274 AdKui i/ruKAL, Manual 



A portion of the Tonawanda Indian Reservation lies in the 

 northeastern part of the county and a portion of the Cattarar ^us 

 Reservation in the southwest. 



The Thomas Indian School is maintained by the state within 

 the Cattaraugus Reservation. 



DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY 



The period from 1850 to the breaking out of the Civil War was 

 one of remarkable prosperity in Erie County, with the exception 

 of the year 1857, during which the whole section suffered from 

 a financial panic. As an illustration of increasing prosperity in 

 the county during the decade 1850-60, grain shipments from the 

 West to Buffalo increased from 3,G0#,000 bushels of wheat to 

 18,500,000 bushels. The receipts of corn advanced from 2,500,000 

 to 11,300,000 bushels. 



Fanners in the surrounding country also prospered. Their 

 crops were uniformly good and their market always open. Agri- 

 cultural methods began to change at about this time. Notwith- 

 standing the general improvement, the quantity of grain raised 

 in the county did not increase, owing to the fact that farmers 

 were beginning to appreciate the importance of dairying, which, 

 including the manufacture of cheese, has since become so large a 

 factor in their business ; they also found it more profitable to pro- 

 duce hay, potatoes, and truck crops for the Buffalo market. 



Dairying, which is also important in the north and east, is 

 especially prominent in the southern towns, Concord having 4,400 

 cows. Clarence and Newstcad lead in the number of sheep, and 

 Amherst, Cheektowaga, and North Collins in the number of hogs. 

 Erie County stands first in the state in number of poultry. Con- 

 cord and Clarence leading with about 20,000 fowls each. There 

 are some very large poultry farms in the vicinity of East Aurora. 



The eastern part produces large quantities of beans, Manila 

 raking the lead with 3,200 acres. In 1017 Erie County also 

 stood first in the production of small fruits, which are grown ex- 

 tensively around Ihiffalo and in the southwestern part of the 

 county. Potatoes and canning factory crops are important prod- 

 ucts. Truck gardening is extensively followed in the vicinity of 

 Buffalo, but few sections in this state excelling in amount of 



