4'4 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



from New- York as miicli true fertilizer on his shoulder, as there is 

 in three wagon loads of such manure as he draws sometimes from 

 the city, which is mere straw, colored in the stables by the horses. 

 A handful of guano is worth more than a bushel of it. A man 

 may come on this land with a little guano, and although without 

 that it may not grow poverty grass, yet with it he can raise clover, 

 rye and wheat. Mr. Wilson knows well, that if he carts off a 

 load of carrots, he must pay back compensation to the land. What 

 a crop he could have on that large carrot field, if he would only 

 plow in one-fourth of those carrots. Suppose all Long Island to 

 be cultivated like this patch. What a foe to poverty ! Sir, the 

 stock of this railroad would be the best in our country, and would 

 require double tracks. Virginia had really become poor land by 

 working all fertility out of it; but now some Yankee farmers have 

 gone there, with guano in hand, bought the land for trifles, and 

 have begun to make it green once tnore. 



Mr. Spooner remembered the call of the philosopher, whose 

 chemical researches had raised for him a supposition that he was 

 connected with a demon, and when charged with it, admitted the 

 fact, saying it was Jemo?i-stration. That is the demon required 

 by Long Island. This railroad was the first broad plowshare which 

 was put through this center of the island. This was the first 

 great instrument of demonstration. It opened the heart of the 

 island. Then came our friend Dr. Peck. When we consider the 

 character of this island in reference to position, its noble bays and 

 inlets, its inexhaustible fisheries, and then give it no more than 

 the ordinary labor wanted on all new lands, and you will have it in 

 its glory, healthy, wealthy; a perfect garden of a thousand square 

 miles and more. 



A dinner followed, and such a one as an intelligent and able 

 gentleman can provide. The vegetables, butter, &c., of the farm 

 were specially admired and deserved it. Mrs. Wilson Avas 

 complimented on the products of her dairy, &c. The health of 

 Mr. Wilson was drank, and he called up. He rose evidently 

 embarrassed, but after thanking the committee in the most cordial 

 manner for their visit, he said, " when I purchased this land it 

 was not from any si3eculative motive whatever. It was rather 

 more of a romance of mine. The price was very low, I saw that 

 to suffer these fields to lie uncultivated, they would be of no use 

 to me or to any body else. So I pitched upon this spot, where 

 I have the happiness to see so many intelligent faces. I assure 

 you gentlemen, that it was on this spot, three years ago, the oaks 



