136 THE HISTOET OF THE IIEN FBVEK. 



prospect is that the poultry-trade will be considerably better 

 next year than we have ever yet known it in New England. 

 Wishing you and my competitors in the trade a " Happy 

 New Year,' I am theirs and yours, truly, 



" Geo. p. Buknham. 



" Melrose, Dec. 30, 1853." 



I have offered these statistics and facts to' give some idea 

 of the amount of trade that must have been current, in t^he 

 aggregate, when these isolated instances are considered, 

 and for the purpose of affording the reader an opportunity 

 to judge measurably to what an extent this fever really 

 raged. 



Thousands and tens of thousands of " the people*' were 

 now (or had been) engaged in this extraordinary excite- 

 ment, who were continuously humbugging themselves and 

 each other, at round cost. And when these thousands are 

 multiplied by the fives or tens, twenties or fifties, one hun- 

 dreds or five hundreds of dollars, that they invested in this 

 mania, the "prime cost" of this hum can be fancied, 

 the ugh it 3an never be known with accuracy. 



