58 HOW TO GET A FARM, 



&quot; Now let us for a moment look at the matter, and see 

 what the real obstacles are which are to be overcome by 

 the resolute young man of 21 years of age, who says, I 

 will own a good farm. His father has had the benefit of 

 his labor up to this time, and is unable or unwilling to give 

 him any thing to start in life. His whole capital consists in 

 muscular strength, good health, good will, self-reliance, and 

 correct principles. He takes the best wages he can get of 

 a responsible farmer in the neighborhood say $15 per 

 month for the year, board and washing included. He pur 

 sues this course for seven years; his economy has taught 

 him that $60 per year is sufficient for clothing and other 

 expenses, leaving $120 at the end of each year to put at 

 interest. At the age of 28 years he has earned and put at 

 interest $840. What the several annual interests have been 

 I will not stop to enumerate. It is sufficient to say that he 

 has a sum sufficient to start him handsomely in a new 

 country, with a half section, 320 acres, paid for, and means 

 enough left for an outfit to commence successful operations 

 upon his new farm. In 22 years more, with ordinary good 

 luck, how will he be likely to stand ? He is now 50 years 

 old, and a man of wealth, and probably of character and 

 influence. 



&quot; Or take another view of it. Suppose at the age of 28 

 he should say, I don t think much of this emigrating, there 

 is some risk in the change of climate ; I like my old asso 

 ciations ; my friends are here, my home scenes are dear to 

 me; the girl of my choice is unwilling to go to the far 

 west, or into a new country ; I will settle in my own neigh 

 borhood. He buys an improved farm with fences and com 

 fortable buildings, say 100 acres, at $20 per acre pays one- 

 half down, balance in ten years, interest annually. What 

 will now be his condition at 50 years of age ? Perhaps not 

 as wealthy as in the first case, with equally good luck in 



