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great. Articles of the best qiiality will always command a goed 

 price, while those of an inferior quality, though produced at 

 nearly or quite the same expense, perhaps cannot be sold at 

 all, or fold only at a loss. 



Perhaps we may derive some encouragement for spirited 

 and vigorous efforts to improve our own agriculture, if we 

 compare it for a moment with that of England, and take a view 

 of some of the advantages and disadvantages of the English and 

 American farmer. In England, agriculture is carried to a 

 much higher degree of perfection than in other countries, with 

 the exception perhaps, of Flanders, Lombardy, and some parts 

 of Switzerland, and Scotland. This is not owing, as is well 

 known, to any superiority of soil or climate, enjoyed by En- 

 gland over many other countries of Europe. Arthur Young, 

 an excellent judge, after making his agricultural tours over 

 France and England, says, that both in soil and climate, France 

 has the superiority over England, but the produce of the latter 

 country by the acre, was on an average, nearly or quite double 

 to that of France, owing to superior cultivation. Our own 

 agriculture is probably inferior to that of England ; there are 

 no doubt exceptions to this remark, but as a general position 

 it is unquestionably true. What are the causes of this superi- 

 ority? What are the advantages of soil, climate, or political 

 institutions, which the English enjoys over the American far- 

 mer ? Or is the difference owing to the superior industry, skill 

 and liberal application of capital in English agriculture? 



In England the greater mildness of the weather in winter, 

 enables a farmer to prepare his land earlier for a spring crop, 

 to feed his turnips on the ground, and prosecute some opera- 

 tions in agriculture which the severity of our winters renders 

 impracticable. The winter is both milder and shorter, the 

 atmosphere being more moist, is in some respects more favor- 

 able to vegetation, and they suffer less from drought than we 

 do. Vegetation is however more rapid here, than in England, 

 and though our spring is later, our harvest is sarlier. Hay is 

 also cut earlier here, and owing to the superior dryness of our 

 atmosphere is much mere easily made than in England. Indian 



