.fnwn m nts ' j ^' t. ' ^v i vaPAJu m .KV'.iA.' ^ ! uw^ aggaan 



10 



w.Hi—ciwi S'ir.fty^^ U J ML^LMU.i ' jnag' ' ! w ■ wpt^ ' v; ' * 'i waR' LA'ifjt: i w ■ ■ 1 1 jii ^i ii n n 1 1 



^i)c jTarmcr's iHoiitl)!ij l)tsitar. 



foiinc), tiiul we havo not found lialf a dozen aC- 

 fectod ones .sinco ihcy weru |MU'iin tfjo cellar ; 

 liMt some of my iici^ldiors liavrf lost bi;.'e ([nan- 

 litics since llu'y were storedj in tlie cellar. Bill 

 iIk-'I'c are olliers, wlio.-e potaioes iiave escaped as 

 well as mine, a.tliniii,'li iliey did not apply salt. 



I experimented, sonieulial, with tlie two liar- 

 rels of L'liano, but tin; excessively dry weullier 

 of last Slimmer in ,-i vry great nu'asiire preveiH- 

 eil iliat liivoralile action lliat I liail reason to ex- 

 picl, froiii tlie nmiieioiis accomils I liad lead of 

 it in En^rlisli asricnltiiral ptipers. Corn on very 

 poor and dry land, dressed iv iili j;iiano at the rate 

 of 300 Ills, per acre, yielded alioiil \~> liiisliels per 

 .-icre — witlioiit it, only a fi-w ' mdil)iii.s.' On |)iiinp- 

 kiiis, witli a talilc-spnoiifiil to tlic liill,';! had a 

 f,'ood crop— wiiere none was applied, there were 

 no pninpkins. A teu-spoonliil in the liillofcorn 

 where the land was well manured, had .i most 

 marlicd etVeet in the early part of the season, com- 

 pared with rows tliat had none; hut. at harvest, 

 there was no perceptilile difi'erelico. I'erliap.-i 

 one of the ino.st serious ohjeciions to its use here, 

 will bo our frequent dry siiinniers." 



Frnni Hill's X. H. Peilricil. 



A Relic of Olden Time. 



AVe luive before iis a venerable-looking old newspa- 

 per, the pages of which are a little larger than the 

 largest size of common window glass now in general 

 use, entitled "Hough's Concord Herald." — 

 The heading gives ns further to understand that it was 

 ^' A political State pu per : priatei and published bxj 

 George Hough, al Concord, J\''ewhampshire: A~o. 

 31— f'o/. ///. — Saturday, Sep1c:nl.er 6, 1792. — 

 Whole ^Vo. 13.5." 



The latest dates contained in this copy of Mr. 

 ■lough's sheet, are from "Boston, .'Vug. 28" — eleven 

 days previous to its publication : " fioin Philade!phia'> 

 by last evening's mail," (as w.-; are informed,) " Au- 

 gust 16" — twenty-three days previous: from "Win- 

 chester, Maryland, July ."O": "St. Domingo, July 

 30": "Berlin, May M": ••Paris, May 21," &.c. &c. 

 From this it will be seen that news was then as long 

 in travelling (70 days) to Concord, from Winchester, 

 Md., a town situated near the Baltimore and Cumber- 

 land Railroad, which can now I)e reached in three 

 days, as it was from St. Domingo, one of the West 

 India Islands ! 



The "news" from AVinclirster which, as well as :dl 

 of the domestic intelligence is placed under the stand- 

 ing head, "Columbi.v" — is in the following words. 

 W'u transcribe them for the purpose of showing what 

 was then the condition of that "back-woods" town, 

 whicli his since found itself most vvontleifclly removed 

 from the western to the eastern frontier of the Union : 

 ".M.VRYi-AND. — JVinckesler, July 30, 1792.— 

 Certain information has been received in the territory 

 of ilr; United States south of the river Ohio, that sev- 

 <Tal small parties ol'bolh Creek and Cherokee Indians 

 had set nut from their rcsppr'iivc nations with full de- 

 tcrmiieition to do n.ischief" 



.\.gain, from "Philadelphi.i, .\ug. >'•, I7;)2," we 

 have the following p:n^ti.-ul:irs relating to I,a Fayette's 

 army discipline ; 



" A new system of niiiitary regii':ilioiis for his army 

 has been published by .M. I'ayelte — several of the ar- 

 ticles are severe. Whoever within reach of the army 

 breaks silence is to be put i:i irons liir iix years — ma- 

 rauding is to be severely punished; also harsh treat- 

 ment ol' prisioners. l)e;:th is tin punishment of any 

 soldier v. ho crii's out, we are cut o[f, we are I eifoy-.-u, 

 or anything similar. No man in command is to be 

 'piestimied for acts of severity wliiidi arc nece.ss.iry in 

 an eng.igement. Olhcers are subject to iloiihle p:in- 

 ishment for any fiult they ncj;!ect to ri'press, or any 

 act of ilisiibudi:'nce to whirli tlii-y give v/ay. The 

 camp o\'y\. (le la Uayotto, it is s;!iil, savours very little 

 of the pristine delicatcsse of tln^ I'rencli armies — eie- 

 ry oIlitaT being obli:;ed to I'ollow tin' example of the 

 general, by beiii.'; night and day in the camp." 



Under the head of ".V1ikci;i.lanv," we have the 

 following concise view of the situation of iVew lliimp- 

 Kliire in 1792 — of the elimute, lucaliini, nunncra aail 

 custoni.s cf its iniiabitaiits, iustituliiins, productions, 

 Ue. &e. The "dig under the liftli rib" which the 

 writer gives his Portsmoulh neighbors and ihn citizens, 

 at that time, of the "eastern division" of the Slate, 



well applied, and may not — which, we will not under- 

 take to say. I'erhaps it savors a little of local preju- 

 dice, however, lint if the wealthy inlndiitants of our 

 only New Hampshire seaport should suft'er the now 

 projected "Portsmouth & Concord Railroad" to fill 

 through for want of funds (which we are happy to 

 learn from the papers of that town is not their present 

 intention,) they may have the writer's sarcasm all to 

 themselves, and we will answer for it that it will be 

 justly applied at the present day, if it was not "afore- 

 time"; — 



A DKSCRIPTION OF NEW H.\MPSHIHK. 



This State is formed by a most healthy and pleasant 

 countiy. Its sunmiers are neither intensely hot, nor 

 its winters too cold. The snow fulling in November, 

 and continuing until .April, allbrds a constant opportu- 

 nity for early transportation, for the farmer and mer- 

 chant, as well as aniiisemcnl for the man of leisure. 



The country is generally hilly or mountainous, with 

 iulervids of llat and fertile lands on the banks of the 

 ftlerrimack and Connecticut rivers. The mountains 

 are well watered, and the soil excellent. The inhabi- 

 tants are hardy and numerous. 



New Hampshire may properly be said to consi.st of 

 two divisions, the East and West, formed by the chain 

 of hills east of the Connecticut river. 



The West division partakes of the customs, man- 

 ners, and improvements, in Connecticut, from whence 

 the tirst settlers removed. The East division copies 

 those parts of Massachusetts and New Hampsiiire 

 which border on the sea. Altlio the settlements are 

 much more new in the West, yet they are much high- 

 er cultivated, and more improved, than in the East di- 

 vision. The whole country, from the south to the 

 north line of the State, on and near the banks of the 

 Connecticut river, is one continued, uninterrupted 

 tract of fertile country, well watered from the heights 

 by brooks and artificial conveyances. The firms are 

 well cultivated — the houses commodious and well 

 built — the barns extensive and well tilled — the fences 

 in good order — the flocks of cattle large — and provi- 

 sions of every kind most abundant. Wheat, cattle, 

 pot-ashes, and lumber, are tlie staple commodities of 

 that division of the State: rye, peas, oats, barley, In- 

 dian corn, pm'k, butter, :md cheese, are also jilenty. 

 Winter wheat is rarely cullivated cast of the moun- 

 tains; and the liome-manui'ictures of woolen and linen 

 (except in Londonderry) are inf'riour in quality to the 

 western. This is the case in all other productions. 

 Orford, and some other places, make good cheese; 

 and the proportion of good, to that which is otherwise, 

 is very grcr.t. 



The College, in the middle of the western division, 

 tliffuses a thirst for knowledge, and improves .society in 

 its neighluHirbuod; thereby exhibiting it hs an orna- 

 ment and blessing to the State. 



.\cadeiiiies are erecting in the eastern division, but 

 Inivc not \cl extended their beneiits very far. Reli- 

 gion, learning, liberty, and pure patriotism, are less 

 piolcutcd and encouraged, liir the good of mankind, in 

 New llamiishire, than in almost any State in I nited 

 Aineiica. A rusticity prevails in the yeomanry, and a 

 hanteur in the gentry or more wealthy, in the East ui- 

 visiiin, whicli checks in part the whole advantage that 

 ou^dit to he derived from the rich and jioor being bene- 

 ficial to each other. 



'flip arts and sciences have nut fnind that protection 

 .md eii-ounigemeiil in the I ;i]iilal, nliieh ought to be 

 wished or expected: :ind the trii\ellcr is always disa])- 

 poiiited when he \ isits Portsmmitli. Instead of ;i largi' 

 well built city, he finds a town out of repair, vvilliout 

 (degaiit public buildings and institutions, and with few 

 well Ijiiilt private dwellings: like a family once great 

 and u eallliy, the inhabitants appear great by repealing 

 wlail they wc.~e once. .'\n extensive ship-building, 

 joined to forluinite speculatimis in lands, having en- 

 riched and engrossed the attention of the opulent, :;c- 

 conip..nied by g.dety and dissipaiie.i, ba\e alwa\s 

 I he:::>ed exerlioii, ;iiid picvenlcd die cnlargciiient "i ;' 

 that Uiwii. A fine river and harbour, good wharves 

 and stores, an excellent back country, and neigliboiir- 

 liig (K'can, aH'ord every necessary mean by which 

 Portsmouth might be enrielied. 



Many useful arts, which have been followed filly 

 and an hundred years in some of the United SMtc.^i, 

 are unknown in the capital of New Hampshire. '1 ln' 

 seliools l!,i\e bitely been reformed; hut no Colicge, or 

 respectable .'Vcailemy, is in it. A large Dancing .\s- 

 sen.bly-lioom — a lempcu^ary Play-I louse — .'\ liilliard- 

 Tiible — excnrsious on Saturdays iirtil Sundays into the 

 neighboinliood — large feasts -^Water and 'ica i'aities 

 — engross a large part of the time of i:-i inhabitai.ts. 



Much of the land in the interiour part, of the coun- 

 try is owned by the inhabitants of Portsnioiilh; but 

 has not piodiiced that prolit or iiierease in its v.ilue 

 that might have been. \'erv little attention h.is been 



p;iid to the improving die breed of horses, cattle, and 

 relation to Ihcir want of entorpri^c, may have been ' sheep. 'I he liot^cs in general arc bad; the few which 



exceed, were brought from Vermont and the southern 



States. 



Tho merit and abilities exist in New Hampshire 

 in most professions; yet they are not so frequent as in 

 .some other States, wiieii compared with the number of 

 iidniliilants in this and the other States. The Con- 

 gregational is the most numerous religious denomina- 

 tion—the society of Haplisis increase — as do the I'lii- 

 versalists. A war in diviuiiy is carried on hy the two 

 first, much to the profit of Printers. Minvofthe 

 blessings obtained by the knowledge and pra'cti e of 

 Christianity are lost, in large and old'settleuicnts, which 

 have been twenty ye.irs without regular preaching and 

 instruction. New meeting houses have been built, 

 some; in opposition to the other, in the same neighbour- 

 hood; but are now destitute of .'\Iinisters. Disa- 

 greement and confusion in religious affairs pervade 

 New Hampshire. In less than thirty miles of Ports- 

 mouth, siiiiie of the inhabitants are but little removed 

 from th(^ barbarous state of the natives of .America, in 

 religion, morals, and cultivated manners. 



'1 he Press finds less encouragement here, than in 

 any other northern State. Not a book-store, nor book- 

 binder is in it. The Printers have endeavoured to 

 remedy this evil, but have not e.-perienced merited 

 success. 



While the capital is amused with the idea of recov- 

 ering their former profitable ship-building, of being 

 made a Continental mariue port and dockyards, (a 

 visionary scheme to promote some men's popularity) 

 the country is destitute of that mart to which they may 

 bring its produce, and therefore turns its trade to the 

 towns in Alassechusetts and Conncificut. 



Dry Goods have lately been sold as cheap in Ports- 

 mouth as elsewhere. 'Ihe consequent benefit as to the 

 increase of business is visible, and proics what more 

 extensive exertions might eflect. 



.\ rivalship subsists between the capital and other 

 populous towns as to the public offices, and sessions of 

 the tJeneral Court; but the Legislature, finding it a 

 subject worth their contesting, have wisely shifted the 

 place of holding iheir meetings. The gre;it dinners 

 and_ better lodging-houses in Portsmouth, have not been 

 sufficiently powerful persuasives to draw the IJeprc- 

 senfalives to pay a higher price for their board, without 

 other better arguments to procure their company and 

 money. 



Providence has liberally aftiirdcd New Hampshire 

 every mean to ex:dt it in wealth, reputation, ami feli- 

 city. A proper improvement of bis bounty is onlv ne- 

 cessary to effect all for her citi-/.ens. To promote these 

 ends, is the design of this publication. 



The advertising columns of "Hough's Herald" 

 comprise by no means its least interesting feature. The 

 citizens of Concord and the vicinity may find .some 

 satisfiction in perusing tile following notices of die 

 business men here fifty years ago. We give an ab- 

 stract of such advertisements as are too lonj for inser- 

 tion at length : 



" Wix-LLiM DUXC.A.K " — uiidcr the prominent 

 caption of " Gooes free from fke TNFKcrioN 

 OK TTtr; Small Pox" — proceeds to inform the pub- 

 lic "that he has for sale a general assortment of Kn;;- 

 lish & West Indi.i (loods at his Stores in Concord, 

 Kiisom and Sandhornloiau whi.-h he is selling cheap 

 for Cash. Ashes. Salts, a.id yiiu- Seei. lie :dso in- 

 fbrms the public in general that those (Joods were re- 

 ceived before the Small Pox broke out in ISoston and 

 the adjacent towns; and that he will not re(ei\e any 

 (ioods into his Stores, from lirwion, Charlcslown, or 

 any towns where that contagious ilisi'ase prevails, until 

 they are thoroughly free from the infection, ' &c. &c. 

 — •' Concord, Sept. 7, 1792." 



Apparently in reply to the above, and with a seem- 

 ing sensitiveness in relation to Ihe subject of " Small 

 Pox," III. other firm advertise as follows ; — 



".Ma.nley & I'AR-rRiDGF., licg lea vc to inform 

 their friends and customers, that tlicv have lately rc- 

 cei\ed a supply of d'oods IVom I'oston. :ind can assure 

 the public, that there is no iloidit but they arc free 

 from any infeetion of the Small Pnv ; and would also 

 observe, that their (looils were ciuiveyed out of lioston 

 on Friday the olst el' August, and (Iclivered in this 

 town the -Itli Septcnila'r — md that Iniioculation began 

 in the town of Boston on the 30tli of .August ; they 

 therefore leave it to their friends to judse for theiii- 

 selves. 



" .\. 15. — Ihe above would not Inne appeared in 

 the Concord papers, but from an appri'hcnsion of some 

 that there! was danger — :md fearful, (not without 

 cause) that snmcthing to their prejudice has been, and 

 m.iy be, siid, ni eonsr-quence of their ha\ia.<; received 

 some arti -Ics from Boston as above st.ted. 

 " Concord, Sept. (i, 1792." 



'flic publisher of the "Herald," in a corner of his 

 sheet, and apparendy to fill out the column, inserts 

 three prominciil lines of old-fishioncd pica and brevier, 

 in sub.'<tnncc as follows : — "Cash civen for Raus, 



