340 PERSONS ENGAGED IN AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



CHAPTER II. 



Persons engaged in American Agriculture American and British 

 Agriculture Application of Capital and Labour to Cultivation. 

 Rent Price of Land Proportions of Nature Capital and 

 Labour in the Production of Farm Produce, and their distribu 

 tion in Britain and America Capital required to stock a Farm 

 in both Countries Unhcalthincss of America Climate State 

 of Society Situation of young Men without Capital Choosing 

 America or Britain. 



IN North America, extensive landholders are not common in 

 any of the districts which I visited ; and where they do exist, 

 a great part of their possessions are unproductive. The soil is 

 chiefly cultivated by its owners, who, in sundry respects, re 

 semble the tenants of Scotland ; and they often perform a great 

 portion of the manual labour of the farm. In many parts of the 

 country, which has been long settled, the farmers are opulent, 

 participating in all the conveniences of life ; and, without pass 

 ing their time in absolute idleness, hire a good deal of labour. 

 In the more recently settled parts, farmers have few of the 

 elegancies and conveniences of life, with an ample share of 

 its necessaries. They do not labour hard after the first three 

 or four years of settlement, and seem to live without much 

 care. Land does not invest its owner with any privilege or 

 status in society. 



Renters of land, or tenants, are common in many parts, 

 and in all respects rank as landholders. The terms of rent are 

 variable. Near towns, and in thickly-peopled districts, a 

 small rent is paid in money, and a lease of several years taken. 

 In remote situations, land is commonly let on shares from year 

 to year. If the owner of the soil furnishes seed and labour 

 ing animals, he gets two -thirds of the produce, when on the 

 field, and removed from the earth. If the tenant supplies 



