THE GENESEE FARMER. 



355 



Paloe of Farms. — If we mistake not, we are 

 itering on a real estate speculation. The abund- 

 paper money has a tendency to increase the 

 ' all other commodities. Railroad and other 

 ave already been greatly affected by it, and have 

 d full 25 per cent. The next property to feel the 

 this abundance of paper money, will be real es- 

 uring the Napoleon wars, the value of land in 

 [ advanced to such an extent as to inspire, in the 

 e of the Encyclopedia JBrittanica, " all classes with 

 agricultural mania." It is now difficult to in- 

 ney on good security at ordinary rates of inter- 

 ans are made on gold in New York at 3 per cent, 

 is easy to see that, oilier things heing equal, the 

 " farms rises as the value of mouey declines. If 

 s worth $50 per acre when money is worth 7 per 

 ought to be worth $100 per acre when money is 

 nly 3J per cent.; for the interest on $100 is the 

 the one case as on $50 in the other, 

 again, money is not only abundant, but it is 

 depreciated. A dollar bill to-day is only worth 

 in specie. This is an astounding fact, but fact 

 gold dollar is worth $1.33. A dollar's worth of 

 ght, al,so, to be worth $1.33, even if, like gold, it 

 rely unproductive. 



:ase then stands thus : a farm of 100 acres that 

 ay 7 per cent, on $50 per acre, a year ago, was 

 5000. The same farm would pay 3j per cent, on 

 ir acre, or $10.000 ; and in addition to this, we 

 Id one-third for the depreciation of money that 

 ow be paid for it, or $3,333. So that a farm worth 

 year ago, would now be worth, on the basis we 

 sumed, $13,333! 



are of course counteracting influences at work 

 ce the value of land, such as the high price of 

 ixes, etc., but the increased value of our products 

 offset to these drawbacks. Making the most lib- 

 iwauce for all depreciating influences, it is clear 

 price of farming land ought to advance. The 

 ection that can be urged to this argument is, that 

 no certainty that the low rate of interest on money 

 aermanent. This may keep land from advancing 

 extent which the above figures would indicate, 

 re can be little doubt that we shall, before many 

 , witness a considerable rise in the nominal value 

 and other property. 



2 then advise farmers to sell if land advances ? — 

 neans. If you sell and take pay in depreciated 

 you will have to buy again in depreciated money 

 that you will be no better off. What we would 

 ery farmer to do, is to try to get out of debt 

 loney is depreciated. He might sell a part of his 

 d pay his debts with the money. In this way he 

 ;ain, but in no other. The danger is, that instead 

 I economical and trying to get out of debt; farm- 

 be tempted to extravagance, and when the reac- 

 nes, as assuredly it will, they will suffer the pen- 



Notes on the Weather from September 15th to 

 October 16th, 1862. — The mean temperature of the first 

 half of September was 64.2°, or only 0.3° above the mean 

 for twenty-five years. 



The mean of the last half was 60.6°, or 3.8° above that for 

 so many years, and the average of the month was 62.4°, 

 only 2° above that for twenty-five years. The highest at 

 noon, in the last half, was only 80°, on the 23d ; but the 

 hottest day was 71.3°, on the 18th. The coldest morning, 

 42°, on the 25tb, which was the coldest day. Generally 

 very pleasant. 



The rain of the last half was only 0.264 inches, and of 

 the month was 2.364 inches. Of course the earth was 

 rather dry and dusty. The rain on the 24th was 0.26 

 inches. But little rain or storm occurred within eight 

 days on either side of the autumnal equinox, September 

 23d, very early in the morning. The moderate rain at 

 the last of September was not worthy of the name equi- 

 noxtial storm. 



Fruits have been a little late, but have finely matured, 

 so that apples and pears, peaches and apricots, plums 

 and quinces, have abounded. The crop of grapes is great 

 and fine, and some wine will be manufactured in this 

 vicinity. 



As the wheat harvest has proved to be much better 

 than anticipated in England and France, the export of 

 our cereals, though great, will be less than had been 

 judged probable. 



The weather has been fine, and much of it clear and 

 beautiful through the month, like the two preceding 

 months. 



The New York State Agricultural Fair opened here on 

 Tuesday, the last day of the month ; weather cloudy ; 

 wind northeast; slight rain at times; rather unpro- 

 pitious. 



October [began with moderate storm, some rain, and 

 much cloudy, for four days, with a fall of water in that 

 time of only 0.64 inch. The State Agricultural Fair con- 

 tinued through three of these days, and as the rain fell 

 chiefly by night, it was not so injurious as was feared. 

 Thousands on thousands attended, and the receipts ex- 

 ceeded $11,000. The Fair was a success. The little 

 storm could not be the equinoxtial ; we had no storm de- 

 serving of that name this year or last year. The pleasant 

 week preceding was dry and dusty, with wind on some 

 of the days. It would have been ruinous to the Fair, as 

 the same causes were to the Fair of 1851 here. 



On the evening of the Gth and morning of the 7th, there 

 fell of water 0.49 inch, and very little rain. The 7th and 

 8th were hotter than any two days known in October 

 here, the heat being 83° at noon of the Sth. A great 

 change from the cold of the 6th, when the thermometer 

 was 3S° in the morning, and frost enough to kill leaves 

 of delicate vegetables. Four-fifths of the fortnight has 

 been cloudy and dull, with a mean temperature of 58°, or 

 about the mean for tweuty-five years. Indian corn is 

 matured. Very good peaches are in market on the 15th 

 of October. Grapes abound. 



Genesee Farmer for October. J. Harris, Roch- 

 i. Y. Always useful, always welcome. — British 



Steam cultivation is attracting more and more attention 

 in England. Fowler, Howard & Smith are the princi- 

 pal inventors. Steam plowing is destined to revolution- 

 ize English agriculture. 



