42 



MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



and that almost excftisively in Baltimore, and in 

 that portion of the State resembling Western 

 Virginia, where her accumulations have also 

 occurred. Her tide water country, taking 8 or 

 9 counties on the Eastern Shore, has actually 

 retrograded in the last thirtj' j-ears. 



The elements here presented carrj- their evi- 

 dence and conclusions so clearly with them, that 

 comment is unnecessary. If we add the ex- 

 tent and population of Virginia to the foregoing, 

 we have a connected area so near that we maj' 

 assume it at 282,000 square miles, on which, in 

 1840, there was found an aggregate population 

 of 7,314,986— or only 25 to the squai-e mile. The 

 land surface of the earth would be examined in 

 vain to find another superior region, in all that 

 nature presents for cultivation and use, to the 

 human head and hand. We may at once assert 

 that lliree-fold of the existing population of the 

 whole United States might be placed on the 

 space befoi-e us, and, under v^ise policy, enjoy 

 more physical, moral, and intellectual advan- 

 tages, than it is possible to realize over a surface 

 so vast in proportion to either the present, or, 

 we fear, future population within any short pe- 

 riod. 



In this great space Virginia comprises the cen- 

 tral position, and in many respects the gi'eatest 

 concentration of natural advantages, and without 

 any exception presents the mo.st propitious na- 

 tural field for immigrants that exists on the face 

 of the earth. What is it, then, that keeps them 

 at a distance, and drains your own people a\vay 

 fi-om the graves of their parents and their own 

 birthplaces ? The extreme cheapness of rich 

 Government lands, generously surrendered by 

 yourselves, (and a small portion of the pro- 

 ceeds of ^vhich you now so magnanimously re- 

 ject,) and the facilities for rapid and cheap 

 transportation to those lands, bj" works con- 

 structed by the enterprize and unaided resources 

 of the people of New-York, act as resistless 

 drains of immigrants to the West. But, except 

 that her harbor is somewhat nearer and more 

 accessible, -what advantages has New- York en- 

 Joj-ed over Virginia, as to inherent resources, and 

 in her relations to the We.«t and South-AVest '.' 

 and how has .she contrived so to outstrip Vir- 

 ginia in public works, in education, in growth, 

 and in power over the destinies of the Roj)ub- 

 lic ? Has she, let us repeat, more, or deeper, or 

 farther reaching baj-s or rivers ? or richer muies 

 of coal and iron ? or lime or marl ? or more copi- 

 ons springs of salt water ? or higher falls or 

 greater volumes of water po-wer ? If New- York 

 ha.« the Hudson, with its head-spring near the 

 Lakes, have not you the James river, extending 

 yet nearer to the Kenawha, with its bosom al- 

 ways open to receive the products of your indus- 

 try, while the Hudson is hcrmetrically scaled for 

 months? Look along your eastern boundary, 

 I'ii'JI 



and fi-om nie margin of the Chesapeake, trace up 

 to their sources all the noble rivers that rise in 

 the heart of j'our agricultural population, like so 

 many natural canals sweeping along thousands 

 of miles of fertile shores, and compare all these 

 with the con>paratively narrow and iron bound 

 shores of the Hudson ! Where, then, let us re- 

 peat, is to be found the reason that you, the most 

 favored portion of this continent except, per- 

 haps, Maryland, stand still in mid gi-owth, like a 

 lightning blasted tree of the forest, while North- 

 ern States are going ahead in all that constitutes 

 vi-ealth and po\\'er, with a rapidity unparalleled 

 in the annals of human popidatlon. Is it that 

 these people act while j'ou talk 1 At the instant 

 that we are Avriting, a man, employed for nothing 

 else but to disti'ibute them, throws on the table 

 within our reach, the following printed paper. 

 Read it, we pray you — even it will serve to 

 thro^v some light on the sort of people, and the 

 progress with which you have to contend. 



Notice to Emigrants. — The subscribers having 

 been appointed Aeents for forwarding Emigrants by 

 Railroad from Albany to Buti'alo and intermediate 

 places, are enabled to send them, dining the Sum- 

 mer, from Nevr-York to Iltica for $2,0G ; to SjTacuse, 

 $2,92 ; to Auburn, $3,36 ; to Rochester, $4,61 ; to Buf- 

 falo, .$5,50. Children from 2 to 12 years old half 

 price ; under two ycaj-s free ; and all Baggage from 

 Albany on the Railroad is entirely free. 



It is evident that it comes much cheaper to the 

 Emisrrant to travel by railroad than by canal, he 

 reaching Eutlalo per steamboat from New- York, and 

 railroad from Albany in 42 houi's ; whereas, it takes 

 per canal trom 9 to 10 days. The following calcula- 

 tion shows the result, viz : 



Passage to Buffalo per Raihoad $5 50 



Luggage from New- York to ^Ubany, 100 lbs. 



free, balance for 100 lbs 18 



Luggage from Albany to Butfalo tree. 



Living for 42 hours, say 75 



Total per Railroad $6 43 



Passage to Butfalo per Canal, say 2 00 



Luggaee to Butfalo, 50 lbs. free, balance for 



100 lbs 55 



Loss of time at least 9 days, worth to the la- 

 borer, say 50 cents per day 4 50 



Living for 10 days, 50 cents per day 5 00 



12 05 



Deduct fare per Railroad 6 43 



The traveler per Railroad saves $5 C2 



They also forward passensers to Portsmouth, Cin- 

 cinnati, and other j)laces in Ohio, Pittsbtirgh, Louis- 

 ville and St. Louis, at the lowest rates. Alf informa- 

 tion as to different routes given ffrntis, and tickets to 

 be had only at the Albany and Butfalo Railroad Of- 

 fice, .59 Cortlandt-strect. Wolf & Rickebs. 



Here, then, you behold, before a ship aiTivcs 

 at the wharf, as they are doing every day, 

 with hundreds of immigrants, she is boarded and 

 every passenger made to know that in forty-two 

 hours he and his 100 pounds of baggage may be 

 set down 450 miles on his icai/ to the Vv'est for 

 SG,43, including meals ! while, suppose him to 

 be at Washington, on his way to the West, it 

 would cost him $2,50 to get along the first 38 

 miles, or one-eleventh part of the distance from 

 New- York to Bufi'alo! It was not then, too 

 soon, when, in fonning your Societj-, in Januarj- 



