32o 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. ft 



add, that althougli our agriculture, manufactures, 

 and commerce, are progressing — although our 

 taxes are light — although our laws are in a fair 

 way of being adniiuistered well, and our liberties 

 ami properties secured on a solid basis, by the iren- 

 cral noverument having acquired more and mure 

 consistency, strenijlh, and respectability as it moves 

 on — yet that no material change in the prices of 

 the above articles has taken place, except in a few 

 instances of land under peculiar ad \';\ntaije.s ; noris 

 it probable there will be in the latter, whilst there is 

 such an immense territory back of us, for the 

 people to resort to. In a word, sir, when you 

 come to receive lull answers to your several inqui- 

 ries, I am inclined to believe that you will not be 

 unlavoralily impressed, or think an establishment 

 in the United Slates ineligible to those whose 

 views are extended beyond the limits of their own 

 coimtry. 



Having closed my correspondence with Wake- 

 lin Welch, Es^q., and Son, I have to request that 

 your communications to me, in future, may pass 

 throuofh the hands of Mr. Johnson, Consul for the 

 United States in London. With best wishes, and 

 F'^ntiments of much esteem, I am, sir. 

 Your most obedient and very humble servant, 



G. Washington. 

 Arthur Young, Esq. 



Sir: 



Philadelphia, December 5, 1791. 



In a let'er which I addressed to you on the 15th 

 of August, acknowledging the receipt of your I'a- 

 vor dated the 25th of January preceding, I pro- 

 mised to answer the queries contained in it, in de- 

 lail. Accordingly I took measures for that pur- 

 pose, by writing to some of the most intelligent 



soil, or climate, from the northern parts of Penn- 

 sylvania. Both are pleasant, and both are well 

 improved, particularly the first. But the country 

 beyond these, to the eastward (and the Itirtheryou 

 advance that way, it is still more so,) is unfriendly 

 to wheat, which is subject to a blight or mildew, 

 and ol' late years, to a fly, which has almost dis- 

 couraged the growth of it. The lands, howeve- 

 ver, in the New England states, are strong and 

 productive of other crops, are well improved, 

 populously seated ; and as pleasant as it can be in 

 a country last locked in snow several months in 

 the year. 



To the southward of Virginia, the climate is not 

 well adapted to wheat; and less and less so as you 

 penetrate the warmer 1 itiludes — nor is the coun- 

 try so thickly settled or well cultivated. In a 

 word, as I have already intimated, was I to com- 

 mence my career of lile anew, I should not seek a 

 residence north of Pennsylvania, or south of Vir- 

 ginia; nor (but this I desire may be received with 

 great caution, for I may, without knowing I am 

 so, be biassed in favor of (he river on which I live), 

 should I go more than 25 miles from the margin 

 of the Potomac. In less than half that distance, 

 in some places, I might seat myself eiUier in Penn- 

 sylvania, Maryland, or Virginia, as local circum- 

 stances might prompt me. 



Having said thus much, some of the reasons 

 which lead to this opinion, may be expected in 

 support of it. 



Potomac river, then, is the centre of the union. 

 It is between the extremes of heat and cold. It 

 IS not so far to the south, as to be unfriendly to 

 grass; nor so fur north as to have the produce of 

 the summer consumed in the length and severity 

 of the winter. It waters the soil, and runs in that 



farmers in the slates of New York, New Jersey, j climate, which is most congenial to English 

 Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia — as you grains, and most agreeable to the cultivator of 



will perceive by the circular letter herewith en- 

 closed : and have obtained the answers from the 

 three last-mentioned states,* that are thereunto 

 annexed. I did not extend my inquiries to the 

 northward of New York, nor to the southward of 

 Virginia; because in neither extremity of the 

 union, in my opinion, is the climate, soil, or other 

 circumstances, well adapted to the pursuits of a 

 mere farmer, or congenial to the growth of the 

 smaller grains. 



I have delayed the information I am about to 

 give you, in expectation of receiving answers 

 which have been promised me from the states of 

 New York and New Jersey; but as they are not 

 3^et arrived, and a vessel is on the point of sailing 

 for London, I shall put this packet under cover to 

 Joshua Johnson, Esq. our consul at that port; 

 with a request to him, that it may be forwarded 

 to you by a safe conveyance. The others shall 

 follow as opportunities may present ; it being 

 my wish to give you a comprehensive view 

 of the different parts of this country: although 

 1 have no hesitation in giving it at the same 

 time as. my opinion, that if I had a new es- 

 tablishment to make in it, it would be, under the 

 knowledge I entertain of it at present (and I have 

 visited all parts, from New Hampshire to Geor- 

 gia inclusively,) in one of the three states of 

 which you are furnished with particular accounts. 

 New York and New Jersey do not differ much in 



* See the paper alluded to, at the end of this letter. 



them. It is the river, more than an)' other, in my 

 opinion, which must, in the natural progress of 

 things, connect by its inland navigation (now 

 nearly completed 190 measured miles up to Fort 

 Cumberland, at the expense of £50,000 sterling, 

 raised by private subscription,) the Atlantic stales 

 with the A'ast region which is populating (beyond 

 all conception,) to the westward of it. It is de- 

 signated by law for the seat of the empire; and 

 must from its extensive course through a rich and 

 populous country, become in time the grand em- 

 porium of North America. To these reasons may 

 be addedj that the lands within, and surrounding 

 the District of Columbia, are as high, as dry, and 

 as healthy as any in (he United States; and that 

 those above them, in the counties of Berkeley, in 

 Virginia — Washington, in Maryland — and Frank- 

 lin, in Pennsylvania, (adjoining each other) — at 

 the distance of from 60 to 100 miles from Colum- 

 bia, are inferior, in their natural state, to none in 

 America. The general map of North America, 

 which is herewith inclosed, will show the situation 

 of this district of the United States; and on 

 Evans's map of tne middle colonies, which is on a 

 larger scale, I have marked the District of Colum- 

 bia with double red lines; and the counties adja- 

 cent to, and above it, of which particular mention 

 has been made, with single red lines. The last 

 mentioned map shows the proximity of the Poto- 

 mac (which is laid down from actual survey) to 

 the western waters; and it is worthy of observa- 

 tion, that the Shenandoah, in an extent of 150 



