THE BUSINESS SIDE OF FARMING. 235 



by the best scientific authority.* It need not, therefore, 

 make a very severe draught on our credulity to say that our 

 agricultural resources, if fully developed, would sustain a 

 thousand million souls. 



Why are these statistics at the beginning of this paper? 

 Simply that we may have a comprehensive idea of our " stock 

 in trade," for it is easier for us to develop the business side 

 of agriculture by way of the nation than by the way of local- 

 ities. The subject given me is a broad one. It is not how 

 the farmer in Massachusetts can realize a higher price for his 

 butter and eggs, his veal in the spring, and his apples in the 

 fall. It relates to the American farmer, whatever section he 

 may dwell in. Why should he and how can he enhance his 

 whole condition by the application of business rules? A 

 system must be developed whereby the cranberry grower of 

 Cape Cod, the fruit and wheat raisers of California, the small 

 farmer of the North, and the extensive planter of the South, 

 may be alike benefited. 



Havino; seen our laud, our farm as it were, and studied its 

 capability, let us glance at our farmer. In New England he 

 is a descendant of the English Puritans, with a few from 

 the Scotch and Welsh. The Dutch peopled New York. 



Pennsylvania was settled by Quakers and Germans, Mary- 

 land by English Roman Catholics, Delaware by Dutch and 

 Swedes, Virginia by English cavaliers, the Carolinas in part 

 by French Huguenots, Louisiana by French, Florida, Texas 

 and California by Spanish, Utah by Mormons, chiefly from 

 England, Wales and Denmark. Immigration from Ireland, 

 Germany, England and Scotland, France, Switzerland and 

 Sweden, has been large and progressive, and now Italy is 

 sending heavy consignments. To this conglomeration of 

 humanity we may add a large percentage of Africans 

 throughout the South, and a few Chinese in the West. By 

 reason of the social and political situations in Europe, this 

 immigration will continue with increasing proportions for at 

 least the next few decades. This, then, is our land, and from 

 these nationalities come our seven millions of farmers, — men 

 inheriting difierent modes and methods of farming and 

 marketing, — bringing with them from the old country many 



• See Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 1, p. 717. 



