Clearing the Land
One of the hardest tasks farmers of that era in the Midwest had to do was clear the land. Not only was wood cover cleared from all farmings areas, but also a crop of rocks. The crop of rocks revitializes itself every year for many years as the once-a-year frost brings a new layer into the tilled horizon. The better manure the farmer put in his field, the easier the land clearing would be. Many farmers were not aware of this fact, however.
