The Caledonian

"THE PROFITS OF FARMING"—the subject upon which we have recently published the debates of several evenings by the Legislative Agricultural meetings in Massachusetts—and we did so in order to make more public two or three important points considered. One point was, the profits of farming in Massachusetts, particularly; and the other the statements in regard to the success or failure of young men engaging in mercantile or other business, compared with the success or failure of such as engaged in farming.

In regard to the first topic it was pretty clearly settled by the debates that the farmers of Massachusetts realized a larger profit than do the farmers of the United States generally. And why? Probably for two reasons, though these reasons were not particularly stated in the debates.

1. Because of the home market—the ready market for all they produce—and the small expense in the transportation of their productions to the market. In this advantage we expect the farmers of Vermont will soon participate, to some extent, though not so fully as do the Massachusetts farmers on account of distance. But then, when the rail road lines projected into the State shall be completed the Vermont farmers will be able to compete more successfully with the farmers of Massachusetts. The comparative cheapness of their lands will fully make up for their greater distance from market.

2. The following statements were made in the meetings:—"that young men are rushing to our cities to make money, and this while it is a fact that of all who come, only 3 per cent are successful":—"That every fourth young man in the stores and counting rooms in the city of Boston could be spared; and yet young men from the country are rushing into the city to get rich."

Now, many of these young men go from Vermont, from farms owned by their parents, and large enough to make room for the support of two or three families, provided they were properly cultivated. The Massachusetts farmers—many of them—have improved the manner of cultivation 30 and 50 per cent.—and here is another advantage they have over many of the Vermont farmers.

Their large farms have been more highly cultivated, or have been divided into small farms, and are made to produce, with less labor, more than do many of our large farms.

How then can the young men of Vermont be kept at home and insured a safer business than to seek clerkships in the cities? Let those who own large farms and have sons, improve their cultivation, and divide their farms and in many instances this division, should it be into two or three parts, will give to each part, or to each son, a larger profit than is now realized by the father from the whole farm.—This can be demonstrated by figures. It has been demonstrated in practice a thousand times.

Soon our rail roads will be opened into various sections of the State. Improvements like these suggested, and others, might well be entered upon in anticipation of their completion.