TOE 
Agriculture is the most healthful, the most useful, and the most 
noble employment of Man.— Washington . 
VOL. III. _ NEW YORK, JANUARY, 1844. _ NO. I. 
A. B. Allen, Editor. Saxton & Miles, Publishers, 205 Broadway. 
THE TIMES. 
In presenting the First Number of the Third 
Volume of the American Agriculturist to our read¬ 
ers, we can not but congratulate them on the 
change of times which has taken place within one 
short year, and look back with some degree of 
satisfaction 10 an article in our last January num¬ 
ber, anticipating in a measure all that has come to 
pass. If the products of the farm are still thought 
to be too low, everything else is in proportion—not 
even excepting money, which can not be loaned at 
this present moment by capitalists, at a higher rate 
of interest per annum in Wall street, than it would 
have commanded per month six or seven years 
ago, when wheat, corn, pork, &c., were more than 
double the price they now are. But we contend 
that agricultural products, taking everything into 
consideration, are now bringing fair prices; and 
we think that our farmers generally have no rea¬ 
son to complain. There is no doubt in our mind, 
however, that they will gradually advance, and 
upon the opening of spring, and next summer, rule 
higher than they now do. There are many reasons 
why this should be so, the principal of which are, 
that the crops of hay, potatoes, and other roots, 
corn, sugar, and especially of cotton, have not been 
equal this year to those of the past. A general 
revival of business has also taken place; and a 
portion of our population which had returned to 
farming, have again resumed their mechanical and 
manufacturing employments. Owing to the great 
abundance of money, new enterprises are likely to 
be undertaken on private account; our general 
government will undoubtedly commence a fresh 
system of internal improvements—more especially 
such as regards facilitating the navigation of the 
western rivers, and improving the harbors on 
the lakes; the western states will also be enabled 
to go on with their most promising railroads and 
canals; and then if we look abroad at the states 
in Europe, we see a general revival of business 
there, and the prospect, in addition, of the duties 
on Flour and Meal being still further reduced in 
Great Britain, so much so, as to considerably in¬ 
crease the amount of our exportation of these arti¬ 
cles. We could state other causes that are at work 
which are likely to slightly raise the price of pro¬ 
visions, but deem it unnecessary to dwell upon 
them. We think it disgraceful any longer now to 
speak of hard times; for, to the great majority of 
our citizens, they were never really substantially 
better. Let every one, then, be industrious and 
frugal—keep out of debt—look forward to the fu¬ 
ture with renewed hope—trust in Providence, and 
