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Agriculture was, in the 18th century, the backbone of America's economy. Two of the founding fathers, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, were staunch supporters of the farmer, and firmly believed that agriculture was "the most healthy, the most useful, and the most noble employment of man." In the 19th century, with more people to feed and with other occupations luring farmers from the land, more efficient methods of agriculture were sought. Books such as "The American Farm Book," published in 1849, were intended to educate the farmer to the best methods of planting, cultivating, and preparation of crops for market.

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