218 [Senat£; 



dollars the acre; but some are valued at two hundred dollars^ and oth- 

 ers can be bought for thirty dollars the acre: soil, improvements and 

 location making the difference. 



The articles raised for the New-York market are potatoes, hay, 

 oats, butter, pork, beef, calves, lambs, poultry, eggs, buckwheat flour, 

 corn meal, apples, cider, and many articles of less importance. Wheat 

 and rye are raised here, but not enough for bread for the inhabitants. 

 There were 35,000 bushels of wheat, and 99,000 bushels of rye rais- 

 ed in the county in the year 1839, and there were 48,000 inhabitants; 

 that is less than three bushels to each inhabitant. Many of the far- 

 mers, and all the inhabitants of the villages, use wheat flour raised 

 out of the county. Wheat is an uncertain crop here, and the farmers 

 can do better by raising other crops. The population within five 

 years past, has increased 10,000. The number of horses has increas- 

 ed 1,000, neat cattle decreased 8,000, sheep have decreased 10,000, 

 hogs have increased (according to the official accounts,) 131,000. 



There is but little attention paid to the breeds of horses, cattle^ 

 sheep or swine. If an animal possesses a good form and size, there 

 is seldom any inquiry concerning its pedigree. Symmetry and speed 

 in the horse are all the requirements necessary. There are but few 

 cattle raised in the county. The farmers send their calves to market. 

 A good calf, five weeks old, commonly sells for five dollars, but the 

 most of them are sent to market before they are four weeks old; and 

 I have known calves sent to market before they were ten days old, 

 and sell for five dollars each, when veal was in great demand. Far- 

 mers buy their cattle of drovers, who get them in the western parts 

 of this State, Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Oxen rais- 

 ed in Connecticut are considered the best; they appear to be of the 

 Devonshire breed, and possess great docility. There was a very good 

 breed of white hogs in the county, but the Berkshires have been in- 

 troduced, and it has injured the farmers. Their small size, black 

 bristles and dusky skin, render them unprofitable. They will not sell 

 so readily, nor for as much, in the New-York market, as white skin- . 

 ned hogs. Sheep are kept for rearing lambs. The large breeds are 

 considered the best. Wethers are often bought in the summer, fat- 

 tened through the fall, and sent to New-York in the winter on early 

 in the spring. Wool is of but little value here; some farmers have 

 it manufactured for their own use. A good lamb, three months old, 

 commonly sells for three dollars. 



At the beginning of the present century, the aspect of the county 

 was dreary, compared with its present appearance. At that time, the 

 arable land was worn down by constant tillage; the crops were light; 

 the fences poor; bushes were growing about the fields; loose stones 

 lay scattered over some of the best lands; the fences were made of 

 time worn rails almost hid with bushes. Two months of the year 

 were commonly spent by the farmers in making cider, and it was con- 

 sidered the most important business. Almost every farmer had a still 

 which held about one barrel, to distil his cider with. 



The farmers continued to distil their cider until New-England rum 



