t6i AGRICULTURAL ESSATS. 



General Remarks on the objects of imfrovins t>tJK 

 Agricultural Economy. 



The first object to be answered by efforts to increase the 

 productive powers of the soil, is to promote the interest and 

 increase the comfors of the present generation. Another, and 

 perhaps not the least important one, is, to form the habits of 

 posterity for encountering the evils of a crowded population. 

 With respect to the Srst, it is very obvious, that if the farmer 

 could obtain as much or more produce from one third or one 

 half of the land he cultivates, whether it be fifty, an hundred, 

 or any greater number of acres, and that too with the same 

 expense of labor, he would thereby make a clear saving of 

 capital to the value of the one half or two thirds of the land 

 he possesses, which he might rent or otherwise dispose of. 

 I'hat he may make this saving of capital, is proved from nu- 

 merous experiments. It is often observed, that those farmers 

 in our country, who have the fewest acres, generally get the 

 best living. They do uctually derive more produce from their 

 soil ; and possess more of the comforts and conveniences of 

 life. These spend their whole time, we will suppose, in culti" 

 vataig their smaller number of acres; so also does he who 

 possesses the larger farm. The farmer having smaller enclo- 

 sures makes a saving in the article of fence, a less quantity of 

 seed is required, a saving in the expense of ploughing, and a 

 saving of taxes. Although the former does, and ought to 

 spend his whole time in the cultivation of his soil, yet a much 

 less capital is required to render his labors successful, than 

 would be to cultivate one half, or two thirds more land. It is 

 often, too, for want of sufficient capital, that the farmer who is 

 ambitious of possessing a large farm, that he may appear to be 

 rich, often fails of success ; not having sufficient stock to work 

 his lands properly, nor cattle enough to furnish manure, nor 

 money to purchase the articles he ought to possess, to make 



