GENTLEMAN FARMING. 



had, from small beginnings, amassed considerable estates in that way. Expensive 

 preparations are made for marketing, but, unfortunately, he forgets that people who 

 got rich in this mode, go with these articles to market themselves ; are acquainted 

 with the business, and, if anything is left after the usual hour of sale, they know 

 the dealer it will suit, and how to obtain the best price for it. The farmer returns 

 to his work as soon as market is over ; his wife and children are busily employed 

 in the gardens, or field, and their presence and example keep his laborers at work 

 while he is from home. The gentleman is very differently situated ; everything is 

 hired, and the examples set by one or another are exactly calculated to promote 

 idleness, chicanery, and fraud. However, a beginning is to be made, and his 

 golden project is commenced. 



He hires a man, who, he is told, is well calculated to drive the wagon, and sell 

 what may be sent to town. Being now, as he believes, completely fixed, a well 

 assorted load is ordered, and the man is to start early the ensuing morning. This 

 finds employment for the market-man, and several other laborers, the whole after- 

 noon; for, after the vegetables, fruit, &c., have been gathered, they must be 

 properly arranged for sale, and the people take care not to hurry themselves in 

 this tedious employment. In fact, the gathering and fixing alone too often cost 

 the gentleman more money than he receives for the whole load. But the market- 

 man has overslept himself, and before he gets cleverly settled in market, the indus- 

 trious common farmer is gearing up to go home ; of course, the gentleman's load 

 hangs heavy on hand ; this is soon observed by some keen-eyed huckster, who, at 

 a proper time, makes a bid for the whole. As no purchaser had for a long time 

 appeared, the bargain is closed, and the salesman starts for the farm. The gen- 

 tleman is astonished when he sums up the scanty returns ; but the market-man 

 gives ingenious reasons why it so happened, taking care to keep the real cause out 

 of sight ; and, as he rises earlier the next trip, his returns are better, though far 

 below his employer's expectations. Thus the business generally goes on, some- 

 times better, and sometimes worse, till the expected golden shower is arrested. 

 The market-man is tempted to the tavern ; the horses are left standing at the 

 door ; hunger induces them to move off. The man returns at twelve at night, 

 and informs his employer that he stopped at a friend's house on the road ; 

 that the horses had run off with the wagon, and he could neither find nor hear 

 anything of them. All the men on the farm are immediately mounted, and sent 

 off in different directions, but the team is not found till the middle of the ensuing- 

 day, with the wagon fastened between two trees. Such was Mr. Lorain's own 

 experience. 



This is a melancholy picture, too often realized by persons unused to farming ; 

 if the purse is able to bear such results, it is not so bad as where a deficiency, 

 caused by unforeseen expenses in ))uilding and improvements, is expected to be 

 made up by profitable sales. 



The better plan is to begin moderately, with a moderate-sized farm, to study the 

 subject a little before incurring heavy outlays, and to make improvements by 



