112 



and you will find the inhabitants thereof depend on the 

 hills and valleys of Vermont, New Hampshire and the 

 Canadas, and the valley of the Mississippi, for their bread 

 and butter, beef and potatoes, poultry and eggs, and 

 provender for their horses. 



But whatever may be the cause of the slow progress 

 of our agriculture, there certainly are favorable circum- 

 stances for success. Our resources are only partially 

 developed. The soil, if not inviting to a non-resident, 

 compares well with other parts of the State — hard to 

 work, to be sure, yet it seldom fails to repay well-direct- 

 ed labor, and a total failure of crops never occurs here 

 as sometimes happens in countries possessing a richer 

 soil and more genial clime. It comprises a large variety 

 so intermixed that often three or four kinds are found on 

 the same farm, and as varied a husbandry can be pursued 

 here as it is expedient for one man to follow. None of 

 our hills are so steep and rocky but that an Alpine herds- 

 man would rejoice over the harvest he could gather from 

 them. None of our wet lands are so wet but that a Hol- 

 lander would make them produce bountiful crops. There 

 is a mine of wealth in these runs, bogs, meadows and 

 marshes, and only the requisite courage and experience 

 are needed to develope their value. They can be made 

 to pay as high a percentage as the prairie land of the 

 West. One other advantage is our long line of seacoast, 

 from which we can obtain marine manures. Sixteen 

 towns are either directly upon or near by it. About 

 5-11 of the marsh mowing of the State is in this County, 

 and more than half the hay cut here comes from our 

 marshes and meadow^s and may be regarded as a free gift 

 of nature. 



But the greatest advantage of all is found in her num- 



