PROFITS OF FARMING. 45 



New England ? The chief inducements offered by the western 

 lands, lie in the cheapness of the soil, and tlie light degree of 

 labor required for its cultivation ; and these are important 

 considerations, by no means to be overlooked in connection with 

 agriculture. 



But as an offset to these, and entirely counterbalancing them, 

 is to be considered the deprivation of the comforts of life to 

 which every New England man has been accustomed from 

 infancy ; a deprivation, which submitted to in Massacliusetts, 

 would insure them a fortune at farming in a very few years. 

 But after all that can be said of the easy condition of tlie 

 western farmer as regards labor, it only amounts to a change of 

 its character, a substitution of more ploughing for less hoeing ; 

 and the amount of crops per acre is not greatly increased, 

 except for a few years, as may be clearly seen by reference to 

 the United States census report for 1850, from which it appears 

 that the crops of Massacliusetts are quite as large per acre as in 

 Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa. Besides these considerations, it 

 must be remembered that the farmer of New England deals 

 more directly with the consumer, and tlms commands a fair 

 price for his produce in the market, while the western farmer 

 reaches the consumer only through middle men, who swallow 

 all the profit, giving to the producer only starvation prices. I 

 say, then, to the young farmer, wliile any unimproved land is to 

 be found in Massachusetts, remain here ; for where the largest 

 amount of capital in proportion to the population is invested in 

 active business, the best markets will be opened, and the largest 

 profit can be realized'; and no State in the Union exceeds our 

 own in this particular, and within her boundaries you may 

 by industry, good calculation, and tolerable economy, gather 

 around you more of life's most valuable gifts, more for which 

 to respect yourself and secure the respect of others, than in any 

 other part of the world. 



