206 Agricultural Manual 



The old state road extending along the west shore of Lake 

 Champlain was opened in 1790 for purposes of communication 

 between Montreal and New York and at once became a famous 

 thoroughfare. 



DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY 



The first residents of Clinton and Essex counties were lured 

 from agriculture by the attractions of the lumber trade, and their 

 supplies of grain and provisions were largely brought from Ver- 

 mont and Canada. For many years after the Revolution the 

 timber trade formed a prominent traffic, and agriculture received 

 only limited attention. Lumber was rafted down the Richelieu 

 and the S"t. Lawrence to Quebec, from whence it was shipped to 

 England. Other exports included ashes, peltry, and iron. 



Lumbering and mining are still of great importance. In the 

 vicinity of Saranac thousands of cords of pulp wood are cut 

 annually. Large quantities of iron ore are mined at Lyon Moun- 

 tain and Standish. Iron manufactures are of little importance 

 in the county at the present time. The production of maple sugar, 

 which was also one of the early industries, received considerable 

 attention. Approximately 50 per cent of the country is too rough 

 for profitable agriculture. The eastern portion was first to 

 be developed along agricultural lines, when wheat was the most 

 important crop. Potatoes were grown and at one time consider- 

 able potato starch was manufactured. For more than fifty years 

 hay, oats, barley, buckwheat, corn, and potatoes have been staple 

 crops. Dairying is followed throughout the county, although until 

 after the building of the Rutland railroad the northern part gave 

 little attention to this occupation. It is now one of the best dairy 

 sections of the county. The more favorable potato growing sec- 

 tions, notably Saranac, Ellenburgh, and Churubusco, grow not 

 only good eating stock but excellent seed potatoes for Long Island 

 and New Jersey. Clinton County conditions are ideal for pro- 

 ducing the Mcintosh apples, which grow nearly to perfection, 

 especially in the towns of Schuyler Falls, Peru, and parts of 

 Plattsburgh. 



The Au Sable mountains in the west contain valuable mines of 

 iron ore, this county and Essex being the most important mining 



