134 
WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
If we look a little closely into this pursuit, we find that 
farmers of these United States are always engaged in a per¬ 
petual struggle with themselves and Europe for the markets of 
the world. In this contest, they have the advantage of cheap 
and fertile lands and of a degree of mechanical skill which 
has been brought to their aid—advantages unequalled in any 
other portion of the world, and advantages not paralleled in any 
period of history. On the other hand we labor under some 
disadvantages ; higher rates of interest and cost of transporta¬ 
tion, and dearer labor, and the question is constantly upon the 
mind of every American farmer how he can shape his pursuits 
in such form that he can gain the advantage in the conflict 
which is going on. 
When we look to this question a little closely, we find that 
certain pursuits,—certain forms of agriculture—prosper while 
others do not. Those who are engaged in the dairying busi¬ 
ness in the eastern states are accumulating fortunes, and such 
fortunes as always moderate farmers aspire to. On the other 
hand, as I said before, those who are engaged in the cultivation 
of wheat do not at this time enjoy that measure of prosperity 
which has sometimes marked the condition of our country. 
Now why is this ? I propose to inquire into this a little at 
this time because it seems to me a suitable topic for the occa¬ 
sion. 
When we compare our agriculture with that of Europe we 
find that we have the advantage of cheaper soils, and if we 
wish to compete with them, we must so shape our industries 
that we gain the advantage. We find when we attempt 
to raise garden produce that nine-tenths of the cost of the 
undertaking is the cost of labor. The cost of the land is a 
very small per centage of the whole cost. When we attempt 
to raise cattle x for the markets of the world, we find that the 
cost of land is the great consideration; that the cost of labor 
sinks in comparative insignificance, for a man can manage in 
this pursuit a much larger extent of land than in any other 
pursuit. So we of central New York find w T hen we engage in 
