192 N. n. STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



As a permanent investment no property is so reliable, and 

 for the purposes of speculation, all that a man needs, to 

 ensure a fortune, is a reasonable degree of prudence and 

 the ability to purchase at the right time. You cannot 

 point to many men, not influenced with the love of Cali- 

 fornia gold, or covetous of the rich lands of the West, 

 who have suffered losses from their possession of land, 

 while you can name scores who have increased their wealth 

 by thousands, through this single agency. As our popula- 

 tion increases, land possesses an augmented value, and 

 the probability is, that many an acre which never yet yield- 

 ed to the plow, will be as costly as our gardens. 



But the income of a well regulated farm, any where in 

 New England, and more particularly in Xew York, and 

 other agricultural States, will yield a fair dividend beyond 

 the current expenses. In a word, farming is profitable, 

 and he who denies the proposition, denies the most con- 

 clusive proofs, and is so unfortunate as to be a very poor 

 farmer, or what is more to be deplored, has a rery poor 

 wife. I am confident that I have good authority for my 

 position, and if you will pardon the tediousness of detail 

 for a few minutes, I will introduce the testimony of prac- 

 tical men, who have given their opinions on this subject. I 

 will commence with men in our own State, whom we well 

 know. 



James M. Whiton, of Ilolderness, one of our best far- 

 mers, assured me that he cleared last year one thousand 

 dollars from his farm of about 150 acres. The present sea- 

 son he anticipates a greater profit. Mr. Whiton does not, 

 like too many farmers, depend on estimates, baton reality, 

 for he keeps his farm accounts with as much accuracy as a 

 merchant would record his business transactions. 



Hon. Joel Eastman, of Conway, who has been distinguish- 

 ed as a lawyer, and is now equally so as a farmer, has more 

 than once asserted in our agricultural gatherings, that his 

 income from the farm exceeded that of his profession. 



