New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-03-30
Mttp1lurk DAILY Gribn,ta
STATISTICS OF AMERICAN iGRIC UL-
TURE

Statistical Society of our City on Thursday evening
an elaborate and interesting essay on the Statistics
of our Nations Agriculture. We condense this
paper follows:
Mr. jay, in his opening remarks, touched upon the
interest which tue Agricultural Statistics Of the coun
try Possess, not simply tor consumers and proauce,
and those engaged in commerce, but especially Tor the
legislator who will find them 10 be primer IN which
he read easy lessons in political &c ,nomy. The
Governments of Europe are greatly IN advance OF US
in their appreciation of statistics as an element In
which the science OF politics finds Its most soho ioun-
dation.
Commerce and Manufactures have with US CON-
manded to greater extent the attention of Govern
ment, but Agriculture is by far our largest National
interest, employing forty four per cent OF the male
popul alton, while Commerce, Manufactures, iraae,
the Mechanic Arts and Mining, employ but thirty per
cent. 1t represents about hyesixhs OF the capital
of the country and its products amount TO some Six
teen Hundred Millions of Dollars a year. In New
York notwithstanding the wealth OF the Metropolis,
the agricultural interest pays threefourths of tue
taxes. As Mr.. Webster remarked, Agriculture, Com
merce and Manufacture stand together a. pillars in
cluster the largest in the center and that largest is
Agriculture.
The Importance Of American Agriculture is being
rapidly increased by the growing demand for Bread
stuffs 10 England, France, Belgium, ilollsnd aud
large part of Germany, where the Food question Is be-
coming prominent, consumption Is constantly gam
ing on production and the breadth of land devoted to
agriculture grows less the population grows larger.
The probable influence of the Potato Rot and short
bread crop upon the politics of Europe IN 1918 were
briefly referred to. France and England are now
competitors in the Corn and Cattle markets OF the
world and oui agricultural returns are sought tor with
more avidity abroad than at home.
century ago, England, according to French
writer could produce food enough in one year to sup
ply her for four. Now with far more land In cutva-
ton and trebed crops to the acre. she expsnds Forty
five millions sterling in importing Grain, Meat, Cheese
and Butter.
Tba Coyornments of Eurone are awake TO the i'm
portance Of the Bread question, aud the French inter-
diet against the export Of Grain has been continued
until September, 1858.
The capacity of the United st stes to supply large
surplus of food for export was then glanced at LIS
area embraces thirty millions of square mles-neariy
double the area of oil Europe, excepting Russia; but
large portion of the national territorythe space be-
tween the 9Sth meridian and the Rocky Mountains,
known as the Great American Plains a barren
waste, and the space from the Rocky Mountains to
the Pacific excepting the rich but narrow belt along
the is unsuited for cultivation The fertility OF
the remainder and the small density of the popula.
ton, fit the United States 10 become great grain
market Of the world occupying as she does central
position, with Europe on the one hand and Asia on
the other.
Agriculture, beyond its bearing upon our CON-
merce destined to furnish the bulk of exports,
has most important bearing upon national
strength, by its development of the industrial and
moral qualities of our people. The returns of each
ucceedng census may perhaps develop great natu
al laws which but now imperfectly dscerned,
enabling 10 transport the pauperism Of cities TO
the prares of the West and assisting solve moral
and economic problems that have puzzled the phioso
piers and phlanthrOpists Of both continents.
Statistics to be thus useful, must be complete;
partial and uncertain observation insufficient. Com
paratve statistics must repose on reality and submit
to the law of numbers Two of the foreign associates
of the Society M Quetelet in France and Lord STAN
ley England have exhibited the true philosophy of
statistical science in addresses which Mr.. Jay quoted.
1t is science that pertains to the State, which can
alone give it universally and completeness. In Eu-
rope recent Congress had recommended features for
an agricultural census, including minute surveys
which were with us impracticable.
Federal census had been taken in the United
States every ten years slnce I'G pursuant 10 that
provision OF the Constitution which governs the ap-
portionment Of Representatives, but until 1917 Agr-
culture received little attention In 1850 schedule
out Of six was devoted to Agriculture, and in the pre-
psratcn Of the schedules valuable suggestions were
made by Mr.. Archibald RUSSELL who had then as
sisted to prepare the way for the abors OF tue DO
ciety.
The materials gathered In these two censuses, de-
spite many errors and imperfectiOns, afford most
excellent basis for future comparison and indicate the
respectful attention which Agriculture will hencetorh
claim from Government.
A. regards the grand Typographical features of the
country two-ffths of the national territory are drained
by the Mississippi and its tributaries; onefourth Of
its area belongs 10 the Pacific one-sXth to the Allan
tic proper; one twentysixth TO the Lakes ninth
TO the Gulf or one-third to the Atlantic, including the
Lakes and Gulf There is total main shore OF u wv
miles, and the Rivers entered TO the head OF tide
water give a total shore line of 1900 miles, The
general character Of the soil from the Atlantic to the
gsth meridian, and OF the belt on tho racine, 10 OF
great natural fertility. The number OF acres occupied
Is some 300, 600 OO0-about one-sIth OF the national
area.
These are distributed among forty States and Terri
tories, with LOCO county divisions. The number OF
farms and plantations il about ,JO0WO with
ll3GOO 600 Of improved acres and $780, 100000 unm-
proved The farms average 200 acres each, OF the
average value Of 50 $50, and an average OF flOO
worth Of agricultural implements to each. The pro-
portion of improved lands in the different sections a.
follows:
In New. ENGLAND. ............2S sere. 10 ~,
IN the south. ser.s 10 100
In the South West. D sote' III ~"
The average value for the l MON is gil per acre,
ranging from 81 aud fraction in Texas aud Califor-
MIA 10 Is in the Southern States III IN the North
Western States, so in New.England, and 3!s in the
Middle States.
The farms are generally largest in the Southern
States South Carolina having among 9 900 farms,
900 VI over GOO acres each and 10 OF over ~ 0O
acres each. The smallest average 10 IN Maine-about
81 acres-rangipg to about l20 In New-fork, New
Jersey, New-Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Ohio,
rising to upward of 200 in NJ; and, kentucky aud
Tennessee, 3s1 IN Virginia, North Carolina, Mssis-
sn,i and Louisiana 400 in Georgia 800 in South Car
DINA 900 in Texas and 400 in California The last
two averages -c probably apparent rather than real
The fsra generaiJ-the principal exception
being the ancient Manors of New ioa-o,1 q, SC
simple by the cultivat0rs, Constituting an important
element VI difference between the agricultural system
Of America al d tina. Of England where the cuItiva-
tore Of tie soi usually tenants the easehold sys
ten causing separation and occasional clashiDg of
those interests of the landlord and the farmer which
are with us united in the same peEson.
In France, another difference il found in the size OF
he ri of ha lati en-