Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-11-06

insenslbl. envelopes him and al the eno
Of q few wears, when be has cleared his
farm at great LABOR and has the prospect
Of abundance, he finds himself involved 10
debt, which perhaps requires four or
five wears more Of labor TO discharge
These are not imaginary pictures; they
are drawn from originals too often wit
nessed. think IL you will add 10 all the
oriyatIons, and sacrifices Of property at
tendsnt on removal, the loss Of one, two
or three years of profitable labor here, and
consider the risk, of whether you VIII
really improve your condition after all,
many Of you would see. that the vigorous
improvement OF the fac lands you now
possess would perhaps be sufer and GER
sanly an easier way 10 independence than
removal TO the west.
But will not content myself with this
view OF the subject, WHICH some may
think rather fancdui thar real. have
frequently asserted when speaking with
western men what shall endsayour to
prove by figures, VIZ: that even allowing
for the difference IN the pf.ee OF lands we
can raise wheat here, at greater profit
than they can. ! think do not over-cal.
culate the value Of good and improved
lands situated as conveniently TO the great
markets Of the west as we are 10 those OF
the East, when place them at SIS per
ace. With regard 10 Cincinnati, ] am
sure this is under The estimate. Our own
lands will average at $40 and suppose
$5 per acre, laid out in improvement will
bring them 10 S35. | believe the product
of our land so improved, would be fully as
great as that Of the west, for certainly |
have never seen finer wheat grow 10 any
part of the west than have seen in the
County Of Berkeley = but as wish TO
present this subject 10 the fairest light, |
will allow that he product Of western
land would still be % per cent. greater
than ours. Whilst an acre of western
land therefore would produces 25 bushels,
ours would produce but 20. The price Of
wheat a, their neighborhood markets has
not think average more than 60 cents
per bushel, whilst with us it has not for
wears been below so cents. Labor is
higher there than here, and therefore
suppose the expense Of farming about the
same. There is a certain cost necesseri-
ly incurred in preparing bushel OF W eat
for market, which | presume, IS about the
same IN both situations and the profits Of
the Farmer can only be derived ifom
what he receives over this sum. For H.
lustra,on will say this last is 25 cents
per bushel. The account then viii stand
thus:
The western farmer has 25 bushels
per acre al 90 cents 30 W
The cost Of raising and preparing
for market at IS cents Sc 25
Interest on his land at SIS 30 ID
Leaving him balance of profit
per acre OF %
The Berkeley Farmer has 90
bushels at 80 cents l6 90
Cos, preparing for mafketa al 25 CTS. 90
Interest on land al $35 10 10
Leaving him on the acre profit of 81
Thus showing that charging each acre
with the interest on its value our crops
are more valuable than theirs, result
which confirms what have often assert
ed that have never seen any county SO
distant from market as our own, where
agriculture if well conducted is more pro-
fitable than with us. Farmers do not~seem
to remember, that raising the crop ana
preparing il for market is almost fixeo
sum, and that profits can only be counted
on what they receive over this sum. -
For instance, estimating that cost at %
cents if the Farmer sells his wheat at that
price, only the precise sum it has cost hun
is replaced: if he sells at so cents then
there are only % cents to pay interest on
capital labor &c: now if there be rise
OF price SO that he gets l2a cents more pei
bushel this operates not merely as rise
of25 per cent. on the article, but beng SC
much added 20 the fund from which his
profits are derived, is equivalent to an ad-
dition OF 80 per cent. to his gains. Wheth-
er this be effected by an actual rise IN val
ue, or by a diminution in the expense oil
putting the article into market, is not ma
terial, and illustrates our immense gain
by having the cost Of our Transportation
reduced.
The comparative profits OF wheat farm.
ing at the East and at the west would ID
my estimation be more unlavorable to the
west bv taking cheaper lands at greater
distance from market, by which tho ex.
pense of transportation is so greatly en-.
HANGED nor have considered the innu-
merable articles which our vicinity &c
market (f we rightly improved our ad'
vantages) and would enable US 10 dispose
of which a, no distant day must be source
of great profit to opr Farmers. Time
would fail me however were to attempt
more than to suggest the principal advan'
tages Of our position.
4 great defect in our agricultural, and
deslderatum in our social system, is COM
mon to us with the whole South. | mean
a wan: of variety in our products and
diversity in our social occupations. Sit
uated as we are, between the extremes oil
heat and cold, one w uId suppose that be.
sides the mere raising of gram, which IN
our extended country is almost certain to
be so abundant IN the market, as 10 re-
duca it to the lowest price at which It can
L. II a. 49,,