PROSPECTS OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 243 



cheaper and the men earned double the money. Now just think 

 what this means; these men were earning $1.25 per day. If we 

 assume that it cost them $1.00 per day for family expenses, they 

 made 25 cents a day. Now with a little more energy, care and 

 skill they earned $2.50 per day, and, instead of making 25 cents 

 over and above expenses, they made $1.50 or six times as much. 

 In other words, they really made as much money in one day as 

 they were previously making in a week. 



I mention this merely to illustrate my idea in regard to the great 

 advantage it is to us as a nation to have such a large proportnon 

 of those engaged in agricultural pursuits directly interested in the 

 results of their labors. They are the owners and occupiers and 

 workers of the land. Self-interest calls out all their energy and 

 skill. They make every stroke tell. A nation of such farmers 

 ought to be a rich nation. 



The American agriculture of the future will not be English agri- 

 culture, or European or Chinese agriculture, it will be American 

 agriculture. We shall think for ourselves. One of the oldest and 

 most successful farmers in the State of New York is a Scotchman. 

 But he does not use Scotch plows or adopt the Scotch system of 

 rotation. lie uses his Scotch knowledge and experience. But 

 his farming is essentially American. We have many good English 

 farmers among us but we have no English farming. 



We have to think for ourselves ; we have to study principles 

 and apply them. Liebig has more readers here than in Germany. 



The results of Lawes and Gilbert's experiments at Rothamstead 

 are more carefully studied in this country than in England. And 

 there is a reason for this. The English farmer can apply Lawes' 

 superphosphate to his turnip crop without studying Lawes and 

 Gilbert's account of their 30 years' experiments. But here if we 

 would get any benefit from these wonderful investigations we must 

 study them and master the principles of agricultural science. 



This we are to some extent doing. The large circulation of our 

 numerous agricultural papers proves that American farmers are 

 great readers as well as great workers. They do not spend their 

 evenings at the village tavern. Their houses may be isolated, but 

 they are the homes of much that is noble and true. We need 

 have no fears in regard to the rising generation of American 

 farmers. 



" But are not your sons leaving the farm ? " Certainly, and do 

 not English farmers' sons leave the farm ? The sons and daughters 



