354 Genesee Country. 
well informed persons of capital, in relation to investments of 
money in agricultural operations among the lands of the Genesee 
country during its early days of improvement. It had been found 
by many experiments, that when wheat was worth about one dollar 
per bushel, an acre of ground taken from a state of nature and 
well timbered, would require with great economy an expense of 
14 dollars per acre, to put it into a crop of wheat or rye, inclu- 
ding every expence; this had been ascertained, with great ac- 
curacy in a field of 40 acres near Geneva. The forty acres were . 
correctly anticipated to yield 1000 bushels, averaging 25 bushels 
to the acre, and after deducting two-tenths, or 200 bushels of 
wheat for reaping and threshing, left a balance of 800 bushels 
to pay for the expence, and profit for the value of the land used; 
■ and the land was left in complete order for a second crop, with- 
out any further expence or trouble than that of plowing and 
sowing. This season (1798) a field of 20 acres was averaged at 
Bath, and was found to bear of good hay, 3 tons, 8 cwt, 46 lbs, 
per acre, in many places. The red clover was 4 feet, 7 inches 
long. The temperate climate of the country and richness of the 
pastures were found extremely favorable to the rearing of cattle; 
as at that time it is stated that the weather permitted the making 
and salting of butter for market, even in the warmest season; the 
settlers early directed their attention to this branch of rural econ- 
omy. Settlements were rapidly forming upon the principal 
navigable waters and a surplus of produce was being raised, so 
that beef, salt, pork, flour and whiskey, were sent in large quan- 
tities to Canada. As great quantities of whiskey were necessary 
for the military posts in the west and Indian trade in Canada, it 
had been manufactured for several years previously, and sent from 
Northumberland, in Pennsylvania. After a carriage of 400 miles, 
it had been sold for 12 shillings a gallon at Niagara, and 20 
shillings at Detroit. The Susquehanna entering upon the south 
part of the county, was navigated for 5 or 6 months in the year, 
by boats carrying from 5 to 8 tons, in ascending the streams; but 
for about 2 months in the spring, while the waters were high, it 
was navigated in its descent by arks carrying from 200 to 500 
barrels. The success of those who had immigrated to the Gen- 
esee country, had given it a reputation which induced excellent 
mechanics and men of business to settle in it, and also brought 
many foreigners to form communities among themselves, or scatter 
themselves among the other settlers. With this influx of strangers 
came of course much wealth and intelligence, which contributed 
materially to the prosperity of the country. In many instances 
these communities were found to have kept themselves so un- 
mixed with their neighbors, as to have preserved in its purity 
their native language for many years; examples of this were to 
