232 



NEW E N G L A N D F A R M E R , 



JAN. 8, 184:0. 



HARD ^ IMES. 

 The following beautiful and eloquent remarks on 

 the subject of hard times, are copied from an Amer- 

 ican magazine published in 1787. We know not 

 who is their author, but they are worthy of the 

 greatest of writers; and we republish them, as not 

 altogether inappropriate to the manners and customs 

 of the present times. — Bost. Jfeckly Mag. 



" The scarcity of cash is a general complaint, 

 and it has become so fashionable to complain of 

 hard times, and the scarcity of money, that debtors 

 seem to think that they have sufficiently satisfied 

 their creditors, if they tell them the times are hard 

 and money scarce. This has so long been the 

 theme, that the people almost universally believe it, 

 although it is a falsoliood. Every generation and 

 age thinks the former days and times were better 

 than the present. This, however, is a mistake, 

 founded on false surmises and vain imaginations. 

 The original principles of human nature are the 

 same in every age, and ever have been since the 

 fall. Times are easy when men do their duty ; 

 but when they deviate from that, and enter the road 

 of vice, indolence and licentiousness, then difficul- 

 ties embarrass and troubles perplex them. 



The complaint of hard times in this country is 

 all imaginary. Tmh lence and extravagance in 

 dress are the source from which all the evils' so bit- 

 terly complained of, flow. Both reason and reve- 

 lation teach us that the human race were to live in 

 this world by industry, and to earn their bread by 

 the sweat of their brow. On the productions of 

 the earth we depend for subsistence, and sponta- 

 neous productions are not to be expected. The 

 earth must be cultivated before she will yield her 

 increase. In a country like this, it cannot be ex- 

 pected that all the inhabitants should live by com- 

 merce ; nor indeed but a very few in proportion to 

 the whole. Yet in this country, the people, as it 

 were, drunk with the idea of gain, if they can but 

 get into the meicantile line, are crowding into it, 

 and to appearance seem to think that the whole 

 community can live by buying and selling Europe- 

 an gewgaws. This, however, is a mistake which 

 time mu?t teach and reform. Experience is the 

 only teacher mankind will believe; and when they 

 have learned by a fair trial, that indolence and craft 

 will not support them, they will turn to industry, 

 and lead quiet and peaceable lives, in diligence 

 and honesty. 



Agriculture is the very soul and life of this re- 

 public : if that is neglected, difficulties will cer- 

 tainly arise. Our own manufactures must also be 

 encouraged and carried on, if we mean to be a 

 happy and independent people. For a few years 

 past the farmers have to appearance, been vieing 

 with the merchants in dress. 'I'hey have neglect- 

 ed to manufacture their own wearing apparel ; be- 

 cause, say they, our own manufactures are not so 

 handsome as foreign, neither are they so durable or 

 cheap. By this means they have reduced them- 

 selves to poverty, and now loudly complain of the 

 hardness of the times. A different line of conduct 

 must be adopted ; industry and frugality must be 

 the stability of our own and all other times. 



In a free and independent state, where republi- 

 can principles and sentiments are adopted by the 

 people at larg.e, the ideaof equality breathes through 

 the whole, and every individual feels ambitious to 

 be in a situation not inferior to his neighbor. Among 

 us the idea of inferioriiy, as of pursuing a mean em- 

 ployment or occupation for a livelihood, mortifies 



the feelings, and sours the minds of those who feel 

 themselves inferior ; and consequently the poor to 

 their great injury, strive to be equal to the rich in 

 dress, if in nntliing else. The farmer in the field 

 will be found clad in as delicate a garment as a 

 merchant behind his counter. 'J'his is utterly wrong 

 and cannot be supported. Let every one dress ac- 

 cording to the business he is in. If a man's busi- 

 ness is to measure off cloths, and deal out clean 

 elegant goods to customers, he may as well dress 

 neat and elegant as otherwise, and propriety dic- 

 tates that he should. But if his employment be in 

 the field, to plough and cultivate the earth, a diffe- 

 rent dress becomes him; and the old adage will 

 ever hold true, "He that will increase his riches, 

 must not hoe corn in silk breeches." A frock and 

 trowsers are as becoming a dress for a farmer when 

 laboring in the field, as a ruffled shirt, a velvet or 

 silk vest and breeches, and a superfine broadcloth 

 coat, are for the merchant in his shop. There is 

 propriety, uniformity and beauty to be observed in 

 every thing, and every thing is beautiful in its prop- 

 er place. 



The other day I went to see some farmers who 

 owed me a trifle, and found them in the field at 

 work. One was clad in a velvet vest and breeches, 

 and fine worsted stockings — the other in a satinet 

 vest and breeches, worsted stockings and a fine 

 Holland shirt, with a ruffle at the bosom. 1 asked 

 them for the money they owed me ; and was told 

 " money is exceedingly scarce ; the times are very 

 hard ; and it is an impossible thing to get money." 

 I offered to take stock or almost any other article; 

 but they had nothing to pay mo except land, and 



From the Farmer's Cabinet. 



FARM ACCOUNTS AND FARM PROFITS 

 Mr Editor — I was much pleased with the com 

 munication in your last number from A. E. T. o 

 Philadelphia county, and I am glad that an articl 

 so jilain, interesting, and calculated to place th 

 profits of agriculture in a fair light, is to be follow 

 ed up, as I infer from the heading of the piec( 

 which is No. 1. Now I do hope that this write 

 who it appears can hold the pen as well as th 

 plough, will continue his essays for the benefit ( 

 his brother farmers. There are many subjects ( 

 great interest to the farmer that have as yet r( 

 ceived little or no attention from agricultural wr 

 ters. The subject of Farm Accounts is one i 

 great importance, and I trust that A. E. T. wi 

 furnish us with a bird's eye view of his syster 

 which I presume is a good one. 



The system or practice of farming with us i 

 Montgomery county is not essentially different fro 

 that in the more immediate neighborhood of Phili 

 delphia — but our great error has consisted in n 

 farming well enough ; we have been too anxioi 

 to have large farms, even if partially cultivated, 

 preference to small ones in a high state of fertilit 

 The desire to own many acres, has been the ru 

 of hundreds, and was the rock on which I was nea 

 ly shipwrecked. Some years since, when mom 

 was cheap and every thing saleable dear, I was i 

 duced to believe that my farm of ninetyfive acr 

 was too small. True, I had lived above board, w 

 entirely free of debt, and had abundance of emplo 

 ment ; but still my farm was small, very small, i 



that they could not spare : and so my debt was deed almost insignificant in comparison to some 



dischargedby inability. The reason why I men- 

 tion this circumstance is to shew that the extrava- 

 gance of people to decorate their bodies is the ori- 

 gin of their poverty ; and the hardness of the times 

 arises from a foolish pride. Every man is honora- 

 bly dressed when he is dressed suitably to the busi- 

 ness he is doing. 



Agriculture by some is thought a very mean em- 

 ployment; yet those who esteem it such, I will 

 venture to say are mere simpletons, and the true 

 principles of honor are not in them. Is it more 

 honorable to be servant to every body, to weigh 

 but an ounce of indigo, to draw a quart of molasses, 

 than to cultivate the earth, and reap the yellow har- 

 vest — to procure the necessaries and luxuries of 

 life ? The employment of a farmer is really the 

 most honorable of any on .eartk Where or what 

 would be the mechanic, the lawyer, the physician, 

 or the merchant, if it were not for the farmer ? — 

 Where or what would be the statesman, the prince, 

 the emperor or the monarch, with all their brilliant 

 equipages, were it. not for the farmer.' The bran- 

 ches are not so honorable as the root; let them not 

 therefore, boast of their own gaudy appearance, and 

 despise the root that bears them. The husband- 

 man, surely, is v/orthy of much honor, as he is the 

 foundation on which kingdoms and empires stand. 

 Monarchs and emperors are supported by the indus- 

 try of the husbandman, and all their greatness stands 

 on his shoulders. Let him, therefore, be honored 

 and respected, that his heart may be encouraged 

 and his hands strengthened in his laborious and 

 tiresome work." 



my neighbors. Instead of being contented wi 

 what I had, and by still greater attention causing 

 to produce more abundantly than it had previousl 

 the spirit of grasping after more, ambition, spec 

 lation, or whatever you may please to call it, to 

 full possession of my mind — of course my days 

 tranquility were ended. 



About this time it so happened that an adjoini 

 neighbor had become a victim to the spirit of en 

 gration, and having settled on locating in the we 

 offered his farm for sale. He had been revolvii 

 in his mind the propriety of this step for scve: 

 years, and as it worked upon him, his farm becai 

 more and more neglected, until, in some raeasu 

 he lost the character of a clean farmer. The buii 

 ings on the place were so old and decayed, tl 

 they were considered of no value. The farm cc 

 sisted of two hundred and twentyeight acree, si 

 ject to a mortgage of six thousand dollars, at ! 

 per cent., payable half yearly. This was no obs 

 cle in my mind, " as the mortgage may remain 

 years." The day of sale came, and I was the f 

 tunate purchaser ; it being knocked down at eij 

 thousand one hundred and twenty dollars, subj( 

 to the aforesaid mortgage. My farm of ninetyf 

 acres, had in the nine years 1 tilled it poorly, yie 

 ed me about two hundred dollars profit per annu) 

 so I had about eighteen hundred dollars at co 

 mand, but was compelled to boiroiv, a thing I ni 

 er did before, about four hundred dollars. 



I had now attained apparently the summit of i 

 wishes — I was now a large landed proprietor ! 

 first, I little thought of the collar on my neck in ( 



' ■ ' — — ■ shape of a mortgage, and sundry small obligati( 



A farmer atGaysport, Pa., raised this season 800 shortly to be met. I enjoyed myself finely indo' 



bushels of potatoes from an acre and a quarter of but only for a short time, as the bubble burst, a 



land. I awoke to the cold and sober realities of my siti 



