1847 



GENESEE FARMER. 



235 



clearings, had gone to Michigaa or some where 

 west, to clear, and, fence, and toil anew. Our 

 impulsive young men are the salt of that earth 

 on which they bdild their cabins ; their industry, 

 enterprise, and enthusiasm works out a problem 

 in our domestic economy, which Diogenes in 

 his tub never dreamed of; for his philosophy 

 embraced ease, not action. 



I might go farther, and say that the first set- 

 tlers of Michigan gave an immediate impress of 

 civilization to the country and the age, which no 

 other new State can boast ; yet I still contend 

 that the alluvial plains, and still alluvial hills, of 

 Western New York, should not suffer a diminu- 

 tion of population, in order that such a consum- 

 mation may be attained in a sister State. In- 

 stead of that consolidation here, which adds farm 

 to farm, as if to increase the domain of naked- 

 ness, I would rather see a continual sub-division 

 and improvement of the soil by the farmer's 

 sons, until something near the hundredth part of 

 its maximum yield was attained, from the arable 

 surface. Then the farmer's wife would not have 

 to go a thousand miles to sympathize in the joys, 

 and sorrows, of her children. Then the neat 

 cottage with its shrubbery, its clambering vines, 

 its garden, and its little highly cultivated fields, 

 would give to the eye the impress of that thrift 

 and good taste, which is the reward of industry 

 in an old country ; certainly more comfortable 

 and picturesque, if not more substantial and im- 

 posing, than the great wheat fields, and coarse 

 improvements, of the new west. 



But I hope to hear more from J. W. FALLEt 

 about Michigan ; he tells the truth well. I only 

 ask him to tell the whole truth ; give us the 

 shady, as well as the bright side of the picture. 

 Speak of the singing birds if you please, but 

 don't neglect the musketoes. S. W. 



Seneca County, N. Y., 1847. 



Comparative Profits of Agriculture, Trade and 

 Commerce. 



In regard to the relative advantages and actu- 

 al profit of agriculture and trade, a considerable 

 diiference of opinion exists among those having 

 the best means of information on these subjects. 

 It has been asserted on strong grounds of confi- 

 dence, at least probable reasons of belief, that of 

 the whole number of men who have been con- 

 cerned in trade or commerce in the United 

 States, at least two-thirds have become bankrupt 

 or insolvent, and some assert a greater propor- 

 tion. Those also are not wanting, who confi- 

 dently affirm, that agriculture is the best and 

 most profitable business, and will often afford a 

 profit of 15, 18, and 20 per cent, on the capital 

 established in it. There is great reason, how- 

 ever, to doubt the truth or correctness of this as- 

 sertion. According to the statement relative to 

 the farm of Mr. Chadsby, at Wickford, Rhode 



Island, as contained in the Albany Cultivator for 

 June, in which the produce and the expenses of 

 the same are detailed, it would appear that al- 

 though in the actual cultivation of the farm, he 

 cleared 20 per cent., yet, taking into view the 

 cost of subsistence of the family, even on a mod- 

 erate estimate of $400 or $500 per annum, there 

 will remain only a small profit from the farm. 



Perhaps, taking all things into view, the prof- 

 its of trade and commerce will, on the average, 

 considerably exceed that of farming, when man- 

 aged by merchants or traders of experience, skill, 

 and judgment, and on an adequate capital. — 

 Sometimes a profit of 20 and even 25 per cent, 

 has been realized ; but this is seldom the case. 

 A rate of 8 or 10 per cent, is considered to be a 

 good profit on the average of the business when 

 fairly conducted. But taking into view all the 

 various circumstances connected with the busi- 

 ness, the certain and great expenses of a com- 

 mercial establishment, the rent of the store, pay- 

 ment of clerks and other labor, fuel, stationary, 

 &c., — all which will probably vary in amount 

 from 1,000 to 2,000 or 3,000 dollars, according 

 to circumstances — the great cost of house-keep- 

 ing, or the subsistence of the family in its vari- 

 ous details — which also will vary from 400 or 

 500 up to 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, or 4,000 dollars, 

 according* to the circumstances, condition, or 

 disposition of the man, or his family — and but 

 few men in trade in our large cities can live 

 comfortably (with their families) on less than 

 700, 800, or 1,000 dollars per year: the dan- 

 ger of bad debts, loss from goods of inferior qual- 

 ity, those damaged, or otherwise not suited to the 

 markets, and perhaps more than all, the great 

 risks of loans from the banks, especially in times 

 of commercial revulsions, when it is their cus- 

 tom to contract their loans at the very period 

 most wanted by the small trader — we have rea- 

 son to believe, that a farmer, having the experi- 

 ence, skill, and caution to manage his farm prop- 

 erly, and not to live beyond his income, but who 

 will be contented with a comfortable subsistence 

 and a moderate income, or 2 or 3 percent., (and 

 under favorable circumstances perhaps 8 or 10 

 per cent.,) he will find the business of agricul- 

 ture better on the whole than trade or commerce. 

 Wm. Jknnison. 



Boston, Mass., July, 1847. 



Wheat Crop of Michigan. — The wheat crop 

 of Michigan, for the present year, as estimated 

 by a gentleman now preparing statistics for the 

 Patent Office in Washington, will not fall short 

 of 8,000,000 bushels, nor exceed 10,000,000 

 bushels. The quality of the grain this year is 

 superior in every respect to the crop of last year. 



Col. Noble, of Cincinnati, exhibited at a 

 late meeting of the Horticultural Society, a spe- 

 cimen of Indian corn bearing twelve ears on a 

 single stalk. 



