382 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



for inquiry by the Agricultural Committees, so called, appointed tn the several 

 State Legislatures. 



There is, beyond its limits, and especially south of it, a decided impression 

 that Agriculture is in a very flourishing condition in Western jS'ew-York. Our 

 own view of it, along the great lines of travel, would not justify that impression. 

 The country there generally wears a half-worn-out and about-to-be-deserted 

 aspect. Fences are generally indifferent ; houses look old and ragged, few of 

 them newly painted ; very few new gardens, and orchards, and plantations of 

 ornaT' ental trees about the farm-houses. On remarking upon these appearances 

 to a plain, shrewd, sensible farmer near Saratoga Springs, last summer, and ask 

 ina his explanation, and desiring to know what became of the net income, more 

 or less, Avhich is said to remain with most of them at the end of the year, and 

 why it was not applied to improving the appearance and productive powers of 

 their estates, so as to give to the eye of the traveler that delightful picture which 

 is presented by countries in a course of general melioration, he answered promptly 

 that the reason was to be found in the laws of the State regulating interest. As 

 Jong, he said, as a farmer could, without the labor of cultivation, send his sur- 

 plus money, much or little, to the city of New-York, to be invested in " bond and 

 jnortgage" at 7 per cent, he would neither appropriate it to the purchase of more 

 land or to the improvement and brushing up of what he had ; or, at least, it would 

 be rarely done. It would be a curious result, by-the-by, if one could ascertain 

 what proportion of the State and City of New-York is under ^'bond and mortgage ".' 



We would like to have an essay on this subject, such as we anticipate from 

 the South Carolina Committee, and such as Mr. Carey, of Philadelphia, or Mr. 

 C. F. Mayer, of Baltimore, might supply. All we can do is to offer the 2 vols 

 of The Farmers' Library — not for their value to such writers, but as a token of 

 the importance we attach to the subject, and in the hope of being favored by 

 those who have turned their minds that way, and with whom pecuniary compen- 

 sation would be no object ; and, if it were, \ve are not able to offer it. 



There are millions of acres of land in Maryland and Virginia that, were they 

 in England, would bring an annual rent far exceeding their fee simple value in 

 this country. How is this ? Certainly not from difference in the value of agri- 

 cultural products or the cost of agricultural labor in the two countries, consider- 

 able or great as that is. Is it because we have all land and nothing else ? 

 Neither is it, we apprehend, that the capital, if it existed, to be applied with tol- 

 erable judgment to Agriculture, would not well remunerate the investment. 

 What is it ? The question is of much more importance for Agricultural Soci- 

 eties and Committees than how to make the fattest hog in the shortest time. 



WILLIAMSON POTATOES, 



FROM THE PLAINS OF BOGOTA. 



Mr. Skinner: Nkw-York, .Ian, 10, 1847. 



Sir : You will please to accept, for yourself ond friends, the inclosed lot of potatoe.s. 

 Thoy came from the plains of Bojrota, in the Republic of New-Grenada. I sent for them 

 for the })urpose of getting new seed. I have sent for a few bushels more- and 'Hiy of your 

 friends who are inw;uitcan he supplied gratuitously by leaving their names with you. Also, 

 a few dozen of the Yucu plant. There is no jiurticular name for tlie Potatoes. 



Yours, J. D. WILLIAMSON, 47G Broome-et. 



Reply to the ahove. 

 Dear Sir : The potatoes alluded to have been received and distributed to per- 

 sons who will be careful in the cultivation, and report the result. Looking back 



'76C; 



