No. 63.] 169 



the prostration of all his bright hopes, as well as the expenditure of 

 his property to the utmost farthing. 



The Italian wheat, however, was more congenial to our soil and 

 climate, than was the climate to the Signor who introduced it. For 

 several years it superceded almost entirely the winter crop, and 

 large quantities of it were raised. For the last few years, however, 

 it has not succeeded as well as formerly and is much less cultivated. 

 In most of the northern towns of this county, the chief business of 

 the farmers at this time is the dairy. Their lands being somewhat 

 elevated, are rather too cold for successful cultivation of grain crops, 

 but very superior for grazing; their attention has been turned that 

 way, and the result has been a very rapid increase of wealth. Many 

 of these farms are as productive as any in the county so far as pecu- 

 niary results are concerned; and farms which but ten years since 

 could have been purchased at a very moderate price, have been sold 

 within the last three or four years at prices nearly, if not quite, as 

 high as the best grain farms in the county. 



But a spell has come over all our farmers just at present, which 

 we hope will soon pass away, so that we may again buy and sell, if 

 need be, as in former times. The dairy business is pursued very ex- 

 tensively, and is constantly increasing. A regular system is adopted 

 for the purchase and sale of the products of the dairy, by agents from 

 New-York and elsewhere; and where the dairyman is careful to feel 

 the mint drops in his hands before he unloads his butter and cheese, 

 to him it is profitable. 



The credit system has proved very disastrous to many a farmer, 

 and has swept from him the entire earnings of his establishment at a 

 single blow. In a neighboring county, while on a pleasure excur- 

 sion, having emerged from the woods after a long and wearisome 

 march with my fisking rod and basket, I came upon a farm house, 

 and found the farmer a former resident of Oneida, whom I knew. 

 He was engaged in the dairy business, and gave me the results of the 

 two preceding years. The first, he sold his cheese to one of the agents 

 who were buying up dairies at a very high price, to be paid for after 

 the cheese should be sold in market; but the concern failed, and he 

 never received a single dollar for his year's stock. The next year he 

 was offered a fair price for his cheese by a gentleman from this coun- 

 ty, who was ready to pay him the cash; but he thought he could do 

 better — sent his cheese to market to sell on commission, and realized 

 three cents on a pound, after paying commission and charges. I ad- 

 vised him to sell his cheese for cash for the future, (at the fair mar- 

 ket price when ready for market,) and then all would be well. He 

 has since pursued that course, I believe, and the result has been en- 

 tirely to his advantage. In my opinion, the farmers should adopt 

 this practice generally; sell for cash to the merchants at fair prices; 

 buy for cash their goods, and then avoid the hazards of failures and 

 loss, and secure to themselves their goods at prices which yield to 

 the merchants a fair return, instead of paying an advance, as they 

 ever must when bought on credit, to compensate for bad debts and 

 delay of payment. 



[Senate No. 63.] W 



