YORK. 



eeneraUy denominated a Wff loam, tiU we go weft of the 

 CatikiU hills at the Littk- Falls. Here it affumes a new 

 charader. The foil of the mountainous traft ot the 

 weftern region is much diverfified : the hilh are rocky; 

 the valleys deep and narrow, or fpacious and rich, ihis 

 traft furni(hes confiderablc black muck, or deep vegetable 

 mould, in the valleys. A very large proportion of the 

 foil of this country may be denommated a rich mould, 

 varioudy intermixed with earth of different kinds ; and much 

 of the foil is well adapted for grain and grafs. No part of 

 the ftate is more rapidly advancing in agricultural improve- 

 ments than this weftern region. The foil of the level coun- 

 try eaft of lake Ontario, and along the St. Lawrence, is a 

 warm fandy loam, with a large proporUon of the firft rate 

 of medium for agriculture. 



The rotation of crops lately introduced into this country 

 marks a new era in its agriculture. We (hall clofe this de- 

 tail with remarking, that the exertions of the agricultural 

 fociety of this ftate have been very beneficial, though its 

 publications need more general circulation. 



The botanical produa'wns of this ftate are numerous and 

 various. Its foreft-trees are luxuriant. The region of the 

 weftern climate is principally wooded with deciduous trees, 

 and of the loftieft growth. Thofe of the eaftern or Atlantic 

 climate are generally deciduous, but lefs lofty. The moft 

 common foreft-trees are, oak, maple, beech, walnut, butter- 

 nut, chefnut, birch, tilia or bafs-wood, poplar, cherry, 

 fycamore or button-wood, afti, elm, faflafras, hornbeam, 

 fumach, elder, pine, fpruce, larch, fir, hemlock, cedar, 

 and in fome parts, locuft laurel, mulberry, black-walnut, 

 cucumber-tree, crab-apple, and common thorn, of many 

 varieties. The ftate of New York is eflentially agricultural. 

 Wheat is the firft objeft of the farmers ; and they alfo cul- 

 tivate rye, maize, oats, flax, hemp, peas, beans, &c. and 

 moft of the domeftic graffes are cultivated with fuccefs. 

 Fruits are abundant and various ; fuch as apples, affording 

 cyder of the beft quahty, peaches, pears, plums, cherries, 

 &c. The garden-fruits are as various as thofe of any ftate 

 in the Union. 



The domejlic zoology of the ftate prefents the horfe, the 

 cow kind, the merino and other kinds of ftieep, which 

 furnifti good wool, and fwine. The wild animals, not to 

 mention the mammoth, the moofe, and the bifon, now ex- 

 tinft in this ftate, are, the deer, bear, wolf, and fox ; and 

 more rarely, the otter, the wolverene, the wild-cat, racoon, 

 martin, the weafel, hare and rabbit, fquirrel and moufe, &c. 

 The lakes and rivers fupply abundance of fifti, fuch as the 

 falmon-trout, trout, fturgeon, chad, herring, pike, and 

 many others. The oyfters are in high repute. The number 

 of birds ftationary and migrating is very great. Serpents 

 are found in fmall numbers, and the rattle-fnake does not 

 frequently occur ; other fnakes are numerous. It is needlefs 

 to mention the infefts, of which the number and variety are 

 confiderable. 



The mineralogy comprehends iron-ore, fait, gypfum, lime- 

 ftone, marble, flate, native brimftone, coal, ores of lead, 

 copper, zinc, tin, afteftos, mill-ftones, marie and peat, clays, 

 alum, fwine-ftone, &c. Calcareous petrifaftions are very 

 common in the calcareous regions. Siliceous fand for tlie 

 manufafture of glafs, plumbago, a variety of ochres, mica, 

 ifinglafs, magnefian ftones, amianthus, black flints for muf- 

 kets, molybdena, iron and copper pyrites, emery, magnetic 

 ores of iron, ores of zinc, ores containing filver and anti- 

 mony, and rock cryftals, are feverally found in various parts 

 of this ftate. Its mineral waters are held in high eftimation. 



The conjlitution of this ftate was adopted by a convention 

 of delegates April 20, 1777, and revifed in 1801 ; and its 



charafter is republican. The conftitution of the United 

 States was acceded to in this ftate in 1788. The fupreme 

 executive power is vefted in a governor and lieutenant- 

 governor, elefted every three years by free-holders poflefling 

 a clear ellate of 250 dollars ; as are the fenators alfo. The 

 fupreme legiflative powers are vefted in a fenate and houfe 

 of aflembly, which meet at leaft once in each year. The 

 fenators are elected for four years ; the members, or repre- 

 fentatives, as they are called, who compofe the houfe of 

 aflembly, are elefted annually. The number of fenators is 

 hmited to thirty-two ; that of members is not to exceed 

 1 50. For the convenience of elefting fenators, the ftate i» 

 divided into four great diftrifts : the fouthern, which elefts 

 five fenators, and comprehends fix counties ; the middle, 

 eight; the eaftern, nine; and the weftern, twenty-two. The 

 general eleftion is held annually. A cenfus of the ele£lors 

 is taken every feven years, and the reprefentation appor- 

 tioned according to the numbers in the refpeftive counties, 

 increafing the number of reprefentatives each year by the 

 addition of two, until they amount to 150. The fenators 

 are divided into four claflfes, elefted at different periods, fo 

 that fome new fenators are chofen annually. The governor 

 is commander-in-chief of the militia, and admiral of the 

 navy, of this ftate: he has power to convene the legiflature; 

 to grant pardons and reprieves for crimes, except treafon and 

 murder ; and can fufpend the execution of fentences in thofe 

 cafes till the fitting of the legiflature, which alone has a 

 right to pardon. A council of revifion confifts of the go- 

 vernor, the chancellor, the judges of the fupreme court, or 

 any two of them, whofe duty it is to revife all bills about 

 to be pafled into laws ; and if they objeft in writing to a 

 bill, a re-confideration takes place, and the fame muft be 

 amended or approved by two-thirds of both houfes before 

 it can then become a law : and this is the negative of the 

 executive power. If the council negleft to return a bill, in 

 ten days it becomes a law, unlefs the legiflature has pre- 

 vioufly adjourned. A council of appointment confifts of 

 the governor, and a fenator from each of the four great dif- 

 trifts, chofen annually by the legiflature. In this council, 

 the governor prefides, with only a cafting vote. The right 

 to nominate is vefted concurrently in the governor and the 

 other members of the council. The lift of officers annually 

 appointed by this council is enormous, and confifts of moft 

 of the fubordinate officers of the ftate. 



The chancellor holds courts of equity, and appoints the 

 officers of his court. The fupreme court is a court of law. 

 It confifts of a chief-juftice and four aflbciate judges. 

 County courts confift of a firft judge and a number of 

 aflbciate juftices. Circuit courts are held in the refpeftive 

 counties by a judge or juftice of the fupreme court, and 

 the judge and juftices of the county. Juftices of the peace 

 have cognizance of trials for the recovery of debts to the 

 value of twenty-five dollars ; and in New York to the value 

 of fifty dollars. The right of habeas corpus is preferved, 

 and the trial by jury. 



The great officers of ftate are, the governor, lieutenant- 

 governor, a fecretary of ftate, comptroller, treafurer, fur- 

 veyor-general, attorney-general, council of appointment, 

 coramiflioners of the land-office, the regents of the univer- 

 fity, &c. for the department of ftate. 



Judiciary officers of ftate, a chancellor, five judges of the 

 fupreme court, and a judge of probates. 



For the general convenience and the better adminiftration 

 of juftice, the whole territory of this ftate is fubdivided into 

 counties, and thefe into towns. 



From the report of the comptroller to the legiflature of 

 this ftate in 181 1, the produAive funds of this ftate, in- 



vefted 



