No. 85.] 77 



heavy drawback on the profits of his land, the farmer is kept long in 

 debt ; the burthen of which not only disheartens him, but prevents 

 that enterprise and energy which are essential to success. This is 

 one fruitful reason why American agriculture is in many places in so 

 low a state. A close observer, in traveling through the country, is 

 thus enabled often to decide from the appearances of the buildings 

 and premises of each occupant, whether he is in or out of debt. 



In England — where the enormous taxes of different kinds, impe- 

 riously compel the cultivator to farm well, or not farm at all — the 

 indispensable necessity of a heavy capital to begin with, is fully un- 

 derstood. The man who merely rejits a farm there, must possess as 

 much to stock it and commence operations, as the man who buys 

 and pays for a farm of equal size in the best parts of western New- 

 York. The result is, that he is enabled to do every thing in the best 

 manner ; he is not compelled to bring his goods prematurely to market, 

 to supply his pressing wants ; and by having ready money always at 

 command, he can perform every operation at the very best season for 

 product and economy, and make purchases, when necessary, at the 

 most advantageous rate. The English farmer is thus able to pay an 

 amount of tax, often more than the whole product of farms of equal 

 extent in this country. 



The importance of possessing the means of doing every thing at 

 exactly the right season, cannot be too highly appreciated. One or 

 two illustrations may set this in a clearer light. Two farmers had 

 each a crop of ruta-bagas, of an acre each. The first, by hoeing his 

 crop early, while the weeds were only an inch high, accomplished 

 the task with two days work, and the young plants then grew vigor- 

 ously and yielded a heavy return. The second, being prevented by 

 a deficiency of help, had to defer his hoeing one week, and then 

 three days more, by rainy weather, making ten days in all. During 

 this time, the weeds had sprung up six to ten inches high, so as to 

 require, instead of two days, no less than six days to hoe them ; and 

 so much was the growth of the crop checked at this early stage, that 

 the owner had 150 bushels less on his acre, than the farmer who took 

 time by the forelock. Another instance occurred with an intelligent 

 farmer of this State, who raised two fields of oats on land of similar 

 quality. One field was sown very early and well put in, and yield- 

 ed a good profit. The other was delayed twelve days, and then hur- 

 ried ; and although the crop was within two-thirds of the amount of 



