^00 NORFOLK SOCIETY. 



/ 



By this comparison it will be perceived that our agricultural 

 productions were seriously decreased in the intervening five 

 years. 



Wheat had fallen off 94 per cent. 



These returns, and especially those made by the State, are 

 not, I believe, nearly so correct as they should be, and there- 

 fore I do not place implicit reliance upon the results they show. 

 Still, I think it will be safe to assume, that there was a general 

 decrease in all the productions of the soil excepting roots and 

 fruits ; and in these articles it is impossible to make any com- 

 parison, owing to the different manner of coming at their values 

 and of classifying them, pursued by the two sets of persons 

 employed on the work. In fruits, I have no doubt there was, 

 and has continued to be, a large gain, and probably in esculent 

 roots, also, with the exception of potatoes. 



Assuming the population of the county in 1845 to have been 

 60,000, and that six bushels of bread stuffs per head is the ratio 

 of consumption, we required for subsistence that year about 

 360,000 bushels. It will appear on reference to the statement 

 herewith, that we produced of corn, wheat, and rye, only 

 100,000 bushels, a little over one-fourth of our actual wants, 

 and leaving a deficiency of 260,000 bushels to be imported and 

 paid for by the proceeds of labor otherwise bestowed. 



It may not be denied, for it is undoubtedly true, that labor 

 can be often disposed of at a better profit than the soil will 

 give, and the temptation is strong to engage in other pursuits, 

 and buy bread. Yet we are taught by experience, that all 

 other pursuits are fluctuating and uncertain, — that the best and 

 most profitable manufactures may be, and oftentimes are broken 

 down or rendered unproductive, and that those who depend on 

 them are driven sometimes to hard extremities for a living. 

 Not so with agriculture. The surplus corn of the farmer may 



