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FIEST PEIZE ESSAY 



BY S. C. THOMPSON. 



yiioiild an intelligent, industrious and enterprising young farmer, 

 with moderate capital, be content to carry on his business in Old 

 Hampshire, or emigrate to some other locality ? 



For a young man just starting in life, the most important thing, 

 perhaps, is the choice of a profession to enable him to know upon 

 what he is to depend for his subsistence, and this having been done, 

 ihe next thing of moment is, in what section of country he shall 

 pui'sue this occuiDation. Take the first part of this proposition as 

 settled, that he is to be a farmer, let us look at the second, viz : 

 Where should he select his farm, and what should be his surround- 

 ings ? In the selection of a farm, one of the essential requisites, is 

 •of course to have something to begin with, that is, to have land 

 which is naturally fertile, and not have to begin at the lowest round 

 of the ladder, and contend with a barren soil and an inclement 

 cHmate. The soil which would generally be preferred, is a deep, 

 friable, and at the same time, retentive loam, naturally underdrained. 



The slojDC of the land, may, or may not, be of so much account 

 to him, though preferably a south-eastern, southern or south-western 

 exposure would be selected. The farm should be suitably divided 

 into tillage, pasture and woodland, and be so situated as to be easy 

 of access in all parts, and not too far away from the buildings. 

 The buildings are of vital importance to the farmei", and should be 

 commodious, warm, well ventilated, and conveniently arranged. 

 They should be situated as nearly as possible in the center of the 

 portion fi'om which crops ai'e taken. The location of the buildings 

 is, however, something which can be more easily changed, than 

 many other things about the farm. Even if a good location, with 

 regard to soil, &c., is determined upon, there are other and not less 

 important considerations, foremost among which, are those relating 

 to transportation. 



