NANTUCKET CATTLE SHOW. 425 



splendid farm of Mr. F. C. Sanford, ou the eastern side of 

 the island; who, by the application of 650 loads of kelp, 

 ploughed under deep, on twelve acres of sod land, harvested 

 600 bushels prime corn, 1,200 bushels of turnips, 500 

 bushels of carrots, 300 bushels of beets, and 50 loads of 

 pumpkins, the whole aggregating in value over $1,200. He 

 cut hay enough for 35 head of cattle, and made over 2,000 

 pounds of butter, sold at 50 cents per pound. 



In glancing over the census returns of Nantucket for many 

 past years, some curious and interesting facts are noticed. 



In 1790 the population was 4,510; in 1820 it was 7,266, 

 of which 64 are given as able-bodied persons engaged in 

 agriculture, 809 in commerce, and 399 in manufactures. 

 There was a steady increase in the population every decade 

 to 1840, when they numbered 9,012, of whom 118 are re- 

 ported as engaged in agriculture; 579 were colored (more 

 than in any town in the State but New Bedford), and only 

 one idiot on the island. 



From about the middle of that decade, which was the hey- 

 day of the islanders' prosperity, they began to decline in 

 numbers, wealth and prosperity, till in 1875 they numbered 

 but 3,201, with 62 colored and 3 idiots, which latter class 

 seems to have increased in a geometrical ratio. 



In 1840 they had five academies and grammar schools, 

 with 630 pupils, and twenty-eight public schools, with an at- 

 tendance of 1,150 ; now, five schools, with 447 scholars. 



In 1810 Nantucket had no woolen, no cotton, no fulling 

 mill, nor carding machines, but there were Avoven in hand- 

 looms 4,300 yards of woolen cloth for wear, worth $7,000 ; 

 and there were knit 4,000 pairs of woolen stockings, worth 

 $4,000 ; and there were made 1,000 hats, valued at $2,000 ; 

 there were no foundries, nor rolling mills, nor manufactories 

 of gold and silver work, but they made 80,000 pounds of 

 soap, $150,000 worth of spermaceti candles, and $25,000 

 worth of sperm and whale oil ; they made no snufi* nor to- 

 bacco in any form, and distilled no rum nor cider brandy; 

 but they made 30,000 casks, Avorth $60,000; and made 

 $13,000 worth of rope, and tanned 2,800 hides, and made 

 2,500 pairs of boots, worth $8,000; and, best of all, they 

 had 10,000 sheep ranging the whole extent of the island. 



