42 DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



of this county, with few exceptions, dates within the last sixty years. 

 Within that time the production of grass, grain and root crops in the coun- 

 ty, I thinl<, must have been more than doubled by the increased and in- 

 creasing application of fertilizers. 



So little change occurred in the modes of farming and farm life that 

 the farm and farmer of 1683 might well stand as a picture for those of 1783 — 

 the same tools, the same methods, the same surroundings. Grass was cut 

 with the scythe, raked by a hand-rake, pitched by the old heavy iron fork; 

 grain was reaped with the sickle, threshed with the flail and winnowed with 

 a riddle; land was plowed with a heavy wooden framed plough, pointed 

 with wrought iron, whose mole board was protected by odd bits of old 

 cart wheel tire; harrows were mostly with wooden teeth; corn hills wer.e 

 dug with the hoe; the manure for the hill was dropp-ed in heaps, carried 

 by hand in a basket and separately put in each hill. The farmer raised 

 flax and generally a few sheep. Threshing lasted well into the winter, and 

 then out came the crackle and swingle, knife and board. The flax was 

 dressed, wool carded, and the wheel sung its song to the linen and woolen 

 spun in every house. The looms dreary pound gave evidence that home 

 manufacture clad the household. From his feet to his head the farmer 

 stood in vestment produced on his own farm. The leather of his shoes 

 came from the hides of his own cattle. The linen and woolen that he wore 

 were products that he raised. The farmer's wife or daughter braided and 

 sewed the straw-hat on his head. His fur cap was made from the skin of 

 a fox he shot. The feathers of wild fowl in the bed whereon he rested his 

 weary frame by night, were the results acquired in his shooting. The pil- 

 low-cases, sheets and blankets, the comfortables, quilts and counterpanes, 

 the towels and table cloth, were home made. His harness and lines he 

 cut from hides grown on his farm. Everything about his ox yoke except 

 staple and ring he made. His whip, his ox gad, his flail, axe, hoe and 

 fork-handle, were his own wofk. How little he bought, and how much 

 he contrived to supply his wants by home manufacture would astonish this 

 generation. 



The typical farm house of 1683 and 1783, were much alike. It was 

 a single house unpainted, the front two, and the sloping rear roof made 

 that one story. Four Lombardy poplars, tall, slim and prim, its sole orna- 

 ment in front. The well pole, a few feet in the rear of the kitchen, pointed 

 45 degrees towards mid heaven — underneath swung the bucket, 



" The old oakea bucket," 

 immortal in song. Two small windows, of 6x8 glass, dimly lighted his 

 front room. A large beam ran across its upper wall. Houses then were 

 built to stay. The floor was uncarpeted. The chimney and fire-places 

 were capacious masses of masonry, looking with contempt upon the Lilli- 

 putian proportions of like structures of these modern times. The mass of 

 chimney and oven and fire-places contracted into an entry what would 

 otherwise be a hall. The front stairs zig-zagged and turned, and wound 

 and squirmed towards the upper rooms. Over the fire-place hung the old 

 King's Arm, with flint-lock wherewith he had brought down deer and wild 

 ducks, and brant, and geese in no small numbers. Outside hung his eel 

 spear, clam and oyster tongs. Close at hand was the upright hollow log 

 that was his samp mortar. The barn-yard was near, and in view of the 

 kitchen, and on the farther side his small barn. One roof sloped down low 

 in the yard, and on that in the cold winter's day he spread his sheaves of flax 



