42 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



but little known; ^vhat was planted was called Mazy corn.' When they 

 planted on the plow, the custom was to harrow three times, and hill it up, the 

 higher the l)etter, to keep the wind from blowing it over. We got along in 

 this manner Avithout making much improvement, until the hard times (conse- 

 quent on the laying of the embargo, and the war of 1812,) was upon us, at 

 which time all the wages I could command was seven or eight dollars per 

 month. I resolved to get me a piece of land and make myself a farm. About 

 this time I chose me a helpmeet. I suppose the young men will want to know 

 what kind of a one I got. 1 will tell them : I selected one that knew how, 

 and was not afraid of work, and to this day I have not regretted it. I had 

 heard of Exeter, situated sixty or seventy miles northeast of us, and in June, 

 181.3, in company with another young man, I took my fowling-piece in hand 

 and started in search for said Exeter. We found land that suited, but were 

 poor and had to buy on credit. I went into the woods about one and a quarter 

 miles from any inhabitants and put up a camp with a shed-roof, split some 

 basswood logy for a floor, built a chimney of stone and coated with clay. In 

 May, 181-1, I moved in ; had covered the roof with boards, and battened with 

 cedar splits. We had not been there long when there came a heavy shower ; it 

 came in torrents upon us, and the only place we had to keep our bed dry, was 

 to put it under the table. 



I took my axe and cut an elm, from which I took the bark and covered our 

 camp, and we lived under it a long time. I found here and there a person with 

 his log hut covered with long shingles and bark. We had no roads, no car- 

 riages, nor any market. If there were articles that we must have, we had to 

 go to Bangor, twenty miles, either on foot or on horseback after them. It 

 took two and sometimes three days. 



We had farms to make, and buildings for the ftxrm ; we had also county 

 buildings and houses of worship to build and pay for. 



Those sons of toil that have been laboring beside me for years, Avho had 

 ready means to pay for their land, have for the most part made their ' pile.' 

 I consider our roads and buildings now, as second to none in any country place 

 I am acquainted with. 



Our town has the appearance of thrift ; instead of the * Dug-out,' we have 

 railroads and steamboats ; instead of log huts we have good painted houses. 

 On our principal roads stages run daily," &c. 



The next quotation is from an address delivered before the North 

 Aroostook Agricultural Society, some years ago, by Rev. E. Knight 

 of Maple Grove, (in Letter D, of first range, and near Fort Fair- 

 field.) It will be found, in part, descriptive of that vicinity, which 

 is probably as attractive as any section of the county : 



"Most heartily do 1 congratulate you upon the fertility of your soil, upon 

 the various resources you enjoy, upon your past success, and upon your future 

 prospects. In comparing this with other portions of New England, I have no 



