New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-01-28


it averages four buihels to the acre. Taking the
three principal kinds Of domestic animals, sheep,
cattle and pigs, the English obtain four times more
than the French do in meat milk aud wool. We
find as the result Of the comparison Of the two agrl
cultures that while the value Of the animal pro-
duce of England is creator than its vegetable pro.
duce, the value of the animal produce of France Is
less than one-half the vegetable produce, and a.
consequence We find the agriculture of England
rich while that Of France is poor.
We now propose to examine the agriculture OF
our own State and Of the Union to see how it COM
pares with the last mentioned country; and In
doing so we are compelled to rely upon the Census
Of 1850, which, in many particulars, is very de-
fectiye. The State of New-York had nineteen
millions of acres in USE third being unimproved
She had six acres TO one sheep, and the average
net weight Of the CARCASS would not exceed forty
pounds As our sheep husbsndry sssiniilates TO the
French, the annual product Of meat would be but
thirty-six millions of pounds, or only two pounds
of meat TO the acre while in England proper it was
wenty. seven pounds. OF wheat, compared with
all our acres we obtained threefOurths of bushel
from the acre. The value Of the animal product
was thirty-four millions of dollars. The value Of
the vegetable product exclusive Of hay, was forty
eight Millions including the hay crop, it was sixty.
ak millions of dollars, or nearly double the value Of
the animal product.
The land in use in the United States was three
hundred and ninety-three millions OF scres-soous
three-ffths being put down as unimproved. Ihere
WAS one sheep to fifteen acres. The annual pro-
duce of mutton would be but two-thirds Of one
pound to the acre. Compared with France, We
ought to have one hundred millions Of 6ne-wooled
sheep, yielding annually one thousand millions Of
pounds of meat. Compared with England, we
should have three hundred millions Of sheep, yield
ing eight thousand millions Of pounds Of meat
But We are aware that the population Of the
United States bears no proportion to the land in
use, compared with either England or France; yet
these very figures demonstrate that we have vastly
more acres in use than we can proftaby cultivate,
and that this unculhvated land is positive loss to
the individual and to the nation. Comparing all
the wheat produced with all the acres in use,
tho Yield was one bushel to three acres. The
whole value Of the vegetable products, including
hay and cOttOn-which were of nearly the same
value-was $500, 900, 900. The value of the ami
nal product was $3.50, 900. The agriculture
of the United States produced about "a to the
acre, and that of the State Of New-York 80 to
the acre II is true that this comparison does in
justice to portions of the Union; but, as the OBJ
iect is to make the contrast between great ma
tions, we have made the comparison accordingly.
The lesson taught hereby is most important one
to every farmer or planter in the land. 1t is that
no farmer can be permanently prosperous who
does not bring bis farm and his live stock into such
condition and into such a relation to each other
that his live stock shall be in proportion to the
number of his acres, and in such proportion that
his animal produce on the farm shall be at least
equal to the vegetable in value Let every farmer
ponder well this law, and follow it, for upon this
depends his prosperity. Its careful Observance is
the foundation Of all improvement in agriculture.