The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1867-10-21
Interesting Reading on Every Page.
FARMS AND FARMING


A thoughtful and Rejecting gentleman Of our
acquaintance inquired Of US the other day why
1t is that in a country like ours, where good til.
lage land Is free, or held at mere nominal prices
there are so few men, comparatively speaking,
who engage in agricultural pursuits. A correct
answer to this question would require several
statements to meet II fully, because our people
are Influenced in their choice Of occupations and
professions which they intond to pursue during
life by different considerations. To ZONE, farm.
ing is distasteful. They look upon 1t as a low
calling, a. mental sort of servituds. We scarcely
need say that this idea Is entirely erroneous for
there is really no occupation in which man can
engage which is more enrolling, surely none
more independent. volume might be written,
each page Of which would abound with argu.
ments In proof Of our statement. We can, in
this connection, only present q few facts, the
sole object Of which we intend shall bear upon
the general subject of agricultural pursuits in
this country, We are amazed when we consider
the folly Of many Thousands Of the young men
men of this land who yearly leave the country
and rush Into the citiOs. Almost all professions
are more than filed. BrieAess lawyers, pbysi.
out SPECTATORS in stocks, md demoralired and
iebauchsd clerks throng all our large cities
and 1t is an unsolvod problem how the mass of
these people live. Now, we readily admit that
we must have lawyers, physicians merchants
and clerks, etc, but while all these avocations
and profession. are overlooked, ought not many
Of our young men who are rushing into them to
pause and consider whether there is success for
them in these calling, or whether, indeed,
to become experienced and intelligent farmer,
does not offer a more certain and safe road to
competence, respectability, and real happiness
But We did not take our pen to present reasons
why men should not enter tho learned profes.
sion,. We are willing that every young man
should choose for himself, only let him know his
powers count the costs, and choose wisely.
Our chief object Is to point out the facilities and
advantages Of agricultural pursuits as they are
presented to the people of this land; and, in
deed, to the people Of the whole world
We have lands rich and FERTILE the actual
number Of acres of which 1t were almost impos.
sible to compute. We have only space to alluds
to the vastneSs of one or two States Of this
Union. Take Illinois for instance That State
has IS, SAL, 22O acres Of land of railroads she
has ., OO3 miles, and her population is ls7, SO4
Every man who has travelled at all extensively
in that State Is aware Of the fact that the bulk
Of this population is settled along the line Of
these railways, go that there must be millions OF
acres Of as good land as can be found elsewhere,
upon which neither the plow nor hoe Of the
husbandman has yet been felt. Other railways
are now being constructed, and still others arc
projected and will be carried through. What a
leld is here open for the young man who will DO
content to labor a few years, and thus by in.
dustry, prudence and economy, reach indie
pendenee and competency, If not wealth.
What is true of Illinois Is true Of other States
both North and South.
Illinois lies midway the United States, and
may serve as a fair representative Of her sister
COmmonWealths in the valley Of the Mississippi.
Lot US now, spanning the intervening space be.
tween this State and the Pacific slope, make q
note or two Of California Tho mass Of the
people Of tho Atlantic States had supposed that
the chief wealth Of California consisted in her
mines. Her exports Of wheat the past year has
convinced the world that her agricultural re.
sources are also immense. This golden State
has Of lands adapted to agriculture 65, 900, 900
acreI. She already has about 326 miles of rail,
besides many projected lines Only 500, OoC
acres Of her lands, it Is estiLnated, were sowed
with wheat and yet while Chicago exported o
this cereal 81, 900, 1875 bushels, San Francisco
exported S,i9S, 400 bushels and yet according
to the most accurate Information we can obtain
only one half million Of her sixty.Gve million
Of tillnge land was last wear planted with WHEAT