True Democrat. (Paulding, Miss.) 1845-18??, 1846-08-12
AGRICULTURE AL.
PROFITS OF FARMING.


We believe there are many farmes who
take an incorrect view of the business OF
farming as far as its profits are concerned:
They seem to suppose that what is sold
from the farm, is alone to be accounted as
profit, while no note is taken OF what goes
to the support of the family, or is invested
in improvements on the farm. TO give an
instance, we will refer TO n conversation
had with farmer few days since, man
worth some six or eight thousand dollars,
industrious and thriving; but who COM
planned that he was only able TO raise IN
cash from his farm only some three or iour
hundred dollars annually. AS contrast
he mentioned friend of his who had
about the same amount in funds that he
himselfhad in real estate, aud he seemed
10 consider the interest his friend received
as a clear profit on his capital, and that
money so invested gave more income than
farm would. We knew our farmer had
a large family, and suspecting he had over
looked the cost of providing for them IN
his estimate of what he received from his
farm, inquired how much he thought ne
should have left in cash after maintaining
such family as his from the sum his
friend received as interest! He hesitated
a moment and answered, not any thing;
his receipts would barely foot the bill OF
nv family expenses for one year; in truth
he has little or nothing left, aflersupportlng
his own.
So we doubt not it often is with the
farmer That which he and his family
eat, drink, and wear, that which goes 10
make them comfortable and respectable,
because it is the product of the farm, the
Gift of kind Providence, and the result OF
their own toll, is frequently overlooked by
him in his estimate of the profit and loss
offarming, and nothing is counted but the
cash which remains after all expenses ana
outgoes are provided for. This is not
treating the farm fairly. In one case the
farm is capital, in the other the capital is IN
the funds. That which goes to the sup
port ofthe family is as much the product
of capital in one case as the other, and IN
both cases should be considered as The
profit; and if the farmer, after the malnten-
ance of his family, and defraying the ex-
penses of labor, improving his farm, &c.
has some three or four hundred dollars LETT
TO purchase more land, and dispose OF as he
pleases, while his friend the fundholder had
little or nothing left, it surely cannot be
reasonably inferred that the farmers profits
are least. Ave, but the farmer has TO work
for his profits, while the other lives at his
case. True, and here we suspect lies the
great difficulty, and il is an evil that should
be corrected at once. The objection i'm
plies that it is disgraceful, unhealthy, or
improbable TO labor, snpposiiions entirely
erroneous. 1t cannot be disgracefnl to
labor in q country where every man is
the architect of his own fortune, and makes !
or mars his condition for life; it is not |
unhealthy, as the experience of the whole
world proues; and as TO profit, where can
be found class of men more prosperous,
and accommodating wealth faster than
American farmers? Before the farmer
concludes there is no profit in farming, let
him look at the whole ground, and we
think different conclusion will be reach
ed!