No. 112.] 535 



Entertaining myself no doubts both as to the duty and as to 

 the praciical^ility, at very moderate cosfcomparitively, of so pro- 

 viding competent teachers for the common schools, I arrive with 

 equal certainty at theconclusion,that the liberal thirst for knowl- 

 edge awakened by such teachers, and the habit acquired under 

 them of intelligent investigation, will suivivethe hours of school- 

 ing, and animate all the future pursuits of the learner, whether 

 he be farmer, merchant, lawyer, or laborer. The man or woman 

 once taught in early life the proper use of the intellectual facul- 

 ties, vouchsafed by God to all — tlioiigh not in like degree to all— 

 cannot wholly forget or forego that use in after days. Hence, if 

 from the school the lad goes to the labors of the farm, he will 

 , undertake and discharge them, not me<*hanically merely, n<»r as a 

 dull hut unavoidable daily routine, but wi'h a curiosity all the 

 tinje awake, an observing spirit all the time called into exercise 

 by the phenomena parsing betbre his eyes, and of which he will 

 naturally and perse veringly seek the S(dution. 



It seems natural to advert to the great changes which time, and 

 especially the construction of the Erie canal, have wr ught in the 

 agriculture of Queens county. Before the revolution, and even; 

 after the conclusion of the peace of 1783, Q.ueeiis county was re- 

 markable for the produce of excellent wlieat and the best HoUJt 

 then made in the State, comparing advjJnthgeously in tlie ujaiket 

 of New Ynrk and in the markets of the West Indies, whither 

 much flour was then exported, with the best Philadel}»hirt Hduf. 

 Wheat and Hour continued to be the staples of this county— 

 tliough much of the flour was from wheat brought in fr<»m else- 

 where — up to the period of the construction of the Erie canal^ 

 the completion of which brouj<ht the prcHlucc of the rich and 

 cheap lauds of the western parts of New- York into competition 

 with that of l.ong Island. I well remember iheopposition tothe^ 

 canal thioughout tiiis c*»unty, and the aj»prehensinn almost uni- 

 Ver>al that it would depreciate all the farms (»n Long Island. Ihfe 

 result has, indeed, l)een far otherwi>e ; but it did entirely put a 

 stop to the manufactur«' of thmr fur exportation in this c<Miiity, 

 and very much reduretl tin* (juautity of wluat raix d in it. For 

 it was Tery soon !ound that rt(»uring mills d<]>endeut on th« tide, 

 such as ihose famous in the day of *irneial C(»les, and J. B. Coles, 



