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THE GENESEE FARMER 



October 15, 1831. 



From the Watertown Freeman. 



REPORT 



Of the Viewing Committee of the Jefferson 



county Agricultural Soi iety. 



Statistical information on the subjects of 



population, soil, productions, climate, &c. 



have been deemed highly important by the 



civilized nations of ancient and modern 



times, and they have respectively adapted 



various methods for their attainment. 



In this country, its importance attracted 

 the early attention of the general and state 

 governments. Public and piivate associa- 

 tions, and even individual liberality, havecon- 

 tributed their share in aid of this object. — 

 The subjects of statistical research are vari- 

 ous, and applicable to the varied pursuits of 

 a great community, busv in the attainment 

 of property, in all its ideal and tangible modi- 

 fications. To the fanner, the nature of the 

 sod of the country, its vegetable productions, 

 climate, hydraulic privileges and markets, 

 are most immediately important. A coun- 

 try favored in these respect-., attracts his pe- 

 culiar attention. The extent of these ad- 

 vantages in any particular section of coun- 

 try, cannot always be the subject of indivi- 

 dual examination, and every county owes it to 

 itself to ascertain them correctly, and com- 

 municate them extensively. To affect tins, 

 though hu' partially, was a favorite object 

 with the officers of the society, and its effi 

 cieol friends. lie annual tour through the 

 county bv a viewing committee, was adopt- 

 ed ith this view. They were to award the 

 society's premiums on farms and point out 

 individual merit where due. and not to pass 

 unnoticed such things as deserve censure 

 but a general view of the stale of the conn 

 ty, and its progress in agricultural improve 

 mentis deemed indispensable. 



This duty has this year devolved upon 

 the subscribers and they have devoted the 

 necessary time and attention to the subject 



Partial to agricultural pursuits, and holding 

 in high estimation the character of the Amei- 

 ican farmer, they hope to be indulged in oc- 

 casional remarks, lauding both. 



In this country it is not unusual to place 

 agriculture in the foreground, and to say of 

 the followers of the plough, that their valor 

 won, and that upon their integrity, intelli- 

 gence and firmness depend the permanency 

 of our free institutions. 



The reminiscences of a few years present 

 the country now designated as the United 

 States, a vast wilderness, and that wilderness 

 subdued; the occupations of the savage sub- 

 stituted for that of civilized life; the colonial 

 state exchanged for that of a fiee and inde- 

 pendent government; and the fatigues and 

 hardships of the pioneer stale followed by 

 the ease and comfort attendant upon the most 

 polished society of the ,dest and best regu- 

 lated communities. The same recollections 

 tell us that in the -co iplishmeni of these 

 important changes the I. one and muscle of 

 the hardy yeomen were eminently useful 

 Tillers of the ground strictly embraced the 

 whole civilized population of this country 

 for a season, and the high character of an in- 

 dependent yeomaun had its origin in the per- 

 severance and collect principles of our puri- 

 tanical fathers. 



The latitude of Jefferson county is as high 

 as the 41th degree of north latitude, and bv 

 some considered objectionable on that ac- 

 count. Thine is however one remark which 

 we think of some importance in relation tu 

 this subject, and which we believe will stand 



the lest of experience, viz: That the culti- 

 vated plants yield the greatest and healthiest 

 products near the norlhermost limits in which 

 they grow. Let us take our own case. We 

 raise wheat and corn in abundance, najF, 

 they may be said to be staples. Do we know 

 or hear of these crops raised any where else 

 that weigh more to the bushel, or are better 

 than our own ? Look at the prices current 

 in our market towns. Northern wheat and 

 northern corn are always higher than south- 

 ern. The same as the bulbous roots, and in- 

 deed the whole family of vegetables. As to 

 the glasses they are the favorites of a fertile 

 northern valley or hill ; and good butter and 

 cheese, and even mutton and beef, are al- 

 most exclusively northern. In the language 

 of another, "thelabor of man too is more 

 conservative in northern climates, because 

 his arm is better nerved for exercise, his 

 health and spirits more buoyant ; and instead 

 of saying " go to work," he says, " come 

 and work," treads with a cheerful heart up- 

 on his own soil, and assists in 1 lie cultivation 

 collection and preservation of his own. It 

 is in temperate climates that man can be 

 most familiar with nature; it is ihere he has 

 the best opportunity of observing the guar 

 antees which nature has for the preservation 

 of her animals and plants against the devas- 

 tations of the elements ; he sees an occa 

 sionally apparent neglect of individuals, bin 

 a paiental care of races. In every thing he 

 sees the wisdom and benevolence of God 



One word more as to our northern posi 

 lion. It is said by some we have too lonu 

 winters. Those of us who have resided here 

 twenty and thirty years, know this to be a,- 

 objection of little weight. It is verv seldom 

 the cold is .'xcessive, and then only for a fe*> 

 days. Our snows furnish us many facilities 

 in our intercourse with each other, and with 

 the market towns of the country. Tliev are 

 also a great protector to the winter crops, air 

 render them almost a certain crop. 



We also think our waters contribute lo the 

 vigor and health of our population, beni_ 

 excelled by no part of the U. S. in these tirM 

 of blessings. 



As to market, our northern and westei 

 boundaries are Lake Ontario and the St 

 Lawrence, giving us a water communication, 

 internal and foreign without limits. 



The Black River of Jefferson county, pass- 

 ing nearly central through it east and west, 

 has not its superior in the United States foi 

 hydraulic purposes. Its iron bound banks 

 and bed furnish facilities and security of rare 

 occurrence. The falls are numerous, and 

 its sources are inexhaustible. Nnuiero 

 grist and saw mills, extensive cotton and 

 woolen manufactories, and mechanic labo 

 of every kind, facilitated by water power,are 

 Iready in full and successful operation or 

 this stream. The Indian and Perch rivers 

 the Sandy and Sioney creeks, with nume- 

 rous smaller streams, intersect our county 

 in every direction, and afford extensive con 

 veniences for mills and other manufacturing 

 purposes, affording at the same time water 

 to the many farms through which tliev pass. 

 A e may say without hesitation, that our 

 county generally is well watered 



As to our soil, we have ill the good varie- 

 ties which exist in any part of the United 

 St ites. The limestone very generally forms 

 the subsoil, and tends greatly to enrich the 

 superincumbent soil. Building materials of 

 all kinds, and the best sort, are abundant, and 

 within the reach of every man. 



But to our duty in awarding the society's 

 premium-. There were this year sixteen ap- 

 plicants for the premiums on farms. The 

 farms were located in Champion, Rutland, 

 Rodman. Watertown, Hotinsfield, Painelia 

 and Brownville, and were respectively and 

 particularly examined by your committee, 

 with reference to their relative merits. We 

 have to repeat the regret so often expressed 

 here, that the farmersof the southern part of 

 this county still continue their indifference 

 to the exertions of the Society, and bv not 

 becoming applicants, deprived the commit- 

 tee of the pleasure of visiting that part of 

 the count . \\ e regret it the more, as we 

 believe an account of their farming would 

 add to the present fair standing of our coun- 



Our printed list shows there are six premi- 

 ums on farms. By the directions of the ex- 

 ecutive committee, all having had the high- 

 est or first premium aie excluded from being 

 candidates again; those who have had the 

 lesser premiums may be canditates (or the 

 higher, but unless the committee should 

 think them entitled to a hiaher premium than 

 i bey had before, they are excluded also. For 

 instance, any farm having heretofore had 

 the second premium may be a candidate for 

 the first, but if others who may apply should 

 be considered by the committee as superior 

 to it, this fatm is wholly excluded, as it can- 

 not have the second again, nor can it have a 

 lesser premium. This rule has been follow- 

 ed hy the committee, who deem it a very 

 proper one, the object of the society being 

 to encourage a continued exertion to do bet- 

 ter. Some of the committee have served as 

 Mich before, and they have no hesitation in 

 saying that there is a visible, substantial im- 

 provement in the farming operations of this 

 ounty within a very few years. The mode 

 • if tillage is greatly bettered : cleanliness is 

 onsidered as indispensable now, and the 

 first thing our good farmers tell you, and 

 with the most perfect consciousness of its 

 importance, is. I have, or shall soon expel 

 mshes and weeds entirely fiom my premi- 

 ses. But although much has been done in 

 his respect, all acknowledge the necessity ol 

 doing more. Our pathmasters have in too 

 many cases failed to comply with the re- 

 quirements of ihe statute, and the bad effi 

 are very yisil le. It is a new provision, and 

 we cannot too highly receminend a compli- 

 ance with it. 



The roller is getting into use, and is spo- 

 ken of in the highest terms, confirming the 

 experience of those who have used it for a 

 long tune. Fences and buildings are evi- 

 dently better, and the stone and red cedar in 

 which the county abounds are applied to 

 their proper use. As to farming tools, all 

 the modern improvements, as far as they 

 have been found practically useful, have 

 been introduced here. The committee can- 

 not refiain from recommending to the atten- 

 tion of the wheat growing fanner, a thresh- 

 ing machine in use at Mr, John Collins' in 

 Watertown. It is cheap, not complicated, 

 and does good work. The stock of the 

 county is improving rapidly, the most impro- 

 ved breeds of homed cattle, horses and 

 -beep are to be found in Jefferson county. 



The committee cannot too much commend 

 the public spirit of the gentlemen who have 

 at much risk and expense introduced some 

 of the best stock of the horse bind into this 

 county. Nothing can more certainly add to 

 the permanent wealth of our county 



