The succession of wet seasons was more serious, of course; it lowered the actual yield, and increased the cost of procuring the yield; but as his lands were well drained, and had been kept clean he believed he could have withstood the seasons for awhile.
The one heavy cloud that overhung agriculture, in his opinion was the extraordinary and almost world-spread depression of trade, and his argument was very simple.

When men prospered they bought freely, indulged in luxurious living, kept horses, servants, gave parties, and consumed indirectly large quantities of food.

As they made fortunes they bought estates and lived half the year like country gentlemen--that competition sent up the price of land.

The converse was equally true.

In times of pressure households were reduced, servants dismissed, horses sold, carriages suppressed.