GENERAL REPORT. 
27 
making a home for himself and his posterity, there is nothing 
so intensely interesting and satisfactory as reliable statistics. 
If a farmer, or if proposing to become such, he earnestly 
inquires for the area of timbered, arable and cultivated lands ; 
the kinds of crops grown; the number of acres already in 
pasture and meadow ; the number of acres in wheat, rye, corn, 
barley, oats, potatoes, flax, &c.; the average yield per acre of 
each of these products, their quality and recognized value in 
the available markets, with the cost of their production and 
transhipment; the amount of live stock of the various elasses, 
and the breeds best adapted; the quantity of beef, pork, mut¬ 
ton and wool produced, with the amount of each exported and 
the average price and profits realized. 
If a mechanic, what so important as a full and complete 
knowledge of the number, character and capacity of the man¬ 
ufactories and workshops of the country where he would try 
his fortunes; the accessibility, quality and cost of the materials 
to be used ; the price of labor ; the demand for such articles 
as he is best qualified to manufacture and their average value 
in the markets ? 
If a miner, tradesman, mere capitalist, or professional man 
of any class, what so valuable as correct information concern¬ 
ing all these matters enumerated and a thousand others of the 
same sort ? Every man who has ever transferred his business 
interests from one section to another has then realized its value 
in his own case, and every one in any way connected with a 
public office to which such enquiries are likely to be directed 
must have had its importance deeply impressed upon his mind. 
Being often in receipt of letters from intelligent gentlemen in 
other states and in European countries, abounding in questions 
like those above enumerated, we are constantly tried and mor¬ 
tified because of our utter inability to make satisfactory an¬ 
swer. 
But not alone with a view to immigration is an annual sta¬ 
tistical exhibit of our industrial condition and progress neees- 
sary. We need to know for ourselves what we are doing— 
else how shall we be able to correct the errors of whieh we 
