538 



CULTIVATORS— THE GREAT INDUSTRIAL CLASS OF AMERICA. 



soil, alone, for the past year, he estimates 

 at more than 07ie thousand five hundred 

 millions of dollars.* 



The value of the grain crops and great 

 agricultural staples of the country, for 1847, 

 amounts to $815,863,688. 



The value of all horticultural products, 

 (gardens, orchards and nurseries,) is esti- 

 mated at $459,577,533. 



The value of the live stock, wool, and 

 dairy products, amounts to $246,054,579. 



The value of the products of the woods 

 and forests, amounts to $59,099,628. 



It is also estimated that there were pro- 

 duced last year 224,384,502 bushels of sur- 

 plus grains of various kinds, over and above 

 what was amply sufficient for home con- 

 sumption. This is much more than enough 

 to meet the ordinary demand of all the corn- 

 buying countries of Europe. 



Over one thousand five hundred millions 

 of dollars, in the products of the soil, for a 

 single year ! Does not this fully justify us 

 in holding up the cultivators of the Ameri- 

 can soil as the great industrial class ?, But 

 let us compare them a little, by Mr. Burke's 

 aid, with the other industrial classes. 



The annual product of all the manufac- 

 tures in the Union, for 1847, is estimated 

 at $500,000,000. The profits of trade and 

 commerce at $23,458,345. The profits of 

 fisheries $17,069,262 ; and of banks, money 

 institutions, rents and professions, $145,- 

 000,000. Total, $809,697,407. 



Here we have the facts, or something, at 

 least, like an approximation to the facts, of 

 the results of the yearly industrial labor of 

 the republic. The average amount is the 

 enormous sum of over tioo thousand three 

 hundred and eighty-nine millions of dollars. 



Of this, the agricultural class produces 

 nearly double that of all other classes, or over 

 one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine 



• $1,579,595,428. 



millions; while all other classes, merchants, 

 manufacturers, professional men, etc., pro- 

 duce but a little more than eight hundred 

 and nine millions. 



There are a few, among the great traders 

 and " merchant princes," who do not suffi- 

 ciently estimate the dignity or importance 

 of any class but their own. To them we 

 commend a study of Mr. Burke's statistic- 

 al tables. There are some few farmers 

 who think their occupation one of narrow 

 compass and resources ; we beg them to 

 look over the aggregate annual products 

 of their country, and take shame to them- 

 selves. 



It is no less our duty to call the attention 

 of our own readers to the great importance 

 of the horticultural interest of the country. 

 Why, its products ($459,000,000,) are more 

 than half as great in value as those strictly 

 agricultural; they are almost as large as 

 the whole manufacturing products of the 

 country; and half as large as the manufac- 

 turing and all other interests, exxepting the 

 agricultural, combined. 



In truth, the profits of the gardens and 

 orchards of the country, are destined to be 

 enormous. Mr. Burke's estimate appears 

 to us very moderate ; and from the unparal- 

 leled increase in this interest very recently, 

 and the peculiar adaptation of our soil and 

 climate to the finest fruits and vegetables, 

 the next ten years must exhibit an amount 

 of horticultural products which will almost 

 challenge belief The markets of this coun- 

 try will not only be supplied with fruit in 

 great abundance and excellence, but thou- 

 sands of orchards will be cultivated solely 

 for foreign consumption. 



The system of railroads and cheap trans- 

 portation already begins to supply the sea- 

 board cities with some of the fair and beau- 

 tiful fruits of the fertile west. When the 

 orchards of Massachusetts fail, the orchards 



