AND WHERE TO FIND ONE. 95 



out, and nowhere is this more important than upon the 

 farm. The question is often debated whether farming is 

 really profitable or not ; but, could we only see the fortunes 

 lost by the careless habits of those who pursue it, the de 

 cision would soon be arrived at.&quot; 



These remarks drew &quot; F.&quot; once more into the 

 arena, in the following communication : 



&quot;B. has some very good remarks on buying a farm, 

 with the most of which I fully agree. But the general tenor 

 of the fourth paragraph is not of that general practical 

 character that is best calculated to benefit the great mass 

 of American farmers. True, it looks and sounds well on 

 paper, and could we have farmers made or got up to order, 

 giving to each one the amount of land or capital he is or 

 may be capable of farming or using to the best advantage, 

 it would be all correct. But this is not the -case. Instead 

 of having sufficient capital to buy stock and carry on their 

 farms to the best advantage, the great mass of farmers have 

 had to make and get together the principal part of this very 

 capital by farming. Consequently it is of little use to tell 

 them what sized farm can be carried on to the best advan 

 tage, or the amount of capital it is necessary to have to 

 commence farming with, or to carry on the farm after it is 

 purchased ; for, as a general thing they have to buy, calcu 

 late, and manage, according to the circumstances in which 

 they are placed. 



&quot; Inseparably connected with this question, is the one of 

 going in debt -for land, or of paying part down, and the 

 balance in a term of years, the money to be made out of 

 the use of the farm. Although there is much in the ac 

 counts of individual experience published in agricultural 

 papers, that goes to show that men have done well, and 

 have been very successful, when in debt, yet it is the general 



