488 Agricultural Manual 



in 1054 by Father Le Moyne. In 1G5G a colony of fifty French 

 under the guidance of priests and with the consent of the Onon- 

 dagaa made a settlement on the north shore of Onondaga Lake 

 near the principal Indian village, on Indian Hill, town of Pompey. 

 Although the colony flourished for some time, a supposed plot of 

 the natives led them to abandon the settlement in 1758. Other 

 attempts at colonization were made by the French, but none proved 

 to be permanent. 



After the Revolution, a treaty was made with the Onondagas, 

 by which they ceded to the state all their lands except the Onon- 

 daga and Salt Springs reservations, which now lies near the 

 center of the county. The lands thus obtained were set apait 

 for bounty lands to the Revolutionary soldiers of New York, 

 and formed a portion of the military tract. The state reserved 

 fop sale and manufacturing purposes the territory surrounding 

 the lake and known as the Onondaga Salt Springs Reservation, 

 embracing the greater part of the present towns of Salina and 

 Gcddes and the city of Syracuse. These springs soon became 

 generally known, and attracted many immigrants to this section. 

 Successive sales have greatly reduced the original Indian 

 reservation. 



Development through the region of central New York was 

 early stimulated, not only by improvement of navigation facili- 

 ties, but also by the construction of highways, among which was 

 the great Genesee road and several toll roads. The completion 

 of the Erie Canal gave further impetus to the villages along its 

 route, and new villages rapidly sprang into existence. The 

 Oswego Canal, which was finished in 1828, also added to the 

 development of Onondaga County. The Auburn and Syracuse 

 Railroad was opened ten years later. 



DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY 

 Between 1820 and I860 the agricultural industry of the county 

 experienced important changes made necessary to meet the new 

 conditions of markets, and new and better knowledge of making 

 sales. Previous to the opening of canals the raising of wheat was 

 followed to a considerable extent, as there was always a ready 

 sale for the crop, though the markets were far away. However, 



