THE BUSINESS SIDE OF FAR^^nXG. 233 



edsre, and whose ultimate conditions are now in our hands 

 for developing. 



AU national prosperity depends upon agriculture. This 

 is a truism that none can deny ; history has proved it times 

 without number. Nations which have encouraged it have 

 progressed in civilization, while those who have given it but 

 little thought or attention have either lost position or exis- 

 tence. Our considerations to-day. infinitesimal as they will 

 be in our ultimate agricultural history, will still have a 

 bearing upon that magnificent future. 



To fiilly understand the business side of farming, we must 

 have a full knowledge of the basis of agriculture, — that is, 

 the amount of land available, and its capacity for produc- 

 tion : and that other equally important question, the con- 

 sumption of the output. Pardon me, then, for giving you a 

 few statistics ; dry morsels to masticate, I know, but call all 

 your national pride to your help, — it may aid in their diges- 

 tion, and thereby strengthen your belief in that comprehen- 

 sive word. — business. 



A little party of men, who went out to explore the country 

 around the Massachusetts Bay Colony, penetrated the wil- 

 derness some fifteen miles west of the present town of Lynn, 

 but returned and settled that towTi, believing that beyond it 

 the country was worthless. And the good old fathers of 

 that day decided that there could never be a large popula- 

 tion west of Boston's subiu'b, — Xewton. "What have we 

 to-day? An area of 2,970,000 square miles, according to 

 the census of 1880, with over 1,500.000 square miles of 

 arable territory, not including Alaska ; and a population of 

 50.000,000. A seaboard of 12,000 miles, giving us inter- 

 course with foreign nations. The river flow east of the 

 RoL'ky Mountains is about 40,000 miles, exclusive of all 

 rivers under 100 miles in length, ofi'ering 80,000 miles of 

 river bank to commerce, against the 17,000 of Eui'ope. — 

 the Mississippi and its affluents alone giving 35.000 miles. 

 The navigable waters of the Mississippi and Missom'i rivers 

 aggregate 3,900 miles. Add to these the great lakes, which 

 are said to contain one-half of the fresh water of the globe, 

 and the system of canals which connect them with rivers, 

 and we have an immense power aiding us in the develop- 

 ment of our enormous acreage. 



