1S46.] Competition of the East with the West. 203 



the same distance from navigation, and allow the expenses of 

 seeding and gathering of crops to be the same, and let the whole 

 premises east and west be put into wheat. 



First the eastern farmer must manure at an expense of at least 

 %b per acre, and if he is very fortunate he may raise 25 bushels 

 per acre, or 2,500 bushels in all. This is good for 500 barrels of 

 flour. Take flour at $'5 per barrel and he has $2,500. Now 

 deduct 10 cents per barrel for transportation, $50. Now deduct 

 the interest of cost of one hundred acres $700, and maniu-ing 

 $500. and you have $1,300. 



Now let us look at the operations of the western farmer, who 

 with the same labor, minus manuring, is sure of an average of 

 thirty bushels per acre — say 3,000 — which is equal to COO barrels 

 of flour; deduct $1 per barrel for freight, and at the same price 

 in market he has $2,400; deduct interest on the cost of land 

 $35, and he has $2,365; now deduct the proceeds of the eastern 

 farm, $1,300, from that of the west, $2,365, and you have 

 $1,365 balance in favor of the western farmer, more than the 

 entire proceeds of the eastern farm. Our eastern farmer asks then 

 what shall we do? Our fathers used to make fortunes in raising 

 grain? It is answered that your fathers lived in another age of 

 the world, and were governed by circumstances; you see the 

 progress of the means of transportation — you see the enormous 

 growth of the west — you feel the competition of that quarter in 

 the lighter articles — you also see the high prices of bulky and 

 perishable products in your market, without taking the advantage 

 of such a state of things. By perishable products, I mean pota- 

 toes, turnips, beets, carrots, cabbage, fruit, and all other vege- 

 tables — together with fresh beef, mutton, pork, &c. 



Now let us cultivate a farm on the North river, with some of 

 these articles, all of which are about equally profitable. Sup- 

 pose the same farmer should plant 50 acres in potatoes, and the 

 same number in turnips, after manuring as for wheat. The 

 potatoe should produce 200 bushels per acre, 10,000 bushels. 

 These at three bushels to the barrel, are equal to 3,333 barrels, 

 worth at least as many dollars in market, clear of freight. Now 



