292 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



exchange their siirphis products for some of the luxuries of life, 

 and this for the time produced a stimulus to action. At this 

 period our legislators did not realize the importance of devising 

 any means for the promotion of manufacturing, so essential to 

 the prosperity of agriculture. They were willing to leave this 

 great and all-important branch of industry to be prosecuted by 

 the Mother Country. I find by examining the records of the 

 Great and General Assembly for His Majesty's province, as late 

 as 1766, the only notice of our manufacturing interest was an 

 Act passed for the manufacturing of pot and pearl ashes. One 

 thing attracts our notice, the great number of old orchards, 

 showing very conclusively that the time was when the apple 

 was a great favorite, and the cider-mug the household god of 

 most of the families. 



A friend of mine, now somewhat advanced in life, informs me 

 that when quite a child her chief employment on the Sabbath 

 was to furnish from the cellar this wholesome beverage, to 

 satisfy the wants, of a large number of the neighbors, who 

 made this day an occasion for cider-drinking and story- telling, 

 and, I might truly add, for profane swearing. 



No doubt this source of intemperance tended to demoralize 

 the people and render the earth barren and unfruitful. 



Although agriculture lies at the foundation of the wealth and 

 prosperity of our country, still a whole nation of husbandmen, 

 unless stimulated by other pursuits, would fall into a state of 

 indolence and inactivity. 



The start by which a people spring up and move forward 

 along the path of enterprise, by which men begin to apply 

 their brains, is usually a start given by trade. Where no 

 business is pursued but agriculture men have nothing to 

 move them on to great and noble exploits. We could refer 

 to many striking illustrations of this subject. 



I well remember a family who started for the West fifty-five 

 years ago. They made their location in the eastern part of 

 Ohio, what is now called Cochuckton County, town of Tiverton. 

 They settled upon some of the most fertile lands of the State, 

 built their log-cabin, raised a large family of children, brought 

 them up in a state of idleness and ignorance. Tliey were sur- 

 rounded by none of those incentives to action which distinguish 



