The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-03-17
/. kER.xL ECO.yD.NY.
From the Southern Planter.
PROFITS OF AGRICULTURE.

Suppose you we're 10 tell an individual on
the look out for an inyes,mcn, of capital,
that you could point him TO business pc.
culiafly adapted TO the rcsoufces of the
country in which .be demand was greater
than the supply, aud which was conducted
10 very imperfect and sovenly manner,
would lie not exclaim, here is an opporluui.
" for investment which | shall certainly
embrace and may not all this, and more,
be said for the pursui, Of agriculture 10 this
country, at this day!
Whilst the professions. as they are call
ed, are conlessedly OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
there is more talent brought TO them than
is required, such certainly is no, the case
with agriculture. All admit, that talent
has been diverted into other channels, ana
We repeat, there never was Gner opening
for the exercise Of it Than this pursuit al
fords. Men seek, every thing equal, those
pursuits in which they Will meet The least
competition. When the supply is not
greater than the demand, the cost of pro.
ducilon regulates the price, that is e,cosl
OF production 10 the great mass. if then,
10 any business, the mass arc unskilful and
ignorant, The price is always far above the
rate at which 40 individual OF skill and in.
formation can afford il. Ofnecessi,y be gets
rich, under such circumstances. Wheat,
tobacco, and the growth Of the earth in
general, are not produced in the cheapest
manner; consequently their prce is iar
above what skill aud ingenuity can sfiord
them at, aud we have demonstrated tho
proposition with which we started, that their
cultivation offers fac field lor the excr
else Of those qualities.
We do not mean to say that men Of tai
cnt are not engaged IN the pursn,! Of agri,
culture-lar from II; but We Go mean to
say that they do no, devote their talents 10
II. Why and how is this! We will en-.
deayor to explain. Agriculture Is partly
mechanical that is, q great many opera.
lions, upon which lis success depends, nro
purely mechanical; aud most unjust aud
fatal prejudiccs exist agains, mechanical
smployments.
OF the dIilercnt pursuits of life, all re.
the mind and the body. These proportions
differ 10 different occup1tons--some requir-
ing much mental and ltte physica effort,
and others uniting great physical exertions
with small mental exercise. We naiur.
ally and properly admire moro the efforts of
mental than physical skIll-hence, as men
are ambitious, those pursuits are most like
70 be evcrburdcned, which are Of the latter
class. But although those occupations, re-
curing mos,ol the mental, ara mos, priced,
We doubt very much whether wisdom
would lead Us to their pursuit. We believe
that mauknd are so constituted, that the
greatest happiness is afforded By those en-
ploymonts which exercise due proportion
Of The mental and physical faculties, with
which We are blessed. OF this character
is the pursuit Of agriculture. The mental
labor, which il most powerfully calls forth,
is relieved bv the bodily exercise which ls
equally necessary TO lis prosecution and
health and happiness are tho result. We
believe no occupation is healthy, (aud with
out health, there can be no hapP'acss)
which does net allow, aye, require, large
portion Of physical cSertlon indeed, moth
ing IS so well calculated to increase and
cherish mental ygor as bodily exercise the
health of tho mind is extremely dependant
upon the health of the body. Away then
with tho absurd and ridiculous preludiccs
agalns, occupations combining great men.
tai, with certain degree Of physical cSer.
tian. Such are the callings for which the
/ God Of nature intended tie hes, Of us, and
/ il is from such you may always select those
specimens, conieruu. the greatest honor
upon human nature.
1 But, unfortunately, these evil spirits, as
they did not come at our calling, Will not
vanish a, our command. They are the of
spring of pride and folly, and uPoo no pur.
I suit in life, do they exert more banelul
Influence, than upon agriculture.
If we are rlgh, in saying that the pur'
suit of agriculture is IN great part me.
chanical, it follows OF course, that he who
pursues il, should be, in spite of prejudice,
mechanic. Who're is the farmer who IS
mechanic Where is the farmer who
thoroughly understands the simple tools
that arc even nop required IN his profess
sion What avails 1t to him TO be chock
full of science, if he does not know how TO
apply il Can he teach his servants how
to handle the tools Of his trade? Can he
learn one to spade, another TO plough, or
another to reapl Docs he even know
whether his dependents are skilltul or not
Many that we have seen did not even know
when their tools were in order, and full OF
learning, they we're working at the great
es, possible disadvantage.
A farmer has a smart, likely negro boy,
of twelve or fourteen years OF age. and he
wants to make ploughman ofhim. What
does he dot He tells old Jim that he must
learn Joe TO plough. A proper teacher
truly Is he not aware that If he knew
) how to plough, himself, that he could teach
Joe more in an hour than jim would learn
him in a year !
u Ia