1840.] SENATE— No. 36. 93 



dity or miscalculation, or want of calculation ; but much often- 

 er from indolence and deficiency of enterprise, which are always 

 barriers to the progress of any useful art, agriculture as much 

 as any other, and to any distinguished improvement. Liberal 

 returns can be obtained only from liberal cultivation. The 

 traveller might, with equal reason, expect that his horse, with- 

 out attention, and provender, without being carefully curried, 

 and seasonably fed, and kindly lodged, would perform a long 

 and laborious journey well, as the farmer to see his fields wav- 

 ing with luxuriant crops, and returning their golden harvest 

 iuto his lap without cultivation, and cleaning, and draining, and 

 eiu'iching. 



I should be among the last persons to recommend to the far- 

 mers any lavish expenditure of time or money in the improve- 

 ment of their l^nds, without a prospect of remuneration. But 

 I can say in truth, that in my various explorations in different 

 sections of the State, I have not yet found a single well con- 

 ducted instance of improvement or redemption of land, v/hich 

 has not given an ample return ; and in instances without num- 

 ber it has happened that not only has the whole expense of 

 the improvement been rej)aid by the first or the two first crops, 

 but the land itself has been increased ten fold in value, esti- 

 mating its value by its prospective returns for years to come. 

 In all enterprises of permanent improvement of the land, the 

 simple questions to be asked are, will the enterprise or project 

 prove effectual ? is it the best that can be undertaken ? will it 

 remunerate the expei^se? will it be profitable ? Now there is 

 scarcely a farm in Massachusetts, where improvements may 

 not be made, and even at a heavy expense, in which every one 

 of these questions would not be answered emphatically in the 

 affirmative. Many a farmer in the State, who is careful to in- 

 vest his moderate earnings of a few hundred dollars in bank 

 stock or in private notes, where, making no allowance for the 

 various risks incidental to all such operations, the most that 

 he can expect is a return of six per cent, interest, by a prudent 

 and judicious investment of the same in the redemption of his 



