No. 63. 1 185 



portance to the farmer. li\ in the common plow, one kind is drawn 

 one-third easier than another, performing the work equally well, a 

 regard for the team should induce the general adoption of the best; 

 and so with any other improved implement. The establishment of 

 an agricultural warehouse at Syracuse, lias been of essential service 

 to the farmers of the county, and should be well supportetl by them. 

 The great mass of farmers are ignorant of the improvements that are 

 making in farm implements, and require to have their attention called 

 to this advance, or the implemenis placed before them, to understand 

 such improvement. Thesidehill plow, the subsoil plow, and a va- 

 riety of other implements of the greatest value are rapidly extending 

 their numbers ami use; while the skill of the mechanic, directed to 

 this point, is constantly producing implements to lessen the labor or 

 increase the products of the husbandman. 



There cau be no room for doubt that the establishment of agricul- 

 , tural societies, and the general circulation of agricultural periodicals, 

 have had a great effect in stimulating the farmers of Onondaga coun- 

 ty, and directing them in their career of agricultural improvement. 

 The societies consequent on the act of 1817, produced a happy ef- 

 fect, and the good influence they exerted had not wholly passed aw^ay, 

 when the existing associations under the present law were organized. 

 In one respect, the new organization is far superior to the old; by 

 bringing to the aid of the society the impulse which self-interest or 

 individual contributions are sure to give. The funds of the earlier 

 societies were wholly furnished by the State; now the counties must 

 assist in the support; a course which experience demonstrates to be 

 the true one. It may be stated to the credit of the larmers of Onon- 

 daga, that it is believed a larger number of periodicals devoted to 

 agriculture are taken in this county, than in any other one in the 

 State. The results are manifest in the spirit of inquiry and improve- 

 ment which meet the observer in every part. 



Onondaga is decidedly agricultural; its soil, its minerals, its loca- 

 tion, conspire to make it so. It requires nothing but an intelligent 

 population, industrious as well as enterprising, to give it a still more 

 elevated agricultural character. Its soil, its climate, require exami- 

 nation; and few places can better reward the inquirer into the natu- 

 ral condition of our country. In conclusion, it may be stated that 

 the general level of the northern part of the county is about three 

 hundred and fifty feet above the level of the sea, and that the highest 

 parts of the southern towns, Pompey, Fabius, Tulley and Spaiford, 

 are some twelve hundrefl feet above this, giving a total elevation of 

 some fifteen hundred feet. The influence of temperature between 

 the elevated and the low lands, is best seen in the fact that harvest 

 ^ is from twelve to fourteen days earlier on the canal level than in the 

 extreme south of the county. There are consequently i^cw counties 

 that combine more facilities for producing grain or stock, or for car- 

 rying out those rotations in agriculture so essential to the improve- 

 ment and the increasing fertility of the soil. We have carefully 

 avoided all reference to individuals, in the foregoing remarks, al- 

 though there are many whose exertions in the cause of agriculture, 



[Senate No. 63.] Y 



