IGl 



taxes. The farmers of tins coTinty, and I tLink in otlier counties, are senslbla 

 that their tendency is downward ; or rather, as their lands are notwithstanding 

 most certainly advancing in value, that they lack present means to meet present 

 expenses. A common ordinary farmer is not inclined to read a philosophical 

 essay on the analysis of soils, nor can he recognize in poetic fancies on the plea- 

 se ^ sures of a country life, any counterpart to his own experience. He can realize, 

 W however, that he is or is not getting ahead, and that some change is demanded 

 to render his condition more hopeful than it now is. Men have come here to 

 settle on farms because land Avas cheap — have little or no capital — poor houses, 

 and no barns — a small supply of stock — some land under the plough and 

 fenced — embai-rassed with the payment of interest, taxes, and store debts — and 

 ,'Jk depending on the next crop of wheat for relief, which, when gathered and taken 

 '^ to market, atford no profit on the cost of production ; and yet our climate is one 

 of the most healthful in any country — our soil fertile — plenty of fuel and mate- 

 rials for building — good roads for intercommunication — ample provision for 

 schools; but while high priced lands, manured and fenced at a great expense, in 

 older States, yield an ample revenue from which can be erected costly houses and 

 barns, our farmers, from cheap lands aud soils of virgin mould, derive little sur- 

 plus on the cost of production, is it not time to inquire into the causes of this 

 great depression and their extraordinary condition. 



I assume it as a fact, that an industrious farmer having a team, can cultivate 

 forty acres of land without hiring much laboi'. From this tract he can raise 

 enough to supply his family and stock. By owning no more land than he can 

 cultivate witli profit, he avoids the payment of an excess of interest and taxes 

 which are exorbitant in every new settled country. By his labor he can supply 

 himself M'ith firewood ; and if he keeps a few sheep, he can also supply himself, 

 by exchange or manufacture, with cloth. By abstaining carefully from contract- 

 ing debts, he will be able to hold on to his surplus products, and sell them in the 

 hirrhest market. If he regards time as moucA', he will be as saving of one as 

 the other, and will constantly be preparing by small advances to build his barn, 

 ^- "fl fences, and out-buildings, which are indispensable to the prosecution of his work. 

 He must reflect that the wealthiest men have begun at the bottom and worke \ 

 upwards. Now it seems to me that the ownei'ship and cultivation of too much 

 land is one cause of the farmer's embarrassment — his interest, his taxes, his hired 

 labor are all increased. These, added to the debts of the merchant, the physi- 

 cian, and perhaps the lawyer, swells his indebtedness beyond his ability to pay. 

 Another cause of the farmer's embarrassment is bad husbandry. If the article pro- 

 duced will not pay the cost of production, it must be pronounced bad husbandry 

 to produce it. Wheat has been the great staple of this country, and our soil will 

 raise wheat; but it will not pay to take wheat to market at the present prices. 



li 



