282 AGEICULTUEAL REPORT. 



they required ouly of licr. They encountered new restrictions at 

 every turn. The grants or charters were issued, in some cases to indi- 

 vidnals, in others to comi)anies, and tliis involved, and it was clearly 

 understood to involve, self-government; but the home-government 

 very soon began to claim the right and the power of confirming the 

 several governors. The colonists were forbidden even to cut down pine- 

 trees on any pretense. They were denied the right to export wool to 

 any place out of the King's dominions, to sell laud to anybody except 

 subjects of the British Crown, to ship any produce except in English 

 vessels, to coin money, to do anything, in fact, which could lessen their 

 dependence upon the mother-countrj-. Every new step taken, even in 

 settling and working new lands, was met by some new and burdensome 

 restraint, intended to keep the colonists in leading-strings. A formal 

 act of Parliament, passed soon after the beginning of the last century, 

 denied the right of the colonists to make hats. The home-government 

 was very indignant at the custom which the people had of workiiig up 

 their wool and flax into homespun cloth. Tbey were forbidden to man- 

 ufacture ore beyond the state of pig-iron. Thus the most oppressive 

 restrictions bore upon colonial agriculture, as well as upon colonial 

 commerce and manufactures, from the very outset of the settlements. 

 They finally became so burdensome as no longer to be endured with 

 patience, and led to an open rapture with the home-government, com- 

 monly known as the Eevolution, at a time when the population of the 

 whole country was considerably less than three millions, the general 

 and popular estimate of three millions being altogether too high. 



During the period of the Revolution farm production was brought to 

 a partial stand-still, and, for some years after, it was in a state of ex- 

 treme depression. It took time to recover from the effects of the strug- 

 gle. Gradually, however, tlie importance of some effort to develop and 

 improve the agriculture of the country was impressed upon the minds 

 of the more intelligent and public-spirited of the people, men, for the 

 most part, who were in advance of their time. The result of their de- 

 liberations was the formation of societies for the encouragement of ag- 

 ricultural improvement. Thus the South Carolina Agricultural Society 

 was established in 1784 ; the Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agri- 

 culture, in 1785; the ISTew York (city) Society, in 1791; the Massachu- 

 setts Society for Promoting Agriculture, in 1792. These were rathec 

 city than country institutions. They were very slow in reaching the 

 common people. The average farmer of that day was not up to their 

 standard of thought ahd observation. Their example, their teachings, 

 their entreaties for aid, their reports and papers, fell comparatively 

 dead upon tlie mass of the people. Farmers were not to be taught by 

 men who never held the i^low. They did not want anything to do with 

 ilieories. Custom had marked out a road for them, and it was smooth 

 and easy to travel, and, though it might be a circle that brought up 

 just where it had started, it had the advantage, in the old fiirmer's 

 mind, that in it he never lost his way. It didn't require any exertion 

 of mijul. His comfort, as well as his happiness, was based on a feeling 

 of filial obedience to old usage that was hereditary in his being. It 

 was born in the blood, and raled him with an irresistible power. His 

 field of vision was bounded and narrow, and his work was strictly imi- 

 tative, so fiir as he could see, and in no way experimental. The old 

 common law, based on i)recedeut, custom, prnctice, was his guide and 

 his rule. He would be governed by custom, not by reason. If ancient 

 custom was Icnoiim, that was good enough for him. It wasn't for him 

 to doubt. To investigate would imply doubt. To investigate was to 



