284 BOAED OF AGRICULTURE. 



during the last summer, was one and one-fourth (li ) cents 

 per pound, and as a quart of milk weighs but a small fraction 

 over two pounds, the price would not much exceed two and 

 a half cents. 



But we are not confined to the dairy. Different localities 

 are eno:ao;ed in other branches of farminor. In the vicinities 

 of cities and large towns market-gardening is found to be the 

 most profitable part of agriculture, and in many instances is 

 found very remunerative. But even here there are sometimes 

 failures, as the crop does not always pay the expense of its 

 cultivation. In no branch of business can we calculate with 

 less certainty than in the cultivation of the soil and the profits 

 arising therefrom. We may know definitely what it costs in 

 a given year ; but we cannot from that deduce a rule which 

 will hold good in succeeding years. Neither can any plan be 

 laid down, that does not require intelligence and quick per- 

 ceptions, to vary as circumstances shall require. 



It is not safe to calculate that if any branch of business is 

 constantly and steadily increasing, if it is afibrding good re- 

 turns for the capital invested and the labor performed, that it 

 is wise and safe to engage in it. 



But the question recurs again. If there was no more labor 

 on the farm, and the income was equal to that of other employ- 

 ments, we should expect a larger number to engage in the 

 business. The truth is, too large a number, or rather per 

 cent, of our young men withdraw from the farm to engage in 

 other occupations. We find also almost invariably that those 

 who speak in the highest terms of agriculture are those w4io 

 do not get their income exclusively from the farm. Circum- 

 stances have required a change in the mode of farming, and 

 many of the products of the soil are decreasing from year to 

 year. I will mention but few. The potato-crop in 1850 

 was 3,585,384 bushels; in 1860, 3,205,517 bushels; and in 

 1870, 3,026,363 bushels. The manufacture of butter was, in 

 1860, 8,297,936 pounds; in 1870, 6,559,161 pounds. The 

 manufacture of cheese was, in 1850, 7,088,142 pounds; in 

 1860, 5,294,090 pounds; in 1870, 2,245,873 pounds. This 

 great decrease from 1860 to 1870 probably does not include 

 the cheese made in factories, about thirty of which were 

 erected during that decade, and which would have added 



