wo. 21. 



THE farmers' cabinet. 



329 



eighteen inches apart. The growtii is not 

 very rapid ; but when it has attained the 

 heigiit of lour or five tcet in about as many 

 years, it becomes so dense that no domestic 

 animals would think of breaking through it. 

 Tlie leaf is small, deeply verdant, and beau- 

 tifully serrated. In the month of May these 

 hedges are clothed with a white fragrant 

 blossom, very nmch resembling that of the 

 thornsof our own country, and it is tiien that 

 the honeysuckle and other wild flowers un- 

 fold their bright hues and mingle their sweet- 

 ness witii the luivvthorn. In the hedges, trees, 

 such as the oak, the elm, and tlie horse chos- 

 nut, arc planted, sometimes in rows near 

 together, but oftencr far apart, so that each 

 one rises and waves by itself over the humblr, 

 but not lesscharming growth below. Single 

 trees of a great age, and very large, are 

 sprinkled hero and there in every direction, 

 and every now and then you catch a glimpse 

 in the distance of a grove or circular clump, 

 which adds not a little to the beauty of the 

 landscape. — Humphrey's Tour. 



Is Farmiug Profitable? 



In prosecuting the business of life, it is very 

 desirable to do it in such a manner that, so far 

 as regards temporal matters, competency at 

 least may be secured ; and the way in which 

 this can be done the most easily, effectually, 

 and with the least probability of reverses, be- 

 comes an inquiry of considerable interest. 

 We speak now of the ordinary means of ob- 

 taining a good living, of the regular prosecu- 

 tion of professional business, of the usual re- 

 .sults of trade, of money at the legal rates of 

 interest, and farming as it has been on the 

 average for the last five years. Now in some 

 respects the " times are out of joint ;" all the 

 customary modes of doing business seem to be 

 broken up; men are in a haste to be rich; 

 and the opportunities for speculation, and the 

 success which in some instances has attended 

 it, appear to have had their influence every 

 where — less perliaps among farmers than any 

 other class of citizens, though even for them 

 it will not do to plead entire exemption. — 

 Many have sold their farms, and after spend- 

 ing months in looking tor others, have come 

 again and consented to pay roundly for the 

 privilege of getting on to the "old place" 

 again. Other farmers have sold out, and with- 

 out personal investigation, have at once start- 

 ed for that earthly paradise, the far west. — 

 Disappointed, they liave returned, and after 

 having lost most of their property in the ex- 

 penses of removal, are content to again com- 

 mence a gradual accumulation of property. 

 But a great majority are still working on, 

 sowing and reaping, and it is a question which 

 should bo solved ; whether such are not on the 



whole making money as fast as they probably 

 would with tlie suine rapitol in any other le- 

 gitimate business. What we mean is, can a 

 a man with five or ten thousand dollars, real- 

 17.0 as much from it by investing it in a farm, 

 as he could by loaning it at the legal rate of 

 interest; and will it support himself or his 

 family as handsomely in the first way as the 

 last! To contribute our mite towards answers 

 ing these questions, is the object of this pa- 

 per. 



The man who e.vpccts to get rich at once 

 by farming, must expect to be disappointed ; 

 but in this matter he is no worse oft" than he 

 who has only the same moderate capital in 

 cash, and uses it in a legal way. In both cases 

 the addition to the capital stock, can con- 

 sist only of what remains of the income after 

 all demands upon it are met. We will at- 

 tempt to illustrate this. Two men, A. and 

 B., are about to commence life with the same 

 ca^jital, say five thousand dollars in cash, each; 

 and their personal expenses are also the same. 

 A. invests the whole of his in a farm, and 

 stock, and goes to work upon it. B. is appre- 

 hensive he could not live so, and invests his 

 cash in stock which yields him seven per 

 cent,, and determines to do enough to pay his 

 way, so that the interest shall be clear ; now 

 which of the two are the most lihely to possess 

 competence, if not actual wealth, at the end 

 of ten yearsT Perhaps a majority at first 

 thought, would say, B. certainly; but wc 

 think differently, and imagine that the 

 chances are altogether in favor of A., and 

 these are some of the reasons for this opmion. 



In the first place his occupation is favora- 

 ble to health. The life of a farmer is one of 

 labor, it is true ; but labor, unless carried to 

 excess, is far from being prejudicial to the 

 body or the mind. Vigorous exercise, such 

 is the law of our natures, is necessary to the 

 full development of either our bodily or men- 

 tal powers, and unless this necessity is forced 

 upon us in part, we are apt to evade it, and 

 we suffer in consequence. The maxim, that 

 every man ruUurully is as idle as he can be, 

 we do not dispute; acquired habits, induced 

 by the necessity for exertion, are sufficient 

 1o account for any seeming exceptions to this 

 rule. Hence the probability is, that A., hav- 

 ing before his eyes the necessity of labor on 

 his farm, will perform the labor, and reap the 

 double benefit in his health and in his purse; 

 while B., who cannot expect to feel tliat ne- 

 cessity, will of course be less active and in- 

 dustrious, will become less and less inclined 

 to labor, and will eventually feel the effects 

 of this disinclination in diminished health and 

 decreasing profits. 



Another reason why the prospcct.s of A. 

 arc better than these of B. is to be found in 

 the habits that personal industry is almost sure 



