The exports of Indian different years from 1851 follows: Bush. of corn. corn and meal in Value. Bbls. Ind. meal. Value. not fully supply its overgrown population. The famine in Ireland in 1847, causing the loss of half a million of lives by starvation, and the political revolution which soon fol3,426,811 $1,762,549 203,622 $622,866 lowed on the continent in 1848, growing out, 6,074,277 257,403 1,002,976 to a great extent, of a short supply of food, 7,622,565 293,607 1,175,688 are fresh in the minds of every one. 3,259,039 237,637 877,692 7,768,816 Year. 1851 1854 1856 10,292,280 1858 1860 4,766, 145 1862 1864 2,399,808 289,570 912,075 Now this surplus of population and the 18,904,898 10,387,383 253,570 778,344 consequent permanent demand for the pro4,096,684 3,353,280 262,357 1,349,765 ductions of our soil are of comparatively, 1866-7 14,889,823 14,871,092 284,281 1,555,585 recent date, and we have hardly, even yet, 1867-8 11,147,490 13,094,036 336,508 2,068,430 begun to realize their importance and the inThe amount of exports is, of course, reg-fluence which they are hereafter to exert in nlated very much by foreign demand. If developing the resources of our soil. It was breadstuffs are scarce in Europe and prices only a century ago (1756) when D'Anquehigh, they are immediately shipped from ville, a political economist of France, said: this country to take advantage of the mar- England could grow corn enough in one ket. If the reverse is the case, and prices year to supply herself for four." Now, are low, our surplus is kept at home. It is though she has, at least, three times as much but a few years since the foreign demand for land under cultivation as then, and though breadstuffs began to any extent. Now and the yield of her products to the acre has then would occur a year of unusual scarcity, been more than doubled, yet she imports to be sure, but it was rare to find any exten- food in the shape of corn, wheat, oats, meal, sive demand year after year for our surplus and flour to the extent of more than £45,products. The increase of population be- | 000,000, or $225,000,000. And, though yond the point of capacity to produce, in western Europe has been supplied, to a large Great Britain and the continent of Europe, extent, from Russia and other parts of the now gives the bread question an importance world, it is becoming more and more evident paramount to all others with the European that it must look more and more to this statesman, and it is having and will have a country for its supplies, and this fact is powerful influence on our agriculture. Consumption has overtaken production-got beyond it, in fact, in some of the countries of Europe-and henceforth importation must supply an ever increasing demand, since, however much the agricultural production of western Europe may increase by the improving condition of its agriculture, it cannot hereafter keep up with the natural increase of population, which, at the present time, in Great Britain, is at the rate of a thousand per day. This crowding population will appear in its true light, in an agricultural point of view, when it is considered that if the United States and its territories were as thickly populated as Great Britain, they would contain about 1,250,000,000 of people, a number about equal to the whole population of the globe. The year 1824, it is asserted by some, was the turning point at which consumption overtook and exceeded production in England. Since that time the agricultural production of Great Britain has been vastly increased by the improvement of agriculture and live stock; but great and perceptible as improvement has been, it has not, and can recognized by many of the leading journals It was fortunate, therefore, for the prosperity of the country, and especially for the prosperity of its agriculture, constituting by far the largest and most important interest, that just about the time when a more extensive demand for its surplus products grew up in Europe, the means were provided for throwing this surplus into good markets. After the triumphant termination of the war of the Revolution, the importance of developing the material resources of the country impressed itself upon the minds of far-seeing statesmen. Washington himself projected a canal, extending up the Potomac, to connect the great west-then comparatively uninhabited-with the Atlantic coast, and though the enterprise was premature, and the requisite capital could not, at that time, be procured, it shows the grand conception of his noble mind, and that he foresaw the vast importance which the agricul WHEAT. ture of that great country was destined to But Indian corn, while it is the most imassume. But that state of things could not portant product in its money value, is not always remain in a country rapidly recover- the only great staple production of the ing from the stagnation of a long protracted country, and we turn our attention to struggle for independence, and the events of a second war showed most clearly the necessity of increased facilities of intercommu- The wheat crop of the country is of about nication. Then we had no canals to speak three-fifths the value of Indian corn, and, of, and no good roads. The great extent of in some respects is quite as important. sea coast, the magnificent bays, and the This, like the other grains, was cultivated in mighty rivers which intersected the country this country at a very early date, having were the chief means of industrial inter- been sown by Gosnold, on the Elizabeth course, and these could be blockaded, crush- Islands, on the southern coast of Massachuing our commerce and bankrupting individ-setts, as early as 1602, at the time he first uals, to the serious injury of the whole coun- explored that coast. In 1611 it seems to try. Then De Witt Clinton conceived the have been first cultivated in Virginia, and so project of connecting the waters of the much did it commend itself to the early setHudson with those of Lake Erie, by a canal tlers, that in 1648, if history is to be relied so vast in extent as to strike everybody with on, there were several hundred acres in that astonishment. President Madison went so colony. It soon fell into disrepute, howevfar as to express the opinion that it could er, as a staple crop, for the cultivation of not be accomplished, even with the treasures tobacco was found to pay better, and for of the whole federal government. But Clin- more than a hundred years it was comparaton persisted, and in 1825, eight years from tively little cultivated. Premiums were the time it was begun, a canal of three hun- offered to encourage its culture, but they dred and fifty miles in extent, costing at that were not sufficient to check the growing attime over $9,000,000, bore the produce of tention to tobacco. the west to the New York market. The success of this grand enterprise stimulated other improvements of a similar character, and opened up sources of wealth, the mere enumeration of which would appear to be fabulous. Railroads soon followed, annihilating distance, as it were, and bringing the growing centres of trade into close communication. We now have nearly 30,000 miles of railroads, forming a complete network all over the country. At the time of the Revolution, the great state of Ohio was a wild forest that had rarely been penetrated by any white man, except, perhaps, the adventurous hunter. In 1800 she had but little over 40,000 inhabitants. Now railroads connect her many large and prosperous cities and her innumerable villages, and take the produce of her fertile farms to the seaboard markets. It is certain that wheat had been cultivated by the Dutch colony of the New Netherlands, for it is recorded that samples of this grain were taken to Holland in 1626, to show what could be done in the new country. It is not certain that it was cultivated in the Plymouth colony immediately upon its settlement, though it is highly probable that not more than a year or two would have been allowed to pass before so important a plant would have received its due attention. In 1629, wheat and other grains for seed were ordered from England, and in 1631 there arrived a vessel with thirty-four hogsheads of wheat flour. The culture of wheat was undoubtedly commenced almost simultaneously with the settlement of the country, but it seems never to have attracted any very great attention These means of communication are of so for more than a century, Indian corn and recent date, that any prediction of their ulti-potatoes being more relied upon for subsistmate results in developing the agricultural ence. It was never raised in New England, resources of these states would be prema- in early times, with so much success as it ture. Indeed, the capacity for the produc- has been during the present century. As tion of human food, which is still comparatively undeveloped in that section, can hardly be estimated. The progress within the last twenty years has been so rapid and unprecedented, as to appear altogether marvellous. early as 1663, it was found to be very subject to blast and mildew. Early in July of that year, "the best wheat," says an old manuscript diary that I have consulted, "as also some other grain, was blasted in many places, so that whole acres were not worth reaping. We have had much drought the last summer (1662), and excess of wet several other springs, but this of blasting is the first so general and remarkable that I yet heard of in New England." But this blasting is frequently "heard of" afterward, for the very next year (1664) the wheat was very generally blasted, "and in sundry towns scarce any left." And the blast returned again in 1665 and 1666 with great severity. This explains why it never became a prominent crop in New England. There never was a time in the history of this section of the country when it was a sure and reliable crop, unless it be the present, with our improved modes of culture, our better knowledge of proper modes of tillage, deep ploughing, and thorough drainage. I have no patience to read the cant which is constantly paraded in the papers of this and other countries about the exhausted soils of New England. How often do we see it stated that they are "run out," that they won't bear wheat, and the return of the census of 1860 is compared with that of 1850 to show an enormous falling off, as if it were owing to the fact that it is impossible to grow wheat. It is not so. As good crops can be and are grown in Massachusetts now as there ever were. It is as safe a crop now as it ever was, and as profitable. But "the census shows a falling off," is constantly sounded over the country, till people are led to believe it cannot be raised on account of the impoverished condition of the soil. The census does show a decline of this crop in New England between 1840 and 1850, and a large one. But the wheat crop was injured in 1849-that being the year on which the statistics of the crops of 1850 are returned -to a degree wholly unprecedented, not only in New England, but in several of the largest wheat-growing states. The returns, therefore, made in June, 1850, do not correctly indicate the usual quantity of grain grown in the United States. Nor did the census of 1860 give any thing like an adequate idea of the magnificent crop of wheat produced in that year (1860) throughout the northern, middle, and western states. But wheat is subject to many losses by insects, rust, smut, frost, drought, storms, and other casualties, as well as poverty of the soil. In some recent years it has been very greatly damaged in central and western New York, and in Ohio, by the wheat fly; in other years, the weevil. When the former, the wheat fly, makes its appearance, there is no known remedy but to discontinue the culture of wheat in that locality till it disappears. After a time, the culture of wheat may be resumed with a reasonable hope of freedom from this pest. This is one reason of the little attention, comparatively, paid to the culture of this crop in New England for the last few years. The farmers in many localities are resuming its culture again. I know many and many a magnificent field of wheat in Massachusetts this year (1869), that will average twenty-five, thirty, and thirty-five bushels to the acre, of as full and fair a kernel as ever grew; and many an acre in Massachusetts has averaged over forty bushels this year. It is the opinion of many practical farmers that they can raise thirtyfive bushels of wheat as easy as fifty bushels of corn to the acre. But the census of 1860 did not return the full crop. There were other reasons for the falling off than the impoverishment of the soil. A part of these have been alluded to, and are to be found in the comparative uncertainty of the crop; but a more direct and important cause was the opening of direct railroad communication, and the cheap freight system, with the west. The farmer could produce other crops for the market which paid well, and it was better for him to buy flour than to raise it. He could not compete with the west in raising wheat, but he could in raising milk for the market, in raising fruit-which finds a ready sale at his doorin raising vegetables, which the multiplication of manufacturing villages in his neighborhood created a demand for. And so his industry was merely turned into another channel for a time, and very wisely too. During the last century considerable quantities of wheat were raised along the Hudson and the Mohawk, and in New Jersey and Pennsylvania; and, as we have seen in the case of Indian corn, the exports were somewhat respectable in years of scarcity in Great Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, and the West Indies, even previous to 1723. In 1750 New Jersey took the lead of all the colonies in growing wheat. The amount of flour exported from New York in 1749-50, was 6,721 tons, besides many bushels of grain; in 1756 it was 80,000 barrels. The amount exported from New Jersey in 1751 was 6,424 barrels. The amount shipped from Philadelphia in 1752 was 125,960 barrels, and 86,500 bushels of most prosperous states of the Union, and is wheat. In 1771 the export of flour from destined to rank as the granary of the that place was 252,744 barrels, and in 1772, world. 284,827 barrels; in 1784, 201,305 barrels ; in 1787, 193,720 barrels; in 1791, 315,785 barrels. Virginia, for some years prior to the Revolution, exported about 800,000 bushels of wheat. The aggregate amount of flour exported from the United States in 1791 was 619,681 barrels, and 1,018,339 bushels of wheat. In 1800 the export amounted to 653,052 barrels, and 26,853 bushels of wheat. In 1810 the export was 798,431 barrels of flour, and 325,024 bushels of wheat. In 1862 it was 4,882,033 barrels of flour, and 37,289,572 bushels of wheat. The first foothold that modern agriculture got in this vast field was secured in the same year of the founding of Philadelphia, 1682, when white settlements were made in the southern part of what is known as the "American bottom," a tract of country extending for about a hundred miles in length-from Alton, twenty miles above St. Louis, down to Chester, at the mouth of the Kaskaskia river-by five miles in width. This region lies in Illinois, and forms the eastern border of the Mississippi river. Here, far removed from eastern civilization, a bold and hardy, but honest and peaceable company of French, Considering the unfavorable season of from Canada, and from France itself, estab1849, it is not surprising that the increase of lished the old villages of Kaskaskia, Prairie the wheat crop during the ten years from du Rocher, St. Philip, Cahokia, etc., chiefly 1840 to 1850 was but 15 per cent. In the for the purpose of opening a fur trade with next decade (1850 to 1860) the increase was the Indians. A part, probably at least half, 73 per cent. New England and the Middle of the settlers, however, finding the soil exStates again fell off, but the west more than ceedingly rich, devoted themselves to the doubled, and the south nearly doubled its cultivation of land, and the country for a conproduction. The aggregate number of bush-siderable extent around these villages soon els in 1840 was 84,823,272; in 1850 it was became productive of wheat and other nec100,485,944; in 1860, 173,104,924; and in essaries of life. 1869, about 260 million bushels. This was the first settlement beyond the Alleghany mountains, and preceded by a whole century the first settlements of Kentucky and Tennessee. For a hundred and fifty years those farmers lived in peace and harmony with the natives. They were not, to be sure, very skilful in the art of agricul ture. It was but rudely pursued at that time in the mother country. The implements used in farming, even in the best cultivated regions of Europe, were then extremely rude as compared with those of the skirt of civilization, they were far more rude and uncouth than those used by farmers who had greater facilities for making them. It is quite probable that changes have taken place in the soils and productiveness of some sections of the older states, owing to careless and ignorant management. It is evident, however, that a revolution is in progress in these matters, and that a higher intelligence and skill are brought to bear upon agriculture, and especially upon the cultivation of this cereal. In 1869 the average yield of wheat per acre in New England was 17.3 and in Massachusetts and Vermont 18 bushels. This is a higher average than West-present day; but here, in this remote outern N. Y., once the granary of the country. But by far the most extensive and astonishing changes, in an agricultural point of view, are those presented to us in the rise and development of the west, whose almost illimitable fields are the wonder and admiration of modern times. The "west" is, indeed, an imaginary and movable line. Fifty or sixty years ago it was understood, in the eastern states, to be somewhere in central or western New York, and the difficulty of reaching it greatly exceeded in magnitude that of visiting the Pacific States now. This line has been moving west with the advance of civilization ever since. It now comprises several of the largest and But notwithstanding this rude and imperfect culture, so great was the fertility of the virgin soil to which it was entrusted, the wheat grew luxuriantly, and they often had a surplus, useless and comparatively worthless to them, since the expense of getting it to market exceeded its value when it had arrived there. Who would be expected to make improvements in farming under such circumstances? With the demand for home consumption supplied with but trifling labor, with no inducements beyond a supply of their own limited wants, they could not be expected to exhibit the enterprise and thrift of farmers having greater interests at stake. But they went further, and entertained the same prejudice against any new notion, and repugnance to any change, as that cherished at the same time in the older colonies. The old-established practice was good enough for them, and they clung to it with a tenacity worthy of a better cause. That section of country being conquered and taken from England in the Revolution, not a few of the American soldiers, finding the country so fertile, remained and settled there; and it is said, that at least threefourths of the Americans who had settled in Illinois previous to the war of 1812, had served as soldiers in the Revolution. After the Revolution, in fact, numerous The cultivation of Indian corn was not settlements were made, till, in 1817, the introduced among these early western far- state was admitted into the Union. After mers till long after they established themselves that period, farms and farmers increased in that region-not, indeed, till after Louisi- more rapidly than they had hitherto done, ana had become a part of our national ter- and the production of wheat and Indian ritory; but then, it took the place of wheat corn rapidly increased. The cradle soon to a considerable extent, it being thought a took the place of the sickle. In 1830 the more reliable crop, while the stalks furnished first successful steam flour mill was erecta more valuable winter fodder for cattle. ed, and gave a new impulse to the raising When once introduced, it was cultivated on of wheat. Up to this time, comparatively the same land year after year, for many few cultivated meadows were to be found, years in succession, a practice which was and the wild, coarse grasses of the prairies continued in that section till a very recent and river bottoms were chiefly relied upon date. Instead of linens and woollens, which for winter fodder for horses and cattle. Of were mostly worn at the same period among course, when cattle are running at large, but the country people at the sea-board, these little improvement can take place in the farmers usually raised a small patch of cot-breed, and but little had actually been atton, and made their own garments, often tempted in this direction. But now the using, also, the skins and furs of wild beasts. These latter became so important, as to be used as the currency in business negotiations, a deer-skin being of the highest kind, and serving as the unit. spirit of improvement began with renewed vigor, and we shall see how rapidly the agricultural resources of that great state have been developed within the last quarter of a century. What applies to this particular state, will apply with nearly equal truth to almost the whole of the great north-west. The progress of agriculture in Illinois and the adjoining states cannot be better illustrated than by referring to the rise and growth of the city of Chicago, which has now become the greatest primary grain depot in the world, its exports being nearly twice as great as those of St. Petersburg, and exceeding those of Galatz and Ibrail combined, by upward of five millions of bushels a year. Thus lived these quiet colonists, without change, and with slight improvements, from one generation to another, poor but independent, with food enough, cattle and hogs enough, few wants to supply, clinging with inveterate tenacity to old customs, and resisting innovations, till the time of the cession of the country east of the Mississippi by France to England, in 1763, at which time the colony was at the height of its prosperity. The horses they raised were the small Canadians, said by some to have been derived from the pure Arabian, and In 1829, Chicago may be said to have had obtained originally through Spain. They no existence. It was then laid out, and the were very hardy, more so than the American sale of lots took place in the autumn of that horses of that time, and were rarely crossed ycar. In 1840 it contained but 4,853 inhab with any other race; but little or no care itants. In 1845 its population had grown to was taken of them for more than a hundred 12,088, and in 1850 that number had doubyears, and they were allowed to run on the led, and the population amounted to 28,269. range without grain. Their cattle were In 1855 it had increased to 88,509, in 1860 small, with black horns, derived also from to 109,263, and in 1870 to about 250,000. Canada. The French kept large numbers: The pre-eminence of Chicago as a grain deof fowls, usually had excellent gardens, and pot is due in part to its geographical position, cultivated some fruit, among which were but to a great extent, also, to the great facilisome valuable varieties of pears and apples. ties for receiving, warehousing, and shipping |