340 [Senate 



sion of this farm for twenty-five years; and your committee have every 

 reason to believe that while these improvements have been making, 

 they have exerted a beneficial influence over others in the march of 

 improvement, and will be a lasting monument of their skill, industry 

 and perseverance. 



Your committee next viewed Anthony Van Bergen's farm in New 

 Baltimore, and here we were seriously disappointed in not finding the 

 Judge at home, and time would not allow us to delay; we therefore 

 will not attempt to give a description of his farm, being satisfied we 

 should not do him justice if we attempted; but would remark that 

 every thing we saw, gave evidence that he too, was on the road of 

 improvement, and well qualified to give information to inquiring ag- 

 riculturists. 



We next called on Mr. George Griffin, in the town of Athens, and 

 here, as before, were obliged to pass rapidly on, taking a very imper- 

 fect survey of the farm and buildings; but sufficient was discovered 

 by your committee to satisfy them he was teaching a lesson to those 

 around him owning similar lands, and which would be much to their 

 interest if followed. We were informed the farm contains 255 

 acres and divided into seven lots — and one lot contains 180 acres 

 principally in grass on what is called the Athens flats, about one 

 mile west from the Hudson river. On this lot we were shown 

 the beneficial effect of draining, liming and ashing. Mr. Griffin ap- 

 pears to have spared no pains in reclaiming his lands from their for- 

 mer unproductive state, and are now made to yield a profitable return 

 for the outlay. The fences are of wood and stone wall, but your 

 committee cannot tell the proportion. We noticed a wall on each 

 side of the road the whole length of the farm, which gave decided 

 evidence that the builder was possessed of superior skill and taste, and 

 on the whole was the best wall we have viewed. The mansion house 

 is stone, and in every respect in good condition, and the out build- 

 ings well arranged and in good order for the purposes; indeed, both 

 in respect to durability, comfort and convenience of stock, and pro- 

 tecting the crops, and also the manufacturing and saving of manure; 

 and in short we discovered strict economy in all things about the pre- 

 mises. 



Mr. James Van Deusen owns the next farm viewed by your com- 

 mittee. The first object that attracted our attention about the pre- 

 mises, was a dinner table well supplied with the products of the farm, 

 and in excellent order, and all examined and handled the same with 

 anxiety. Your committee do not mention this because it was a rare 

 occurrence, for we were every where treated with the greatest kind- 

 ness and hospitality. We then proceeded to examine the farm, which 

 contained about 100 acres under cultivation, divided into 12 lots, and 

 is situated on the west side of the Catskill creek, and is composed of 

 a deep, rich and highly cultivated soil. On this farm may be seen 

 the difference between good management, when compared with some 

 of the neighboring fields neglected. The fences on this farm are 

 principally composed of rails, posts and boards, and generally in good 

 condition. The crops, ungathered and where they had been gather- 



