84 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



interested in those facts which relate to the cost of 

 productions and the exchangeable value of con- 

 sumptions. Producers and consumers are more 

 immediately concerned in ihem, as atl'ordins use 

 lul guides leadmg to a knowledge of ihe amount 

 of productions necessary tom^et the wants o! con- 

 Bumplion, and to the establishment ol' equitable 

 and remunerating rates of valuation. JStatisiic 

 facts, accurately ascertained, and periodically au- 

 thenticated and published, serve also to render the 

 interests of both producers and consumers more 

 permanent, and consequently, in the long run, 

 more productive. They indicate the mutual rela- 

 tion and dependence of each upon the others ; 

 and thus contribute to remove ihose causes ol fluc- 

 tuation which influence so unfavorably all branches 

 of industry. 



The industrial forces erpployed in agriculture, 

 and the value of its productions, are less perfectly 

 known than those ol any other important producing 

 interest. We have occasional reports of the 

 amount of our exports, embracing agricultural 

 productions to some extent, and these are certainly 

 interesting and uselul documents ; but we know 

 little of the extent of our entire pj'oJtidions. Our 

 Etalisiics of agriculture, therclore, furnish only a 

 knowledge of our surplus productions. But what 

 ratio do they bear to the whole amount of produc- 

 tion 1 We can only form conjectural estimates; 

 but certainly the surplus consists of but a small 

 proportion of the entire production. Looking at 

 this fact, and seeing that the action of the federal 

 and state governments has been conducted by the 

 light of statistics relating merely to our exports, I 

 have been often tempted to accuse our legislators 

 with criminal ignorance o/, and ingratitude to- 

 wards the greatest interest of the country. Legis- 

 lation has begun and operated upon the wrong 

 end of affairs. Il com\nences at the end instead of 

 the beginning; and the position is the most un- 

 fljrtunaie, because it cannot look back, for the be- 

 ginning has been leaped over ; nor forward, for 

 the end has been assumed as the starting point of 

 legislative action. It should be directed primarily 

 lo the increase (if production ; and this, of course, 

 would increase the amount of surplus lor export. 

 If", therelbre, our governments, while furnishing 

 the facilities fcjr the transporiaiinn and export ol 

 our surplus prod'iciions, would direct their labors 

 towards the increase of the whole productions, we 

 ehould have more surplus to export, and the works 

 intended for the convenience of commerce, and 

 acting indirectly in favor of production, would 

 prove lar more profitable, and more direct benefits 

 would result to all interests. My notion of the 

 duly of government, then, is, that it ehould fur- 

 nish to the producing classes, those means of in- 

 struction, fitiing them for the more intelligent and 

 enccessl'ul prosecution of their various pursuits, 

 and the expense and labor of cnnduciiiig which 

 are too onerous to be borne by individuals or asso- 

 ciations of individuals. Th's scheme would, o( 

 course, embrace agricultural schools; for in the 

 present elate of our country, we can hardly hope 

 to organize them efficiently witliout the aid of go- 

 vernment. These opinions, 1 am aware, are not 

 generally isubscribed to by our politicians; and what 

 is worse, the farmers thems^elves do not appear to 

 have generally adopted them ; or if they have, 

 they have not acted upon them. Under tiie pe- 

 culiar forms of our political infstitutione, we can 



scarce expect the action of government to antici- 

 pate public sentiment, let it be never so saluta- 

 r}'. The goveriunent, so lar from leadinir or 

 giving direction to popular setiiiment, is driven 

 (ofi' and on) by it, h is the duly of (he press, 

 therefore, more particularly the agricullurtd press, 

 to a'^aken public seniiment on this subjt'ci, 

 and conduct it to riszlu conclusions and effective 

 aciion. I think, perhaps, the first necessary step 

 in this matter is to lake measures to ascertain ac- 

 curately the entire productions and consumptions 

 of ihe country, which would necessarily also em- 

 brace the exports and imports. I can hardly be- 

 lieve the reiurns of the United Stales census, re- 

 cently taken, will be full and satisfactory ; and I 

 have strong reasons lor doubting the accuracy of 

 even the partial information ilicy will afford. Ful- 

 ness and accuracy are essential to the utility of 

 statistics. 



We have had frequent disputes here as to the 

 produciiveness of agricultural capital. We hear 

 it frequently asserted, that in general less than 

 five per cent, is realized ; and I presume this opi- 

 nion is a near indication of Ihe iruih. It is certam 

 that he, who in addition to supporiing his family 

 from his farm, realizes six per cent., is deemed a 

 thrifty husbandman. But there are many who 

 double, and more than double, this rale of profit. 

 They are, of course, farmers of more ihan ordinary 

 intelliifence and practical abiliiy ; and 1 think the 

 publication of facts, derived liom such sources, 

 will serve a useful purpose by stimulating others 

 to improvement. 



I have before me a letter from a friend, distin- 

 guished alike in ihe walks of agricultural and po- 

 litical life, detailing some lacis which, under the 

 belief they will prove interesting lo your readers, i 

 am induced to transcribe. As ilie writer fears hia 

 neighbors may deem him a boasier, I am not au- 

 thorized to give his name to the public, though [ 

 do to you, individually ; but I will say upon the 

 responsibility of my own, that no man in the na- 

 tion bears or deserves a more exalted reputation 

 lor integrity. And I will add thai, under his 

 course of husbandry, simple as it is, his soil, so far 

 from depreciatinir, has inqjroved and is improving 

 in fenility ; and an acre of his corn-field will mea- 

 sure out as much grain as two acres olhis neighbor's 

 field, originally as good >-oil, but cultivated vvilh less 

 skill and judgment. My correspondent's farm is 

 in a section where land is neiiher deemed so pro- 

 ductive nor valued so highly as in oilier sections. 

 It is, however, a fine calcareous soil, ihesubsiratum 

 of fine clay ; ihe natural timber, oak, sugar tree, 

 walnut, locust, &c. The price at which he values 

 it, too, is high for land in his county, sixty miles 

 from Lexington ; and is rarely obtained, unless 

 exiraordinary improvements tempt the purchaser. 

 He has offered his firm at the price estimated, hut 

 has not met a purchaser. It has not what, in ihe 

 more higbl}' ap[)rcciaied seciions, would lie deemed 

 a due prn[)ortion of level arable land, being cut by 

 a meandering creek, giving the hill-sides running 

 down to iis margin, lo perpeiual pasturage instead 

 of ihe advanta^^^e of alternating with tillage. 



The profits made on this farm, though highly 

 satisfactory and far belter than the general ave- 

 rage, are nevertheless exceeded by others in Ken- 

 tucky. With these observations 1 subjoin the let- 

 ter, tid Ibilows: Yours, truly, 



Tho. B. Stevenson. 



