CHAPTEE VI. 



The city of Syracuse.— Its rapid growth. — Popularity of Mr Clay. — His 

 reputed chance, and that of Mr Webster, of the Presidentship. — Show 

 of the New York State Agricultural Society. — Agricultural implements. 

 — What they teach. — Forks, corn-shellers, and reaping-machines. — 

 Extensive use of the latter in the Noi'th- Western States. — Argument 

 against thorough drainage in western New York. — Want of local 

 attachment, — Law against long leases in the state of New York. — 

 Prevalence of the Devon breed of stock in New England, and of the 

 Teeswater in the Western States. — Merino sheep. — Fast-trotting 

 horses. — Over-lightness of the horses for heavy farm-labour. — General 

 impression as to the condition of New York agriculture. — Crowds 

 who visited the Show-yard. — Fruit Show. — Fruit region of Western 

 New York. — Comparative mildness of its climate. — Rapid extension 

 of apple-orchards. — Profits of apple-growing.. — Quantity of fruit 

 exported. — Pomological Convention. — Varieties of apples in the 

 United States and in Normandy. — Mode of causing apples to produce 

 a crop every year. — Influence of crops of rye on the apple-tree. — 

 Influence of geological structure on the flavour of the apple, and of 

 the cider made from it.— Gout de terrain.— Mr Geddes's farm,— Rich 

 soils of the Onondaga salt group of rocks. — Soil of the crumbling 

 green shale.— Rotation followed upon it. — Gradual exhausting efiects 

 of this rotation. — Average produce of the whole State of New York 

 and of the richest western county.— Competition of the Western 

 States. — Profits of farming in New York.—Property confers no politi- 

 cal privilege. — Indian-coi-n hay — Experiments with plaster or gj^psum 

 upon Indian corn and potatoes. — Gypsum acts best on calcareous 

 soils and in droughty seasons. — Wages of farm-servants. — Escarp- 

 ment of the Helderberg limestone.— Onondaga salt group. — Rich belt 

 of land formed by it.— Section of the wheat region of western New 

 York. — Beautiful relation of the soils to the nature of the rocks of 

 which this undulating plain consists. — Soils of the Medina sandstone, 

 of the Clinton, Niagara, Onondaga, Helderberg, Hamilton, Genesee, 

 and Portage groups.— Influence of overlying drift.— Salt springs. — 



