42 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



of 1776, great quantities of wood which had grown on this soil, 

 was cleai-ed off — what a barren soil 1 



Eev. Evan M. Johnson — I think it well to state to this com- 

 mittee, a conversation between me and an ancient Newtown 

 farmer, Mr. John Moore, of the parish of which I was then 

 rector. He died about thirty years ago, at ninety years of age. 

 Just before he died, he observed to me, that previous to the 

 revolution of 1776, a gentleman came over from England to New- 

 York, with a view to commencing a large agricultural business. 

 He brought his farmer along with him to select the proper soils 

 for him, who, when he had seai'ched all over New-Jersey, Long 

 Island and North River, reported to his master, that the best 

 land he had found was Hempstead Plains ! But the Long Islanders 

 so ridiculed him that he abandoned it altogether. So you see 

 gentlemen, that even before the revolution, there were men of 

 sufficient knowledge to understand our Hempstead Plains. 



Dr. Peck — All the early historians of Long Island, describe 

 Hempstead Plains as very fertile. Towards the middle of the 

 island, the great plains are so smooth that neither stock nor stone 

 could be found on them. They describe the New-Market race 

 course there, and some other places as being great advantages 

 to the towns in which they were, because they produced very 

 good hay. 



After an examination of the farm sufficiently to form a» 

 opinion as to the merits of the soil, the committee assembled at 

 the house of Mr. Wilson, and organized for consultation. 



Solon Robinson said that the great question before us, is, how 

 can we convince the inhabitants of Long Island and tlie outsiders, 

 that the centre of this island is not a great barren? 



Chairman — Hear the Island, it speaks for itself. 



Rev. E. M. Johnson — I have resided on this island forty-three 

 years, and have been conversant with many of its old inhabitants. 

 I formerly resided on the northerly side of it. There has 

 always existed a prejudice among those of that region against 

 this southerly side of the island. I once participated in that pre- 

 judice against its fertility. And it is only within a few years 

 past that I have altered my mind with regard to it. My son 

 purchased some of it in South Hempstead, and from practical 

 observation, I am now well convinced, that the fertility of its 

 soil has been underrated, for I have seen there as fine fields of 

 corn and of oats as I have ever seen in any part of the world. 

 And some plants that will not flourish on other parts of the 



