96 ON CULTIVATION OF CROPS. 



the variety of the soil, and some kinds of corn, which 

 if discovered would promote the value of the pro- 

 duce, and which in the perfection of agricultural 

 science would be readily discoverable. It is very 

 common to hear men expressing a preference for one 

 kind of corn over another, but it is not often that 

 anything is said which would show that it is thought 

 that the different nature of the soil on different farms 

 has any connexion with the success or failure of cer- 

 tain varieties of corn. 



Indeed, rules of adaptation would be the necessa- 

 ry result of a knowledge of the chemical qualities of 

 the soil cultivated, of the manures applied, and of 

 the properties requisite to the best development of 

 the seed. 



Much has been of late spoken and written upon 

 the wages of labor. It seems to have been assumed 

 on all hands, that labor is much better paid in this 

 country than in Europe, and that the elevated 

 condition of the American laborer is owing to this 

 fact. If these opinions are true, and of this there 

 is some doubt, they are neither true to the extent 

 that they are generally entertained. To say that so 

 much is paid per day for labor is an arbitrary meas- 

 ure of the value of labor. The true measure is to 

 see how much work is performed for a given sum. 

 The American laborer has ordinarily greater bodily 

 strength and much more physical endurance, united 

 with an energy or spirit almost wholly wanting to 

 the European. Besides these he is more ingenious 

 in the application of his strength, and commonly has 

 put into his hands an instrument far more convenient 

 and effective than is used for the same purpose in 

 Europe. The laborers upon the Prussian railroads 

 may be seen toiling with slow and spiritless motion, 

 turning up the earth with small spoon-shaped shov- 

 els fastened upon handles, made of four or five feet 

 in length, from poles or the limbs of trees, with no 

 means of steadying them except the grasp of the 

 hands. To balance such an instrument, so as to use 



