44 AMERICAN HUSBANDRY. 



what it might be, and what it would be if farmers 

 would awake to their true interests. We cannot 

 blame the Germjtn peasant or the Russian serf for 

 sending to us their surplus grain : they would never 

 do it if we supplied the market with that produced 

 at home, as we easily might. It is useless to com- 

 plain of Legislatures, because they do not attend to 

 the wishes of farmers in establishing agricultural 

 schools and societies. The remedy for thesfe things 

 Ls in our own hands. To shut out foreign grain, we 

 must supply the country with our own ; and we shall 

 find it far better to export than to import. If our 

 legislative servants misunderstand or disregard our 

 wishes, farmers have only to make it known that 

 ihey are emphaticalhj the people, and their voices will 

 be heard and obeyed. More than any other class, 

 farmers hold their destiny in their own hands; they 

 should carefully study the causes of the changes 

 that come over their business, or which permanent- 

 ly depress it, and, thus understanding them, they will 

 be able to prevent or avoid such results. There is 

 no more certain criterion by which to judge of the 

 state of any people, physically and intellectually, 

 than the condition of their farms, and the taste dis- 

 played in their buildings and gardens, and in their 

 public improvements. 



