62 WISCONSIN AGEICULTURE. 



" From tliis hasty outline it will not be difficult for the reader 

 to understand why the entire cost of producing any considerably 

 sized map is vury great. Nor is this primary cost usually all. 

 The erasures and insertion of subsequent information often 

 amounts in expensiveness to the original cost of the plates." 



We Avill now endeavor to give the readers of the Transactions 

 some idea of map-publishing as illustrated by the extensive es- 

 tablishment of J. H. Colton & Co. of New York. 



It is something over twent}^ years since this house was found- 

 ed by the senior partner whose talents and business tact have 

 raised an unpretending business to the magnificence of its pres- 

 ent proportions. It is said to be unsurpassed in the number as 

 well as the value of its issues, and litis no equal of its kind in any 

 part of the world, in the extent of its operations and resourcas. 

 Much of its success, however, has been due to the impetus given 

 to Geographical studies by the vast acquisitions made since 1845 

 to our territorial limits, and to the tide of emigrants seeking 

 authentic information of the countries they are destined to pop- 

 ulate, and offer to commerce and civilization. Aided by these 

 fostering agencies, the limited concern, as at its first establish- 

 ment, soon became the great map emporium of the Western 

 Continent, with an issue of maps and books to the value of more 

 than $250,000 a year. Such a business requires the labor of 

 many hands. From five to twelve engravers are employed on 

 the revisions alone. About one hundred females are occupied 

 in coloring the maps ; this number of course cannot be accomo- 

 dated in the establishment itself, but have the work at their pri- 

 vate residences or in separate rooms rented for the purpose. So 

 difficult is it to get a sufficient number of skillful hands, that 

 thousands of maps are sent to neighboring towns and cities, and 

 very many especially to Philadelphia. A large number also are 

 employed in cutting and fitting the sheets together, varnishing, 

 mounting and packing them, for filling orders. From twenty- 

 five to thirty hands are employed on the difficult and artistic 

 labor of printing the maps from the steel and copper plates, with 

 various subordinate laborers necessary in connection with the 

 different branches of the work ; while in producing rollers and 



