| Washington and the Potomac boy
Supply of Wheat is inconsiderable when compared to the Consumption of
Wheat in Europe as it certainly- is and if the Demand is likely, from a
decrease in the Quantity raised in Europe, fully in proportion to the in-
crease of Quantity raised in America. to keep up we had best divert our
people as far as we can from raising Tobacco to the raising of wheat.
too much Tobacco may certainly be and often has been raised but it is not
only likely that America cannot raise too much Wheat but probably the
price of her wheat will even rise with the Quantity. it has done so hitherto
and may do so for too years to come by which Time we shall be populous
enough to enter on other Views.
If an Increase of the Quantity of \\ heat is desirable rather than an
Increase of the Quantity of Tobacco the only Method to induce the Back-
people to cultivate Wheat for which their Land generally is the most suit-
able rather than Tobacco is to reduce as much as maybe the Expence of
Carriage. z Hhds of Tobacco weigh say one ']'on or 20 gross Hundred
and will sell for 12 Sterl equal to 20 Curr'y. 3o Bushels of Wheat is
about the same weight and sells say- at 6/ PB."' a Ton of wheat produces
ro.8. on any given price of Carra. the Difference of the Z alue of the
Produce is nearly as two to one in favr. of bringing Tobacco to -Market
rather than Wheat. the higher the price of Carriage the greater the Dif-
ference of nett value after deducting the Expence of Carriage. If from
the Distance as from Fred Town for Instance the Expence of Carra. is 2,1
p B. or worse from Andietem or Connegocheage 2/ 6 p B. the net produce
of the Tobo. being greater in Proportion than on wheat the Motive accord-
ing to the Distance grows stronger to raise Tobacco instead of wheat-
and so if the price of Wheat should fall and Tobacco rise cheap Carriage
will be still the more necessary towards continuing the Back people
Farmers.
The Expence of Water Carriage when compared to that of Land Car-
riage is not more than as one to four perhaps not so much on those of the
Back parts of Potowmack which are at present navigable. Potowmack is
naviga. at present for Battoes from Seneca to Paynes the lowest part of
the Shann. Falls abt qs miles by water-from Semples-except a triffiing
place or two between that and Andietem to Fort Cumberland about rqo
or tso miles by water. Monocasy Connegocheage the So. Branch and
Patterson Cr. are all at Times and most of them generally capable of
navigation for considerable. Distances and some of them go off almost at
right Angles from the River-hence an Tmprovemt. of Water Carriage by
opening the Shann Falls taking off the Land Carriage below Seneca or
shorttting it and improving the Roads to Navign. would be very exten-
sively beneficial. Mr. Semple had water Carr'e from paynes to Seneca
for ; ' 6 p Ton on wheat it would be 3 d. p B. Jacques and Johnson ='
have Carriage from their Forge to Cussapi abt. 75 Miles by Water ag't
the Stream for 3o/ a Ton, they have had Corn collected about the SIouth
of the So. Br. and carried to their works for q d p B.- The Carriage
upwards to Fort Cumberland to satisfy the Demand for the Back Country
would be equal to the demand for Carr'e downwards from thence where-
fore and as there would be but one Loading and unloading the Carr. down
may not be expected to exceed 6 d p B. as far as the Mouth of Seneca-
Per bushel.
=s See in Bishop, The Manufacture of Iron, p. zsq, reference to Green Spring
,furnace and Licking Creek forge owned by Jacques and Johnson.
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