The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-04-03
Farming, &C'
Massachusetts Legislature Ag-
ricultural Me citing.

discussed.
Mr. Brooks of Princeton, made M clabo-
rate statement, from actual experience, of the
cost and value of certain crops upon his farm.
Ills system OF hrning was the common sys-
TEN where no market is handy. Nearly all
tue product is consumed on the fhrm. Mr.
Brooks said thar he adopted system of ro-
taion ofcrops, us follows: LIST crop, potatoes;
I'd, corn; 3D., wheat, and then grass, The
land is valued at $50 per acre. The whole
cost Of raising the first 1cTeti, potatoes, inclu-
ding interest on the Value ofthe land, is 500
20. The product is worth, on an average, mt
a low estimate, $35-being n profit ofSlI-
80 The next year, planted with corn, the
whole cost of the crop is $3l,25. The
average crop is about As bushels, which
M IS cents per bushei, is worth 1913 %, and
lhe stover $40 making profit ofSl7.
The neXtyen planted with wheat, the cost
including grass seed sown with the wheat, is
500 81. Product, 20 bushels, which at 8
shIIings per bushel is worth 1876 81, and
The straw is worth So more; mixing in all
r32G7-proft of 50 ~. Tho field will then
produce two aud II half tons fhay per year,
Tor the next two years--aud in eight years
will produce II tons, which at So per ton is
worth 1884. De duct from this 50 per ton for
making, and the profit is $50 The net profit
20 the acre for the i years, is $751; or about
Sht'G6H per CenL OH inc outlay.
In conclusion, Mr. Brooks said he thought
farming paid as great per cent, on the outlay
as any other business. The reason farmers
do not get very rich, is because they have
comparatively little capital invested,
Mr. Clark Of Walpoe, agreed with Mr.
Brooks, that fair per centago was yielded
ny farming, If rightly managed. He made
some remarks in explanation ola statement
which he made at the last meeting, with re-
gard to reclaimng somO bog land. He had
II piece OF bog mnd which cost 10 per acre,
which was composed not ofpeat, but ofmud |
One acre Of this, which he had reclaimed ut n
cost of $50, would now bring, seeded, 500. |
Another acre, which was reclaimed at an en- !
pense ofl00, would bring 5000. Good crops
are invariably secured from this land. The |
third year, the crops paid % per cent OH the |
original cost and outlay.
The cultivation offrut is n source ormuch |
profit to some farmers. Some of his neigh !
hors who cultivate peaches, he was satisfied |.
made 200 per cent. One of them sold last
wear, $500 worth Of peaches, from an acre
ofground.
MIR Brooks, said he had reclaimed twenty
ave acres ofworn out pasture lnnd at a very
heavy expense, but in five wears. he received .
enough from the land to pay for the outlay
The land in question, had been long used MS
n pasture. and the pastures in which mich
cows are fed for many years in succession,
became nearly destitute of phosphate oflimc
whereby cows frequently become diseased
The Hon. Mr. Calhoun, President of the
Meeting, was glad TO see facts brought for
ward to contradict the impression, which is
generally entertained, that farming Is not
profitable. Mr. Calhoun made some state
nehs which had been ascertaned by careful
inquiry, With regard to the relative success
OE n uur ~, int I, "a, g.,
was stated at one Ofthe agricultural meetings
three years ago, that OFT of one hundred mer-
chants who enter into business. only three be-
come wealthy. Since that time particular
inquiries hnve been made in relation to this
subject, md the following are some ofthc facts
elected. OF all the merchants who have
done business on certain wharfin this CITY.
within forty years, only six per cent hive be-
come independent. The reminder failed or
died destitute of property. Ofone thousand
merchants, with whom accounts had been o.
pened ut one Of our principal banks within
the last forty years, only six Of the number
were ascertained to have become independ-
'ent. Experience under the late bankrupt law,
and under our present inSolvent law, also
teaches that Trading is a precarious business,
On the contrary, the great mass of farmers,
who have ordinary system of management,
become independent. and very few 90 behind
hand. Some sound practical men estimate
the profits offarming at from Is to IL per
cent.
Mr. Calhoun said he estimated farming prof.
liable, in another and very important point
ofview that is in regard to its healthness
lie closed with few remarks in regard to the
present system of education, which he
thought should he brought TO bear more d-
rectly on the interests offarmers. The SONS of
farmers should receive practical education
for the purposes of farming.
Major Wheeler, of Pennington, said that
his brother, IA Deputy Sheriff,) had informed
him that of thirty six cases of bankruptcy
which he had had under his charge, but one
was farmer, and he paid one hundred cents
on the dollar, and had had something left!
Mr. Denny of Westboro said that from act
ual investigation, il had been estimated that
in every hundred traders, but seven succeed
in acquiring wealth. He had examined the
returns ofthe number who have taken the
benefit of the insolvent law in this State with
in IL months and of l112 bankrupts but four
teen were farmers. OF this number, Mr.
Denny had ascertaineG with regard to one
that he was lazy, and entirely unfit for a farm
err. Another was &Rterested in aline ot'stages,
s. endorsed notes for his brothers and others,
which caused his failure. The third was not
in reality Il farmer, but had once hired farm.
1t would be much better for our young men
to turn their attention to farming, than to rush
to the city. Every fourth young man in the
stores ofBoston, could be dispensed with.
Mr. Porter, of Danvers, said that of one
hundred farmers, whom he could recall to
mind, he knew ofnone who had failed with
in forty years. He had had ample experience
in the troubles and anxieties ola traders life,
and was satisfied that there was much more
contentment and peace of mind in farming.