of the Atlantic States. Extravagant as it mTiy secVn, it 

 is nevertheless true, that even at this moment, an equal 

 market price for flour, and grain of all kinds, would at- 

 tract to tlie District, fnore abundant supplies than any 

 one town in the United States annually receives — and for 

 this, there is the plainest reason in the world — because 

 the growers of the article in the largest and finest 

 grain country, would be subjected to less expense in 

 transporting it to the District, than in carrying it to any 

 other market accessible to sea vessels — and this advan« 

 tage in favor of the district, will become more decisive 

 <yvery succeeding year, as the inland navigation of Po-. 

 tomak, and its different branches, becomes more per- 

 fect 



My present object, however, is not to point out the 

 commercial advantages of the situation of the District of 

 Columbia — but rather to call the attention of the Propri- 

 etors of the lands in the vicinity, to the importance of 

 making due efforts for their improvement, with a view 

 to the supply of the gr(t\ving market at their doQr — parti- 

 cularly, with those articles which either will not bear the 

 carriage, or which, from other circumstances, cannot be 

 SO well supplied, from a distance. 



The kind of land which more immediately calls for 

 improvement, and which will best reward the labour of 

 the judicious improver, is that, which is now but little bet- 

 ter than an incumbrance to the owner, but which is capa- 

 ble of being converted into meadow, at an expence tri- 

 fling indeed, in comparison with the annual profits it 

 will be sure to yield. Meadow ground, under proper 

 cultivation, is no where so valuable as in the neighbor- 

 liood of the District — in no other place, is there so great 

 a demand for grass, and all the articles depending on 

 grass ; — hence it is, that these articles, so essential to the 

 d;tily consumption of towns, constantly command prices 

 from 20 to 50 per cent, higher in the District, than in the 

 great markets of Philadelphia and Baltimore — and it 

 need not be apprehended, that the improvement of such 

 land can be toe general— or too rapid — no eftorts in tlje 



