N. S. of Nemaha Valley noted in his letter dated September 6, 1859: “Nebraska is destined to be an agricultural State of no little importance. Look at her soil, her water privileges, her climate, and her central location in the great nation. Then look at her success against every adversity: drouth, excessive rains, early and late frosts, careless and slovenly farming; and see her prodigious crops. Where is the country that can compare with it, in furnishing the emigrant with a happy home?



“All branches of agriculture do well here, corn, wheat and oats yield abundantly; rye has been tried with the best of results. I have succeeded beyond my fondest expectations in raising flax and tobacco the present season. Rye, barley, hemp, flax, and tobacco, should become leading branches in our farm crops, as it is certain it will not pay to raise corn and wheat to ship. Wheat, this year, although the yield was abundant will not pay expenses; corn will probably be the same now and forever, unless we feed it to stock.



“Perhaps a little of the improvements of the Nemaha Valley may interest some of your readers. In January 1857 I located six miles southwest of Brownville. Then all around was one uncultivated prairie[;] there was perhaps fifty or sixty acres broken within two miles of me, but no house in sight. Now there are hundreds of acres in sight in a high state of cultivation, with a surplus of several hundred bushels of wheat, and several thousand bushels of corn. So much for the improvements of the Valley. Other places perhaps have done as well.



“But in one thing we are sadly lacking, we have learned to raise weeds faster than we have grain. We felt secure of good crops without much labor, and we got not only good crops of grain, but weeds also. We must redeem ourselves, plant and sow a little less, and work a little more, then Providence will bless us with abundant crops and less weeds.”



Another correspondent, Joseph Griffing of Table Rock, noted the condition of crops in his locality and added, “Agriculture in Nebraska is yet in its infancy and as it is the foundation on which our future prosperity is to rest, it is important that it be firmly laid.

Become a Member!

Our members make history happen.

Join Now

Other Publications

The Bachelors’ Protective Union of Kearney

When the Bachelors' Protective Union gave a gala reception for two of its newly married, former members and their brides in March of 1890, the social club for young, ...

U.S. Weather Bureau in 1890s Nebraska

The U.S. Weather Bureau was established by an act of Congress on October 1, 1890. It took over the weather service that had been established in the office of the Chief ...

Canning the Way to Victory

During American participation in World War I the U.S. Food Administration, under the direction of Herbert Hoover, launched a massive campaign to persuade Americans to ...

The Shoemaker’s Ashes

"Edward Kuehl, one of the most peculiar characters that ever lived in Omaha, or anywhere else, was found dead in his bed last night in the back room of his place of ...

Crazy Horse Surrender Ledger Foreward

Red Dog, an Oglala Lakota who lived at the Red Cloud Agency, Nebraska, 1876-77 (Nebraska State Historical Society RG2955.ph).   In the summer of 1876, following the ...

Darryl F. Zanuck

Darryl F. Zanuck Darryl F. Zanuck (1902-1979), a native Nebraskan, produced some of Hollywood's most important and controversial films. He helped found 20th Century Fox ...

The Burlington’s Profitable Pork Special

Nebraska railroads were much concerned with developing an adequate economy in the areas they served. The Burlington, for example, had a long history of caring for the ...

Bungalow Filling Stations

After the giant Standard Oil Company was broken into thirty-four separate companies in 1911, the newly independent Standard Oil of Nebraska dominated the state's market ...

The Bull Fight

This is the perfect time of year for a visit to the old fishin' hole. But a group of fisherfolk from Plainview discovered that this bucolic pastime sometimes has ...

Buffalo Soldiers West

African-American soldiers on the western frontier are the focus of an exhibit at the Nebraska History Museum in Lincoln. Buffalo Soldiers West, on loan from the Colorado ...

Protection for Buffalo

The extermination of the buffalo on the Plains occurred largely between 1870 and 1885. The Nebraska State Journal of Lincoln on February 1, 1874, editorialized in vain ...

Buffalo Hunting

In late October 1877 young Rolf Johnson and three friends left their homes in Phelps County, Nebraska, for a buffalo hunt in northeastern Colorado. The hunt was not very ...

About NSHS

The Nebraska State Historical Society was founded in 1878 by citizens who recognized Nebraska was going through great changes and they sought to record the stories of both indigenous and immigrant peoples. It was designated a state institution and began receiving funds from the legislature in 1883. Legislation in 1994 changed NSHS from a state institution to a state agency. The division is headed by Interim Director Cindy Drake. They are assisted by an administrative staff responsible for financial and personnel functions, museum store services, security, and facilities maintenance for NSHS.

Explore Nebraska

Discover the real places and people of our past at these NSHS sites.

Upcoming Events

View our new and upcoming events to see how you can get involved.

Become a Member

The work we do to discover, preserve, and share Nebraska's history wouldn't be possible without the support of NSHS members.

NSHS Education

Learn more about the educational programs provided at our museums, sites, and online.

Education Digital Learning Resources

Find games, lists, and more to enhance your history education curriculum.

Latest Hall of Fame Inductee

The Nebraska Hall of Fame was established in 1961 to officially recognize prominent Nebraskans.

Listen to our Podcast

Listen to the articles and authors published in the Nebraska History Magazine with our new Nebraska History Podcast!

Nebraska Collections

NSHS's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.

Our YouTube Video Collection

Get a closer look at Nebraska's history through your own eyes, with our extensive video collections.

Additional Research Resources

NSHS's Research and Reference Services help connect you to the material we collect and preserve.

NSHS Services

Digital Resources

Find all of our digital resources, files, videos, and more, all in one easy-to-search page!

Support The Historical Society

Make a cash donation to help us acquire, preserve, and interpret Nebraska’s history. Gifts to the Nebraska State Historical Society help leave a legacy and may help your taxes, too! Support the work of NSHS.

Volunteers are the heroes of NSHS. So much history, so little time! Your work helps us share access to Nebraska’s stories at our museums and sites, the reference room, and online.