No. 200.] 189 



of eight towns. Benton and Milo, bordering upon Seneca Lake, have 

 the smoothest surface ; Starkey and Steuben, on the south-west, were 

 considered the wheat districts. Harrington, Jerusalem, Potter, Mid- 

 dlesex, and Italy, are broken and hilly. The soil consists mostly of 

 clay and marl, filled with flat stones. In all the western part, the 

 water is soft, and no limestone found. Milo and Benton furnish large 

 quantities of limestone. The soil is well adapted to the production of 

 wheat. It is no uncommon thing for farmers to raise thirty and forty 

 bushels of wheat per acre. Thirty bushels has been the average of 

 many crops the present season. In one instance, thirty-seven bushels 

 of spring wheat were raised from one acre, accurately measured. 

 Three acres, in 1844, produced forty-five bushels per acre, or one 

 hundred and thirty-five on three acres. The wheal was of the Hutch- 

 inson variety — a bearded wheat. The " back towns," as they are 

 termed by us, are coming up. Land that ten years ago would not 

 produce ten bushels per acre, now yield twenty and twenty-five. The 

 soil in Milo and Benton is clay and gravel, with some loam and marl. 

 The original settlers considered the ridges of little value, and occu- 

 pied only the lowlands. Barley has been raised for a few years past, 

 in larger quantities and with better success than wheat. It meets a 

 ready market, makes a quick return, and leaves the land in fine order 

 for wheat. For the last few years barley may be ranked among the 

 staples of Yates county. Our corn and potatoes are mostly consumed 

 within the county. Neat cattle have as yet received little attention; 

 few of improved blood are to be met with. 



There has been much attention given to sheep, and in this respect 

 we lay some claim to distinction. It is a question with us which will 

 prove the most advantageous, those producing very fine wool, or of a 

 medium quality. The latter sell more readily to the butchers, owing 

 to their size. 



Except potatoes, root crops have received but little attention. A few 

 farmers in the neighborhood of Penn Yan, have this year commenced 

 the culture of the carrot, but the extreme drought has so much dis- 

 couraged them that it will not probably be attempted next season. 



There are probably not over five acres of Ruta-baga in the county^ 

 The timber on the wheat-growing districts is oak, mostly on high land, 

 the low land being timbered with beach, sugar maple, and elm, with 

 a diversity of other timber. Barrington and Starkey have some white 

 pine ; the western part of Jerusalem is nearly all pine ; Italy, pine 

 and hemlock. 



