14 



liorn gives us a great advantage over the English farmer, as 

 has been already mentioned. 



With respect to the soil, a skilful observer, Chancellor Liv- 

 ingston, after an attentive examination, is of opinion, that the 

 soil of the United States is not inferior to that of France, Oreat 

 Britain, Ital}'^, Flanders and Germany. The soil of our own 

 county is not so good as that of some parts of the United States. 

 Ji. very considerable portion of Essex, however, is naturally 

 fertile, and if agriculture does not flourish more with us, it 

 cannot, I think, be justly ascribed to any defect in our soil or 

 climate. 



In the article of fruit trees, we have a great superiorit}' over 

 the English farmer, the most valuable fruits, as apples, pears, 

 l)lQms, are produced here with much greater ease, and in far 

 greater abundance. 



In the cheapness of labour the English farmOr may have 

 some advantage over those American farmers who hire a con- 

 siderable portion of the labour on their farms. 



Mineral manures as lime and marie are probably obtained 

 with greater facility in England. Those parts of the United 

 States where gypsum is used with success, have an advantage 

 over England. This however is not the case with us. 



The taxes to which farmers in England, are subjected, are 

 far heavier than any known here, and would be thought by us 

 intolerable, and such I trust as will never be attempted. — 

 Tithes and poor rates in England fall wholly on real 

 estate, and are estimated to amount to ten shillings sterling an 

 acre, on all the cultivated land in England, that is more than 

 two dollars an acre, so that the English farmer in addition 

 to his rent and taxes on a farm of two hundred acres, is 

 compelled to pay about four hundred dollars for tithes and poor 

 rates. Taxes on the necessaries of life, on leather, soap, beer, 

 salt, and on almost every article of consumption, foreign or 

 domestic, increase the burdens o' agriculture. In addition to 

 these, there are regulations which promote the interest of the 

 manuficturer at the expense of the farmer, as the prohibition to 

 export wool, though it would often command a much higher 



