78 
WISCONSIN STATE AOBIGULTURAL SOCIETY. 
troduced into the Territory were from Peekskill, New York, and 
met with great favor among the people, being far superior to any 
in use at that time. 
Notwithstanding our want of comforts and conveniences, my 
recollection is that we enjoyed ourselves rather better than we do 
now. Our wants were few, and 
OUR ANTICIPATIONS GREAT. 
Now our wants have increased, while some of our anticipations 
at least have not been realized. I cannot escape the belief that if 
the people would practice the same economy now that was practiced 
by the settlers of Territorial Wisconsin, it would do much to solve 
the problem of hard times. 
In this connection it may be some satisfaction to know that the 
hardships which we suffer from the present depression in business 
are vastly less than those that were suffered in 1837 and again in 
1857. In the former year the inhabitants of the Territory were al¬ 
most reduced to a state of starvation. Only a small area had been 
cleared for farming, and there was not enough wheat raised in the 
Territory to supply the people with bread. The 
CURRENCY HAD BECOME WORTHLESS, 
in consequence of the failure of the banks, and many persons were 
without money to buy the necessaries of life. In 1857, another 
panic visited the country, caused, as panics always have been and 
always will be, by a disposition among the people to accumulate 
wealth by other means than honest industry. 
We have only to look upon the scene within this enclosure to be 
assured that Wisconsin possesses the resources and the energy to 
recover from the present depression, and to become a great and 
prosperous State. To accomplish this we must work diligently, 
and let our work be guided by intelligence and the lessons of ex¬ 
perience. In the light of these lessons, clearly repeated the pres¬ 
ent year, it can hardly be necessary to suggest that the raising of 
wheat must be, if not abandoned, 
AT LEAST GREATLY REDUCED 
in its proportion to other branches of agriculture. The considera¬ 
tions in favor of stock-raising have been frequently presented, and 
