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6
MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART
ANSI ond ISO TEST CHART No 7
1.0
I.I
1^ llli 2.8
iiiM
Z5
2.2
\ "^ IIIM
UL.U
i 1.8
1.25
1.4
1.6
A -APPLIED irvMGE Inc
• es!e^. New To'h
■', 482 - 0300 - Phc
rilOVINtUAL
BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.
PRIZE ESSAYS.
3sro. I.
Oil the A"nculluml History and Condition of Snnbury County,
By Rkv. a. V. CI. WKUJIN.-^, D. I).
3sro. II-
On the Agricultural History and Condition of Charlotte County,
Br JA^.IES G. STEVENS, Esq.
PUBLISHED BY AUTIIOKITY OF THE BOARD.
KREDERICTON :
I'WNTED BY J. ORAIIAM, " HEAD QUAUTEnS " OFFICE, FHEDEBICTOX, S. ».
1861.
■f i
AGR]
The cul
Iininodiiite
(Janlon of
Adam was
" God sent
ho Avas tall
mass of iin
as lung as
And U8 i
tionin wlii
pants ol'uu
inferior to
agricvdtur
the mocha
in proport
none can (
for every '
existence,
comforts a
they are li
hidy, but t
" The prof
In the 11
find, that 1
morce abr
agricultur
ct^ded by
prosecutio
And nol
most hono
a science
fectly und
FTilST PRIZE ESSAY,
ON TU3
AGRICULTURAL HISTORY AND CONDITION
or
STJlSTBTJI^^Sr COTJ3SrT"5r.
The cultivation of the soil k the most ancient of Inmian cniployments.
Ininiediatoly after the creation, " God took Adam and put liim into tho
(Jarden of Eden to cultivate and to guard it." And when for his disobedienco
Adam was not pornutted any lon^;er to occupy that dcli^ditful rcfiidencc,
" Uod sent him forth from the Garden of Kdon to till tho ground from whenco
ho Avas taken."' And tlii.s has continued to bo th-e occupation of tho great
mas.s of mankind from tlK> creation to the present day, and must so c(mtinuo
as long as man remains, in his present condition, to occuj)y the earth.
And as agriculture is the most ancient, bc is it the most im})ortant occupa-
tion in which niiin can engage; and though tlie more polished and Avealthy occu-
pants ofoar cities may look down >ipon the rough farmi-r as occujiyiiig a position
inferior to their own, such was not the opinion of the ancients, who regarded^
agriculture as a more honorable employment than merchandise, or any of
the mechanical arts. ..nd very properly so: for if we regard employments
in proportion to the bearing upon the comforts and haj)[)iness of mankind
none can compete successfully, on this ground, with the tiller of the soil:
for every class of society depends, not only ibr its comforts, but for its very
existence, upon the successful labours of the farmer. It is true many of our
comforts and conveniences pass thrjugh the hands of various artificers before
they are fitted to gratify the taste of the connoisseur, the epicure, or the fino
lady, but all originally came from the soil.
" The profits of the earth, says SolomoD, are for all. The King him'- '.'' is served by the field."
In the most cursory review of the rise and fall of naii -ns we invariably
find, that their ])rosperity at home, and the success of their arms and i^om-
niorco abroad, have been in direct proportion to the Hkill and indu.stry of tho
agriculturists of the country ; and their decline has been as invariablv pre-
ceded by a neglect of agriculture, or a want of skill or diligence in it.s
prosecution.
And notn-itlr-tanding agriculture is th<» most ancient and important, tli.o
most honorable and honest of human occu])ations, there is perhaps scarcely
a science or mechanical art, the principles of which are generally so imper-
fectly understood by the great mass of those engaged in it ; though to nono
is HUccoHs iiiiin* (IcpciHlciit iijioii tlio !ii»plic!itiiiii ofcnrroot priiu-ipIcH. And
W(,- ucol iKit I'l'i'l siir|.risc<l jit tlii-i when wc (•(.nsiil.T ||(,\v little; time ami how
fuw <.ii|.nrtimiti.'s I'ariii.Ts pin rally liuvi- f.-r Mwh and rfhiiirt'li, uimI tliuii
ri'dcct ii|ion tli<' Muiill part tiny perforin in l>rin;.'iii;< to maturity tliK produc-
tions of tlic ciirtli. Tlicy loosen tliu s(;il and a)>ply tin' tirdinary manures
llirow ill ami lovi'r tin; siMil, and it sprin-s np aiid ripens they know nut
liow. 'riie materials employed in Imildin-- np I lie orpmismrt 'of ilillerent
[ilaiits, and tlio Hceret aj^vneies l.y whieh tinise ori,^anisms are formed aru
snlijects whieh most fainii'rs nehiom think aiiout ; tlion^rii a correct knovv-
ledp'oflhein is intimately comiected with Iho successful iHSiio of those
()|)erations. A^aicnllnral chenn'sts and vo,u'etaliIe phvsii.lo^rists have dono
much, Hinco the commtMU-enient of the present eenturv, towanls develoiiin^'
this int( roifinfj sciunce : hut the uriMt ma- s ol' fuiuers have neither- time,
nor the necessarv preparatory knowledge, to avail thomselve^ of tlieso
valuable descoveries.
It has Iteeii well and wisely said. ••That he who ean-es two blades of ^^-ass
to grow whero only one* grew hefore, is a henafictor to mankind ;"' if Ihero-
iore my observations nju)!! the past and present condition of the agriculture
of Sunbiiry, and any suggestions I may bo ei; ,Med to oiler tor its future
inijirovement should enable tli.' i'armer'in any degree to increase the produc-
tiveness of his fields, or tu employ those pVoiliu'tions Jiioro iudieiously in
foodnig and improving his stock, my time and labour will not have been
entirely misemployed.
Hcfore eiKjuiring into (he agricultural history of the Ccmnty it may bo
well to premise a few observations upon Its geographical features, the nature
of Its soil, namral producLions. first settlement, presen': population, and of
cominnnicatioii with other localities.
Ilalii.urt(»n in his History of Xi.va Scotia remarks that ''the County of
Hunimry originally comprised (Ik; whole- country bordering upon the River
St. John;" though it has long since dwindled "down (o the vi'rv moderate
proportions of alnrnt (17 miles in length bv ISi i„ width, eompris'in.r, accord-
ing to .Muiiro, 782,0S() acres, about half of which has been gmided, the
remainder being still at the disjiosal of the government. It is bounded on
the South-East by Queen's. North by Northumberland. Xordi-West by York
and South by (,'liarlo((e. Nearly the whole of (he Cuntv is capable «)f being
brought under cultivation ; although in 1851 there were' only 15,o87 acres,
or aiiout one-fiftieth part of it cleared.
The general features of the County are flat, olTering few rl.structions to
the o])erations of the farmer; tiiougli it must bo confessed that much of the
soil on the Noith side of the St. John is of rather an inferior quality and at
the present high j)rice of labour would scarcely repav the expense of
reclaiming it from the forest.
m
div
jclaimmg It from the forest.
Every part of the (,\)un(y is well watered ami abounds in water power for
ecl.anical imrposes. The St. John cuts i( across ncarlv at right angles,
iVKling It into nearly two e,|ual sections, forming the great road of ooin-
munication b<.(ween i( and the cities of St. dolin and Fredericton, upon
which comtortable steam b(.)a(s ply directlv u|) j.nd down during the summer
season, and airordiiig an excellent road on the ice in winter. The Oromoeto,
a tributary of the St. .lohii. which it enters about (ho niidillo of the Countv,
ex(ends 1(8 widely spreadiai. bmnelies over cvcrv portion of the- County
houth of the St. John ; and (he l.ittle River, I'orto Bello and Millstream
lalling intii French Lake, and various branches of the Gaspereaux and
castle falling into (he tirand Lake in Queen's County spread their vs
nuiiification.s over every portion of the North
New-
r'arioua
ItH pfeogrfi
of the curioi
A (hill strati
itself pr(>((y
from the siir
John, and n
opinion that
it by boring
Few rock a|
river consist
Th(5 soil o
gerville and
of Maugervi
Burton is m«
which might
slope to the
lower part o
the growth (
fair cro|)s of
inclint!d to c
The soil o
of the St. J(i
to my emjui
the river aiK
a small porti
ferent ([ualit
generally fn
The forest
with small q
abundant tlu
are also abui
The native p
(the latter ol
with many o
The popul
increase for
Its only vi
Town claims
along the bai
Carlow in Mi
These are all
want of systt
Maugervill
iiice, having
emigrants w!
Bcxtbrd, nea
up their uboi
Oaangondy,
Indians. In
government >
vol. 1 p. 248
On the arr
hearts and w
(I
iiifiy 1>'<
10 nature
, and of
upon
ItH jjco^^rapliir'al I'.'utiiron liiivo littlo <.n ll.o surfm-o to oxcitc tlio jiitrreHta
(if tilt' ciuioiH, anil not imidi in known of itn liitMon tronnnroH. if huuIi oxint.
A tliin !«hiitnm of vcrv pxid coal. n\umt tsvcntv im-lics in di-ptli, Mprcit(U
itHolf piTtty widely over tlio northern |)artH ot'tlit! ('unnty,at no -^Tcat dt'ptii
from the unrliiee, and ii ;.n,(.d deal is taken up annually and Mhi|>peil to St.
Jolm, and nmch is distrilmted alxMit the County lor fuel. Manv are of
opini(ai that thin coalfield rrosses the St. .lolin ; thnu^di an attempt to"di.scover
it by lioriii^,' near Mr. Iliilihard'-^ in Mnrtoti Home years h>;o was not suceeHsfuI.
Few rock appear m the surliiee. Tlios(! eroii[)ing out on the lianks of tho
rivor consist mostly of new red Hand stone.
The soil on the northern hank of the .'^t. John, firnen;; the front of .Muit-
porville and Shellield, is, with the exception of a f<'\v miles of f he ui»per part
of Mauperville, ti very rich an<l fertile alluvial. The southern l.ank, through
Hnrton is mostly a pravelly loam of onlinary fi-rtility, tiie pmduetiveness .)f
whieli iiiifiht he vastly Increased hy judicious draining', for which its {jfraduul
slope to the river alVords >,'reat facilities. In the upper part of Burton und
lower part of Lincoli; u sandy loam prevails, wiiieh, thou^^'h not favorahle to
the (growth of prnss is well ada|ited to the produi-tion of roots, and vitlda
fair crops of ^n-ain. The u[)per part of iiincoln is of a atitfer cluiracterjmore
inclined to clay, and is much incumhered with stones.
The soil of Hlissville, with tho exception of the intervaleH alonfr the oank-s
of the St. John, is the host in the Tounty. Mr. W. K. Terley. M. P. I'., in reply
to mv eiKjuiries, says, "The soil is composed of intervale on the hanks of
the river and hij^di hinds easily worked and very pnxluctive, reijuiring only
a small portion of manure? to make it produce excellent cro[)s. It is of dif-
ferent (jualities, some bein<; composed of a light loam, nmcii of it yandy, hut
generally free from stone."
The forests (jf Sunhiiry rthound in ppruce, fir, birch, hemlock and cedar,
■with small (juantities of red and white pine, which formerly were nuich more
abundant than at present. Rook and white maple, l)ircli, beech and poplar
are also abundant, with hasswood, butternut and oak in smaller (pjantities.
The native gra.sses are red top, blue joint, white clover, and joijit rushes',
(the latter of which possesses hifjhly fattening and milkproducing qualities.)
with many other less valuable varieties.
The population of Sunhury in 1851 was 5,301, which, taking the average
increase lor the previous ten years, probably now amounts to ti,50l,.
Its only village is the Oroinocto, unless the little cluster of houses at Taylor
Town claims that distinction. Its principal settlements, exclusive of those
along the banks of the rivers, are the Geary, Shirlev and Victoria in Burton,
Carlow in Maugerville, and Hardwood Ridge and S'ew Zion in Northlield!
Those are all comparatively new settlements, and their systeni (or rather
want of system) of farming, is of the most primitive kind.
Maugerville and Sheflield are the oldest English settlements in the Prov-
ince. having been selecteil, on account of their great fertilitv. by a board of
emigrants who came from ,. ^ agricultural districts of Rowley, Andover, and
Rexford, near Boston, in MiHsaciiusettH, in the years 17(i3 and 17(i4, to 'take
up their abode, among tho aborigines of the country, on the banks of tho
Ouangomhj, the name by which the St. John was then known among tho
Indians. In 1765 the country bordering on this river was erected by the
government of Nova Sooiia into a county called Sunbury. (Vide Hahburton
vol. 1 p. 248),
On the arrival of this little band of hardy pioneers, they began with stout
hearts and willing hand^j to fell and clear away tho giant sons of tho foreat
1
fttul to occupy their pluces with the variuiu rootn nud cereuls which thfi^
hml Itr.Mi^'lit "with them, whirh in thu iifwiy chared im<l iiutiinilly IcrtiifHuil
bpriuij; up and ^,'nw rapidly, (dn'cririg Ihoni with a Impu ol' nn ahumhint
reward liT tliiir hihorn ; hut their lotid anticipations wero doomed to Hull'er
n must hitter dixa|>poiiitiui'nf. An early Inist .ut down the growiujj; crop
hct'iire it u ih Hullieieittly ripe to he ol inuidi vidue ; and us the country
atlurded no H>ipplies of I'ooil except firth from the river, and tin* uncertain
priKhictionM of the chase, in which the new comers wero hut iitthi sliiih^d,
th<! inl'ant colony was reduced to ^avat straits Itel'ore the arrival, lute in tho
I'ollowiiin' Hunuu'cr, of a little trading,' vessel I'rom .Massuchusettrt, which can»n
just in time to save them iVom actual starvation. Hut early I'rosts uiul want
<d' provisions wen- not the only dillicultics the new colony had to (Uicounter.
The Indians who had lived on friendly terms with the French scttlern, who
like tin fnselves professed alle^'iance to the Church of Koine, were not at all
disposed to he on such friendly tennH with the descendants of . o I'il^jrini
fathers. Fearing' that the new comers mi^dit interfere with their huntinj^
j^roimds and possihly eventually drive them from them, takiiij; iwlvantap' of
their helpless condition, they di'fl not scruple to roh them of their property
and (Specially of their ^.^uns'and ammunition, thus <leprivin(>; them of their
onlv means of killing; the hears and moose, with wliich the forests uhoumled,
und on which they mainly depended for their daily ioixl.
In 17(;i was put upon Hartlett's ^lillslrcam, now included in the Parish
of ShelHeld, the lir.^^t Hour mill erected in the I'rovince, which continued for
a great numher of years to grind all the grain grown in the surrounding
countrv.
In Xovomlter, 177G, a number of the new colonists, fired by tho revolu-
tionary s[)irit which had latidy broken out in Massachusetts, joined a party
of revolutionists from that country in attacking Fort (.'umherlaiid, and cap-
tured and carried otV. during the "night, a small schooner which the retreating
tide had left oii the Hats. 'J'heir success jiowever did not eventually turn
out very jirotitalile.
In \'is:i the su\all cokmy. wln"ch had struggleil on through many dillicidties,
A'us recruited liy a large reinforcement of jjoyalists, who, on the conclusion
of peace betwei'n (Jn-at Hritain and the rnited States, left their liomcs und
all their i>ro])crty except Avhat litth* they ciuild carry with them, that they
might enjoy, what was denied them in their native country, in the wilds of
New lininswick, the lia])piness of being under tho British Constitution. A
large numli-r of those settleil in the County of Sunbury, whose descendants
now form a principal ])art of its population : and inheriting, as they generally
«lo, the spirit that animated that nol)lo l)and of unilinching adherents to tho
British Crown, are distinguished for their devoted attachment to British
institutions.
With res)iect to our markets, I may oliserve, tliat tho different lumbering
parties in this and the adjoining Counties of Queen's and York, buy up a
large portion of the surplus produce, for Avhicli they pay in the foUowin;-:
Hiiunner, after tho lumber has reached St. .lohn. The remainder is sent t.-
Frederictou and St. .b>hn, for tho conveyance of which tho daily steam t)oats
in summer and fine roads on the ice in winter, alVord abundant facilities.
In this way every article of surplus produce meets a ready sale, and gener-
{iil\ al liigiily icmnueratiiig prices.
bur farming statistics are not Avhat they should be when wc consider tho
rapidly improving condition of the country. Whilst in tho I'nitcd States
labor-saving machines are used in every department of farm work, hero tho
hand hoe, ru
honorrt on m
dices HH to t
the work of
thrashing m
muchinoH t^
1)0 gaining r
however, as
loil and «(t'e
Tilt! systo
operations o
improvemen
tions, with t
these opi nifii
with eipuilly
practised,
crops but a
was deeply
would thus 1
excessive m
valuable lar
saturated wi
any thing of
With this
our average
farmer in Bi
good seascmf
wheat, 30 of
peas are not
Homewdiat h:
40, turnips,
of the soil, ii
eious treatm
allow that tli
tho treatme
fertility. A
to say, '' thai
well," .said li
cheat you."
returning a
as food for s
every thing
of tho soil tc
crops. Und
formerly yie
quantity ; ai
entertained
this principL
speaks of soi
they contini
tobacco ; but
supplies wei
the labour o:
t
I*
■liirh ihfij
lortih' Hoil
ahutuJiiiit
1 to HulVur
)\vin>^ crop
10 country
uiiccrtitiii
tlo hkillotj,
lute ill tliu
liii'h ciiiiio
4 mill want
onconnter.
tlriu, wlio
L> not at all
.0 rilf?rim
ir limiting
vaiitap' of
r ])ropi'rty
in of their
uI)iiuiiiI(mI,
tlio l*ari«h
itiiMU'd fi)r
irroniKliiig
ho revolu-
■d a jjarty
I, and cap-
ri'trcating
:ually turn
(iiHicnltioH,
conclusion
homes and
that they
he wilds of
itution. A
esccndantH
y generally
uts to the
to British
luniViering
, huy up a
! following
is sent tc
itcam boats
t facilities,
and gencr-
insider the
itcd States
i, hero tho
I
7
hand hoe, rake and flail, scythe and reaping hook Htill ivtuiii their aucienU
honors on most of our farms, .^^ome few have so far overcome aixient preju-
dices Hs to employ the horse hoe and horse rake, hy which <iiie man can do
the Work of a dozen, and some lew have inf loduetM' mowing, rea|)ing and
thrashing machines. During the |>a-«t summer a large numher of nitpwing
machines I .»vo been introduced along the banks of tho river, ami appear to
be gaining more favor among the people. The great mass of the jieoplo
however, as .Mr. I'eiley, whom I before (pujted, expresses it, '• riinfiinif to
toil iind MU'cal it out in the otil vai/,''
The system of tillage, as well as the iiistniiiieiits by which the various
operations of the farm are performed, has undergone" generally imt little
improvement. I'otatoes are still planteil and tilled and dug, with few e.xcefK
tions, with the hoe in the same way tis they were liity years ago. when mc
theHeo/MnitiofiM might be j)erforiiied at less than one-ioiirth tlie c(tst, and
with e(|iially good results. .'^hallMW ploughing is also still very generally
practised. Few plough deeper than four or five inches, thus allording their
crops but a seanty range for tho extension of their roots, which, if the soil
was deeply tilled, would go eight or t.Ti inch's dnwn in search of fiod, ami
would tiius be mmli better preparecl to withstand the etiects of drought or
e.xcessivc moisture. Draining too is very little ittended tu, and thus much
valuable land, which a little labor wouid vender highly productive, is so
saturated with water during the early part of the seas(ti.,"that it never yielda
any thing of value.
With this imperi'ect system of management, we neecl lait be surprised that,
our average crops are not more abundant. An intelligent and successful
farmer in iJurton gives the following as th(> average in that J'arish: 'In
good seasons," he .says, ''our average crops are from the acre IH bushels of
wheat, yo of oats, 200 of potatoes, ."JO to 40 of buckwheat; rye, barlev and
peas are not much grown." In .Maugerville and Shenield the avenige in
somewhat higher, oats may be j)ut down at an average of 40 to 50, barley at
40, turnips, mangold wortzel and carrots at from GOO to 800. The fertility
of the soil, in place of going on increasing, as it always will do under jndi-
cious treatment, is universally admitted to have materially diminished. " All
allow that the crops are not what they used to be. And when we think of
the treatment the soil receives, we need not wonder at its diminished
fertility. An old English farmer once remarked to me that his father used
to say, " that land was the most honest thing in the world." "Treat it
well," .said he, " and it will treat you well; cheat it, and it will be sure to
cheat you." Our fanners do not seem to understand this ; for in j/lace of
returning a large portion of the proceeds ot the soil to the shape of manure,
as food for succeeding crops, the general system seems to have been, to sell
every thing that could probably be spared and trust to the natural fertility
of tho .soil to {)rovide, as best it could, supplies I'jr the production of futuro
crops. Under this process of continued depletion, our rich intervales, which
formerly yielded three tons of hay per acre, now scarcely av<irage half that
quantity ; and other crops are reduced in proportion. Our farmers formerly
entertained the notion tliat intervale land was inexhaustible, and acting upon
this principle their descendants are paying the penalty of their folly. Liebig
speaks of some lands in Virginia so exceedingly rich'in various alkalies that
they eoutinued for 100 years to prnduee aliund.ant crops ef wiseat and
tobacco ; but the inevitable result, though long delayecl, came at last. The rich
supplies were exhausted and for many years j)ast Uu,/ .have not been worth
the labour of cultivation. Some of our richest lands are fast verging to the
I
I
■
8
I
i1
eamo Rtato. A voncrable Koptuagcnarian of f^liefileld in reply to certain
quostintis lor information, in wpeakinji; of the early settlement of tlio country,
says, " The new ricli intervale produced excecdinji;iy fine crof)s of grain and
vegetal)leH; corn, wheat, oati<, ilax or bnekwheat, and superior grass, for
more than twenty years. The syst(!m of rotation eropjtinj,' or of manuring
BO as to prevent deterioration of the soil seems to have been unknown, or
not practised until recently.'" He then goes on to say, " An intervale farmer
asked niv advice almut a piece of meadow, which he knew I Avas well
ac(piaint"cd with as having liern exc(.'e<lingly fertile, l)nt now very j)oor. To
my en(|uiries as to how long since it had been plo\ighed or manured, ho said,
he hclit'veil it nev(>r had liccn ]iloughcd or niiuiured, This man was 56 years
old, had been burn on the i'arm, which he had inherited iVnm his father.
The soil was of the richest kind of intervale, and I well remember when it
produced su])crior cro])s of corn, hay. oats and turnips." Jle then goes on
to say, "I regret that such bad management and want of skill is too fre-
quently apparent: a gt'neral belief prevailing that good inter\ale might bo
mowed aiMinally, and closely ])astured in the fall, without impoverishing it."
I fear my friend i'erhn' and" his neighbors in IMissville are labouring under
the same delusion. Jn re|ily to my emiuiries respecting tin; rotation of crops
in IJlissvilli'. he says, "(»ur rarming is carried on without i)aying any ])arti-
cular attention to ii regular notation, as wo think the same kinds of grain
Avill proiluco siicci>ssfully on the sarae ])iece of land twenty years in succes-
sion iiy a small application of manure. Jn this (.pinion I believe we will be
8ustain(;d by some eminent farmers, although many think otherwise."
Blissville may stand this tlepleting systi-m ibr ii few years longer; but tho
end must come.
As a natural eon.-.efiuence of this gradual deterioration of the soil, there
has betm a ])ro])ortional falling olf in the numbers and (piality of farm stock.
'^\\■ Jbirton friend. IVoni whose statement I ipioted tho average of crops for
that I'arish, and whose grey hairs testify his long exjierience, in speaking of
stock says, '' J can rememlier back 40 years well, and how was it, with the
stock at that time? Could we look into the farm yards of Jacob Loder,
Holland Bridges, Jeremiah .Burpee, James Taylor, Col. Miles. >"^amiiel Nevers,
and some others 40 years back, who were called good farmers at that time,
Avo should see iim^ cows and large oxen that would girth over Boven feet,
well pro])ortioned with heavy bodies and short legs. One of those oxen or
cows was worth two that we now have. More butter and cheese was mado
in those days from one of these farms, than is made by four of our farmers
now."
Hut this depleting and deteriorating system appears to have passed its
nadir, except in. /Jlis.sville, and Ave are i)egimiing gradually to ascend the path
of improvement. An idea seems noAv generally to prevail, tho result of long
and dear Ixmght ex])erience, that taking all tho land can yield and gmng
back as little as ])ossible is not, under any circumstances, the most protitable
Avay of farming. iMost farmers are beginning to see tho propriety of adopt-
ing some sort of rotation of crops, though foAV carry it out into anything
like a regular system. ^ly Burton friend, Avhoso opinions I have already
twice (piottMl on other subjects, says, in reference to his oaa'u practice,
*' Tho meadow lands generally as soon as tho grass bcgin.s to fail, Avhich is
in from 4 to <> vears, is, if poKsible. plough.ed and fico crops of oats or buck-
wheat taken, potatoes next Aveli manured, and then laid doAvn to grass Avith
a crop of wh<.^;!t or oats. From pasture lauds avo take two grain crops and
then lay down to pasture for 5 or 6 years."
Manures i
much of the
Aveather. ^
manure froi:
systematic i
Not ten yea
the bank of
the liijuids 1
the bank to
ing on agrii
4)bserved th
thrown oA'ei
our farmers
but add lar^
absorb muci
Avith it an ii
but the exti
extensive p
In sjicak
country, it i
cultural Sot
'J'Im. Sunl
apathy of it
]iroceeiling!;
been a nieai
the nine ye;
1 may safel;
wurt/.(d, am
requiremen
excited by i
qualities of
most san<,ni
aftiT having
43 tons of 1]
Upon anoth
tively, Averi
iialf a( re of
Society, thi
pounds, a k
These are r
of competiti
horses, neat
the last fe\\
Agricultiira
county, bot
promise to
our native
liorns Avhicl
Agricultura
ficia! inline!
together, tl
to emulate
are brought
9
to certain
country,
gviiin und
grass, for
mamiring
xiiown. or
alo fanner
was well
poor. To
fl. lie siiul,
IS 56 years
lis father.
!r when it
n goes on
is too fro-
mi gilt be
isliing it."
ing under
jnof crc)j)S
any parti-
ii of grain
in siu'ces-
ve will bo
thcrwist'."
; but the
soil, thero
irm stock.
crops for
peaking of
t witli the
ob Loder,
lel Nevers,
that time,
even feet,
oxen or
was mado
ir farmers
passed its
1(1 the path
uiltof lung
lud giving
; prolitublo |
■ of adopt- ?
> anything I.
re already '
t. practice, ^
, which is f
A or buck* t
^ravss with J
crops and
I
Manures too are much more highly prised than they formerly were, though
much of their value is still lust by long and unnecessary ex|posuro to the
weather. Very i'aw have, wliat every fanner ought to have, sheds to protect
manure from the deteriorating elVeets of tiie sun and rain, or adopt any
systematic measures for saving the li(jui(l jmrtitiiis from running to waste.
Not ten years ago a wealthy i'armer in Shellieid, wiiose barn yard is near
the bank of the river, had actually a drain cut across the road to convey all
the Hipiids to tlu; riv(>r ; and as I have been told, had his straw thrown ovi'r
the bank to get it out of his Avay. 1 had occasion to allude to this in lectur-
ing on agriculture in that Parish some years ago, shortly after Avhich I
observed the ilrain was closed, nor have T since heard of straw having been
thrown over the bank. In ]ilace of this wanton Avaste of fertilizers, many of
our farmers now not only carefully ju-eserve all they gather from the farm,
but add largely to their stoek by hauling black mud into their farm yards to
absorli much that nn'ght otherwise be lost. Knowledge is increasing, and
witli it an improved practice in carrying out many of the details of the farm,
but th(! extravagant price of i'arm labor is a very great impediment to any
extensive plans of improvement.
In siieaking of the past and present condition of thi; agriculture of the
country, it may not be amiss to say a few words about the iulluenee of Agri-
cultural Societies.
Til,' Suubiiry Agrieultural Society has had much to coTilend with from tii«
apathy of its friends and the sellisliiiess wliii'ii has characterised most of its
•jiroceedings; yet notwithstanding \\\r<o dillieulties it has unquestionably
been a means of aecomjilishiiig mueligood. Under its fostering care, during
the nine years of my eomiectiuii with it, runt cro]is for feeding eatt'e, 1 think
1 may safely say, have increased tenlbld. Ttn years ago turnips, mangold
wurtx.(d, and carrots were scarcely grown beyond what would supiily the
reipn'rements of the table. Bn is far otherwi now. The emulation
oxciti'd by the premium list has ..iducod our farmers to test the ]>roduetive
♦[ualities of the soil, and the residt has increased the antici[)ations of the
most sanguine. The judges n])pointed to examine root crops in the field,
after having measured the gmnud and weigh(Ml the roots, reported one year
4.3 tons of mangold wurt/.el to the acre, and .'{.'{ tons of white Helgian carrots.
Upon another occasion 2i bushels of wheat and 52i bushels of oats respec-
tively', were rc]»orted to have been threshed and measured from a nieasniH.'d
half a( re of groiiml. And at the Exhibition of the Snnbury Agricultural
Society, this autunm, a Jenny Liiid jiotato Avas exhibited that Aveighed three
pounds, a long red mangold Avurtzel I-IA lbs., and a SAvedish turnij) 21^ lbs.
These are results that never Avould ha\'e been attained Avithout the stimulus
of competition, excited by the ])reiiiium list of the Agricultural ."^oeiety. Our
horses, neat cattle, sheep, and sAvine have also been much inijiroA-ed Avithin
the last few years by an admixture of imported blood, introdueed by the
Agricultural Society. We have a number of |ture sliort horns now in the
county, both males and females, Avhich thrive Avell on our intervales, and
promise to produce a still greater improvement by judirion- i-mssing Avith
our native breed. There is now a largi; number of growing grade short
liorns which have a very promising appearance. Tlu; annual exhii)ition of
Agricultural Societies, AA'hen properly managed, cannot fiiil to jiroduce a bene-
ficial iniluonce. Not only are the best samples of -:t,'irkand prndu*"?^ brought
together, that each may see Avhat others have produced, and he thus excited
to emulate their success; but Avhat is not less important, liirmers themselves
are brought together to discuss their various tojtics of interest. They talk
B
10
to each (jt lie)' al)iiut llicir (•A|)orini(;iits nnd their ro.siiltf'.. HUfjp^ost iinprnvu-
inciits mill riM-eivi' su^'-jzcslimis l'r"iii dthciv. Mind is linmaiit into cinifact
with mind, and thi;y n.'turu huuie with inrrcisi'il knowledge, zeal, uud oaer;;y
to carry out their various i)lans of iniprovemeut.
llavin,n' given a 1)rierontlin(! of the j)a-t history and present eondition of
the agrieultnre of Simlniry, I may ](erha|)> i)e |ienniltiMl to oHer a few sug-
gestions resulting |i!inei|ial!y from my own personal exjierienco.
During the thirty years that 1 have dalil)led in agrieultural pursuits, niuuv
books on theoretical and jtractical agriculture have been read, many of their
suggestions testeil, and many original exjieriments tried with deciiledh
favourahlu results, in tli(,' lt(.'nelits of which 1 would wish others, who may
liavo had less leisure and means for experimenting, t<j participate.
One of the most important conclusions to which my experience has led.
is, that the pri'sent nioih; of feeding cattle is far from heiiig the most pmtit-
alile. Cattle ai-e usually in this County coiiliiied to diy i'ood iluring the
whole of our long u inter, ifay and straw composi! their hill of fare from
Novemher till .May, ;;::d on our inti'rvales till dune. Where hay is ahundant
and of good quality, and the farmer is not tempted hy high prices to trans-
ier too much of it to the camp of the luniherman or the liarns of ihe citizens
of Fredericton or St. John, his cattle get on pretty comfortahly, and come
out in th(^ spring in fair condition : Jnit where hay is scarce or of inferior
<iuality, and straw is larg(dy used, stock nuist, as a necessary consequence,
rdjiidii/ (h'tcrionde. J think it will be found an invariable ride that the
lojujcr cuilh: (irr/cd o/i sfniw the liiililvi- tlici/ li(ci»iw. Instead of young stock
increasing, as they should do, larg(dy through the winter, they will be found,
when fell upon straw, smaller and lighter in May than they were in Novem-
ber. Even supposing they have good ])asture during the summer, they
liiust, under this treatment, rapidly deiy'iierate. Jf we begin with good
stock and expect to kecji them up to their present standard, they must bo
well fed during the whole jx'riod of their growth. Tin; young animal, esjje-
cially the first year of its existance, must have an abundant sup[ily of nour-
ishing food, if wo ex[)ect it to arrive at anything like cxcidlcnce. Hut many
of our close tisted money saving iiirmers may be ready to say, if I give my
calves all thoir mothers juilk for three or four months in ])iaco of stinting
them for six or eight weeks, and then turning them to grass, 1 shall have
very little butter and cheese for market. JJe it so; go on nevertheless.
Let your calves have ])h nty of new milk for four months, then give them
plenty of good hay and half a bushel of roots each a day through the winter,
and you will find each one. of them at a yciar old worth two or thre(> of the
starvelings tuider your old system. After the first winter they will do well
on straw and roots. 1 seldom feed hay at all during the winter to neat
cattle, exce[)t calves. Even milch cows will do well anu yield a fair (puin-
tity (if milch on good straw with half a bushel of roots daily, which I allow
to each animal until toward the end of Ahirch, when 1 conunence giving hay
an<l still continue the roots if the stock holds out. In this way a farmer can
kec]) a much larger amount of stock in better condition ami at less expense.
'J'he straw, in place of being usi'd to alarve the stock or thrown out into the
yard for manure, as is usually done, may be largely cmjiloyed in bringing
forward valualile animals for tlas dairy or the butcher. The manuii> heaps,
which niay well ])e called, the F'J.niHrs IJaitk. largely increased in quantity
and 'mjtroveil in (juality, will respond freely to his drafts when tho root
crops in the spring demand suj)})lies.
It nnist be a very poor farm, or badly managed, that caiuiot be mad(» to
"? ield five h
with straw,
middle of .\
the straw tl
all) will nun
cultivation
woidd i'eeil
alford manii
the root cr,
quantity an
with a j'udii
worth culti'
Aviil improv
The rota
Juniurs op!
sod intendc
autumn. '1
ploughed di
iraiild not Vi
thc> sunmier
s|)ring lay c:
soil before ]
quent care
blessing, uji
in course av
which the li
of red or 4
of hay and c
low again,
three years
gi'ain crops
a'.s.^ii)n, notA
1 consider it
Under tin
farms, one c
of cult i vatic
hay as aver
<'ight years
doubled the
1 cannot (
At least twi
fully three-f
season in lu
during the i
tion for puti
the season, i
do grf)AV is 1
oats, in plac
sumed in th
Their faruis
'J'hey may, ^
nnist be at t
labor employ
11
\\e\i\ five humlred Inishols of turn
U'
.invito (ir mjiimold wortzd. Thee,
with strav, would \\'v(\ six liciiil of cuttlt' rnuii tlic Isr Xovciiiln-r till tlio
iTiiddlc of Ajiril. Tlir iiiiUiiirc iimdi' from litis stock, if [iropciiy liccldcd with
the straw that tlicy will Icavo (for tlicy ouiflit not to lio r('(|ni'-((l to cat it
all) will iiiaimn! an acre of ground the next \> (t: ,,iii1 tlii-', with [irofRT
cidtivation and a favorulili; siMson, will yield eight hundred hush-'ls. wli'di
would feed nine uniuids during the same period the iiext winter. This w'll
atlord manure for ;• 'TO and a half tlie next fiea-oii. and thus tli;.> stoek and
the root crops w,'l : t reciprocally upon each other, each increasing tlio
cinantity and qua'!, of the other almost a(/ M;V'<m. 'I'liis system comhined
with a judii'iius roiiition of crops, will not only krep up any i'arin that is
AV(jrth cultivating in its ])resent state of ic'rtility, whatever that may lie; but
Aviil im])rove its jiroductiveness ei'cr// ymr.
The rotation which 1 thiidc liest adapted to this County, tJte MtssviUi;
fiiriiiifrs nji!iiin)i. to iJ/f <'o)i/r(trf/, tin/irif/istinidiiKf, is one of six years, 'J'lio
sod intended for next years crop should, if possihle. he turned down this
autumn. This may l)e sown iK'Xt , ring with oatsor buckv.dieat, tin; stuhiilo
ploughed down after harvest, and should there he any old mainire, which /
iconic not rccoiinnciiil (niji/drmir lit luicv, luiless it be conipost mailo during
the sunmier, let it be spread on the ground before it is ])louglie<l. in the
sj)ring lay on a good dressing of manure, jilough and mix it well with the
soil before putting in your seed, and you may rlepend, with proper subse-
quent care in keeping down the weeds and loosening the soil, and (Jod's
blessing, upon from eight to ten hundred bushels of roots to the acre. Next
in course will follow a good crop of wheat, barley, oats or buckv.heat. with
wdiich the land is to b(> seeded down with a jteck of timothy seed and .S lbs.
of hmI or 4 (if Alsike clover to the acre. This will afford three good crops
of hay and on the intervale four or five, when the same rotation idiould fol-
low again. Fields which are kept i)rinci[ially for pasture iruiy be grazed
three years and cropped one, under which treatment both tlui pasture and
grain crojis will improve in (piantity and (piality. ^J'u'o yrain frojts in nuc-
ee^ssion, notwithstanding the jiractiee of many of our farmers to the contrary,
1 consider iifterhj lnco)isiiiti)if iriih jirojifuhlt- /(tnuiinj.
Lender the system here reconuuended I have renovated two worn out
farms, one of whicli J tilled for twenty years and left it in a very high stato
of cultivation, yielding 1.000 Inishels of turnips, ;]() of wheat, and 2i tons of
hay as average crops jier a(^re : the other, on which 1 now reside, during the
eight years that 1 have tilled it, ha.s, without any extraneous aid, about
doubled the value of its products.
I caimot conclude without saying a few words about hinihe ring farmers.
At least two-thirds of the niitle ]iopulation of Sunlmry (Mr. IVrley says it is
fully three-fourths in IJlissville) are engaged more or less during the winter
season in lumbering. Their attention is thus taken away I'rom their farms
during the early spring. Avhen every energy shcjuld lie (lirecteil to i)repara-
tion for putting in the crop ; and conse([U"ntly, when they do liegin late in
the season, everything has to be hastily and slovenly done. And what they
do grow is not allowed to remain to fertilize their farms. Their hay and
oats, in place of being consumed on the farm, to keep up its fertility, is con-
sumed in the Avoods and left there to fertilize the denizens of thii forest.
Tlieir farms are thus starved and must evendially starve them in return.
1'hey may, some of them, get a little mon^ ready money at j)resent, but this
must be at the expense of their future prospects. The same amount of
labor employed iu clearing and enriching their farms would in ten years
I
I
12
aiinivl jiiucli proator profits, besides piittinp; tliom in a position of being indc-
l)enil(Mit ill I'litiiro. It is an uliI ada^n' tliat whatever i.s worth doiii^^ at all
iH worth iloin^j^ wcilJ, and to nothing is this more applicable than to the culti-
vation oftlu! soil. One thing at a time is as niucli as any one can properly
and prolilably att<>nd to. Lot the limner attend to his farm, and the lumberer
to his logs, and both Avill get on nuieh better. Almost any honest employ-
ment, it' diligently and ikillnlly followed, will afford a comfortiible and re-
spectable living. A hidy in England, wishing to put her son to business,
asked Itothschild what (lejjartment of business ho would recommend his en-
gaging in. "Oil, anything,'' said he, "let him sell matches. It is as good
as anytiiing, if well followed np ; hut Id him stick fo one thing.-' Do one
thing, steadily, diligently, pcrscveringly, and success id almost iut!vital)le.
AGR]
In no in
marked tin
their wisln
insunnoun
tained ; th
plain, the ]
regions, hfi
cxtremest
arduous st
jectured tl
of the first
io agriculti
their endu
sure wuul(
in the resj:
complished
It will b
details con
the writer,
to the all i
The Pro
able Secr(
capacity o:
counties ir
yet may te
the nTnnor
arms, have
pared herii
sidered, u\
the prescr
and consci
_ Tlie Coil
vince of N
toing intlc-
>iii^' at iill
I till! r;ulti«
1 properly
; luniborui*
st oniploy-
lo and TO-
bufliuovss,
lul his cil-
ia as good
Do ono
jvitablc.
SECOND TRIZE ESSAY,
ON Tua
AGRICULTURAL HISTORY AND CONDITION
OP
CITA.R,LOTTE COTJ:^TT■'S^.
In no instance is the indonjitahlo energy of the Anglo-Paxon race movo
marked than in the wrestling with wiM nature, and subduing her to subserve
their wishes and jturposes. No obstacle of a material kind presents now an
insurmountable barrier to their progress; victory upon victory has beciu ob-
tained ; the rude forest has given jilace to the liourishing city ; the barren
plain, the rocky soil, the inhospitable land, a.' well as the richest and fairest
regions, have lieen occupied by the sons uf Old England, and, in times of
cxtremest emergency, their stout hearts have jiroved their fitness for the
arduous struggles to which they have so often been called. It Uiay be con-
jectured that there arc comparatively few who are at all aware of the trials
of tlio first settlers in this Province, and was this essay not mainly coiijined
to agricultural ohjedn, interesting information might be given illustrative of
their endurance; and if the compass of this essay would permit, great plca-
eure would bo experienced in making honoral)le mention of the early settlers
in the respective parishes of this County, and what by them has been ac-
complished ; but this I can do but in part and in a cursory manner.
It will be also borne in mind that this essay will not purport to enter into
details concerning other branches of industry, apart from agriculture, and if
the writer, by this small means, can succeed in attracting a fuller attention
to the all important subject of agriculture he will have an ample reward.
The Provincial Board of Agriculture, in acting on the suggestion of their
able Secretary, do well in endeavoring to obtain every information, in the
capacity of individuals to render, as to the agricultural history of the several
counties in this Province, and however imperfect such in cases may be, it
yet may tend to rescue from oblivion some incidents which are locked up iu
the memory of the few and aged pioneers, who, with loyal hearts and bravo
arms, have done much in giving to the present active generation, as a pro-
pared lieritage, one of the fairest and most eligible Provinces, all things con-
sidered, upon which the sun has ever shone, and by tneir conduct teaching
the present and future settlers lessons of eontentn.c-nt, patient endurance,
and conscientious discharge of duty.
The County of Charlotte is situated on the South-west corner of tlie Pro-
vince of New Brunswick. " On the South it ia bounded by the Bay of
I
\\
Fiiiiily : West l>y tho I'ivcr .>^t. Croix and the Western Hhore of tlie Hay of
l'assaiiiii(|Uoil<ly ; ICast ]>y tlio lino runniiit^ tnio Xortli, tliii'ty iiiilc< fidiii
I'oint licprcaii. and survcyiMl l.y Dcjmtii's Willvin:ion and .Maliond, A. D.
IM"); and Xoitli l>y the lino rnnnin^' Irno West iVuni the tcrniinntion of the
la.«t nieiiiiiinod line, inclnilin;^ nil tlu' Islands ailjacent thereto, and tlic Island
of (Jraml .Manan and the islands adjacent to it.'' TIk! Cunnty of Charlotto
received its dcsi^niatiori and linn't hy letters patent in the year 17!^.'), then
inrisdicti(!n of Nova •■^coiia. in the first scssinn of
•nr I ro-
liein;r nndcr th
vincial Ijc^Islatnre in 'Hi (■eor;,'o HI., A. I>. ]1>*^\ the County was divideil
into i'arishcs, viz. — St. .\ndre\V3. St. Stephen. St. David, St. I'atrick, St.
(Jeorp-e, I'eindield, ami West Isles, the latter cnnsistin;L:' ef HeiT Island. Cani-
])oliello Island, Crand .Manan Island, .Moose Island, Frederick Inland, and
J)inll(^y Islanil, with the lesser contij^non.s Islands.
In the year ls(i;i, 4.'5 Cer)rp' III., Canipohello Island was cmi-titnted a
separate i'arisii, and in the year ISJtl. !]('> (Jeorj^-e [II.. Crand Manan Island
was ciCctcd into a separate" Parish. In 1 S.'it) St. I'atrick Parish was divided
and Dninharton Parisli formed I'roin it, an<l in 1^.")7 the I'arish of Lepreau
was formed from I'ennfield i'arish.
'{'he County contains 7!^?»,.'l(i() ;icres, of whicii ahont Kjti.OOO are nn;rninted.
It possesses luuch hcauty of scenery. 'I'ho various iuUts from tiie lovidy
Passania(i noddy I>ay. studdeil with islands, add L^-eiitly to the )>ieture.sque,
while in the more inland parts. lii>.di hills and line rivers ^-ive variety to tho
view. From many of the high hills. cspiM 'ally near St. Andrews, the most
sj)lendid iianoramic v'ews may he (obtained. The County ji;em:>rally is hilly
and nmlulating. The chief river«i are the Digdeguash and the Magajiuadavie,
lidling into the Passama(pioddy Brtv. and tiie river St. Croix falling into the
Bay of Fundy. On these rivers Saw Mills are erected, where vast (pianti-
ties <if lumlier are manufactured. Tl:eri> are numerous smaller rivers, which
are im))ortant as ]iossessing valua>ile Mill privileges, among which we may
mention the Lepreau ]{iver. in lje[ireau I'arish known as Reynold's Mill,
wdiicli is one of the finest Mill streams in the Province, as also the New
River in same County, known as I'reseott and Lawrence Mill. The value of
these respective rivers, coupled with the easy access to lumber for same,
has only within the last six years been fully appreciated, and turniMl to such
good account th.'it Reynold's .Mill has manufactured some eight million feet
of luiniier, and the I'reseott <k Lawrence ]\Iill some six million feet annually.
Many settlers have by such means been attracted to Lepreau, and the wil-
derness is liccoming sjieedily cleared in the Northern end of this J'arish,
where ajiplication for new settlements have been recently ma<le. These
rivers ))08sess the innnonse advantage of being free from the devastating
results of high freshets, full space being given for the free expansion of their
watei's.
The stratified rocks of the County, in general, consist of Slate rocks,
whilst here and ther(^ are inuuense trap ilykes thrown up, which have
broken thnuigh the ri'gularity of the strata. Cranite, of good quality, is
found in considi'rable tracts. The Island of Orund Manan ju'esents speci-
mens of the Columnar Rasalt. Limestone is found in considerable quantities
on a ]>eninsida in the Parish of St. (ieorge, near L'Ftang Harbor, where largo
quantities of Lime are annually manufactured. Ry the census of 1851 the
Value ol' Lime manuf.i -tared is put, doun at fl.'.lOO. Tndications of Leail
liave been found (Ui the Island of Campobello, and Cray Sulfihuret of Copper
on the shores of the Bay of P\indy. The ])rusencc of other minerals is iu-
di(",ited by th
ralogical feati
yet imperfect
examination,
that Cliarlott<
I'rom the uml
of settlers, k
eoimtry of tin
the time of s(
the Little Ri(
roy Ridge, th
Sorrel Ridge,
valli;ys of sail
tion.
The yiopvda
J):^8, but this ;
so far as the ]
ently taken,
statistics fron
ISIO, IS.ITS:
and 1.^;M: of H
l.s.H of l.TCU.
l)een in ])ropo
JS:}4. The fc
from iS4() to
latter may be
census of that
18.".!
IS-lt
Increai
Decrea
The chief t^
Town, wdiich
sessed among
at present in
forward with
road, which h
order, to an e
again being ei
Brewery, Ste;
St. Ste])lieTi
twenty miles
of Maine. A
important as j
1.')
tlir.itod l>y llic <iualitiof? of somo of the Sj)riiif,M, Imt tlio fjoulofriful aini niiiio-
riildf^ii'iil li'iititri'S (if the CoMiity, as indeed nt'iimeli of the i'mviiiee, iire iis
vet iiiipert'ectly known. We linjie atteMlidii will he iiioiH- fully called to tln'ir
exaininatien. Aeeonlin}; to tli'.' investijjations nt' l>r. ( lesiier it would aj)i)eiir
that Charlutte Coiiiity possess, 's hi* share of valiialile minerals ami iiii'tajs.
From the innlnlatory ehaia<'tei of the County \ve lind the ditfereut loealitii'S
of settlers, known iis Kid^es, souietinies distinfiuishod by the iiauios of
c-ountry <if the first settlern, or the eharactc;' of the soil, or its prodiu-ts. or
the time of settlement. Thus wu have in St. Stephen Parish the Old iJiil^'e,
the fjittlo Hid^'e. iVe. : in St. .James Parish the JJasswood Ifidp'. the I'ome-
roy JJidu'e, the Scotch Itidgo, tVc. ; in St. Patrick the Whittier's Hid^e, tlu^
Sorrel Kid^'e, Ac Along- the J)i;xdoj;>iash and Miifraj:nadavic Rivers are tlii*
valleys of same name, posses.sing line alluvial soil, capaide of liii^li cultiva-
tion.
The jtopidatiou of the County, liy tlie census of l^")!, is set down at 10,-
038, Init this may he consideriMl an under estimate, as it is suhmitted tliat,
so liir as the Parisli of St. Stephen is concerneil, the census was )iot sulHci-
ently taken. The progressive^ populati(jn may 1)0 le.irned from thi' following
statisti<'s from census of l!S2f to l>.jl. In isiit. il.Ht;:) : in 1S;{4, ir),S.",2; i'u
IS40, 1^,178; in 1S,")1, 10,9;i8. Shewing a numsTical increase hetwoen 1S24
and 18:M: of (],5S:{, hetween iS.'Uaml ISlOof 2,3:it;, and hetween 1S40 and
18,>1 of 1.7(10. it will thus he seen that tlie progressive increase lias not
been in ]irop(jrtion with the increase of the first ten years, between lH21and
1S;}4. TIu! folloiviiig table will show the increase of the resjiective Parishes
I'rom 1840 to IS.'jI, mul an actual decrease in the Parish of St. Stephen, which
latter may be accounted for from the before mentioned suggestion, that tho
census of that parish was under estimated.
■f.
— —
'—
?,
r
6
,
r-
-2
13
JZ
'--a
•f.
-r
_o
~
"3
.^
o
•A
o
■J.
^
^
,
,
.
,
^
M<
o
M
-*~i
-i-i
-^•t
•^
.^
-4-'
O
7t
■fj
X
■11
•12
•/-
X
CL.
S^
C^
1851
1840
Increase.
Decrease.
i^OlO 28(i8 204;'. 17')(; l»;81 2263 1
I3G82 3405 2422 1155 l(iO!» 2013 1
228!
5211 GO 11
2501
213
043
170i
1252
1128
124,
8(j5
718
147
1187
1003
184
M
5371
The clii(!f toAvns and villages in this County are St. Andrews, tho Shiro
Town, which some thirty years ago was a most flourishing pbno, and pos-
sessed among its first settlers many able and enterprising merchants, it is
at present in a somewdiat depressed state, and the inhabitants are looking
forward with anxious and loti'.r exercised Iiope to the eumpletion of the Kail-
road, which lias its starting point there, and is now completeil ami in running
order, to an extent of G5 miles, and notwithstanding its many sus[)ensions is
again being energetically pr'K'ceded with. Tliore is in this tmvn a Steam
JJrewery, Steam Saw ^lill. and Injn P'oundry.
St. Stiq)hen, a beautiful village lying on the banks of the St. Croi.x, about
twenty miles .above St. Andrews, and directly o])[)osite to Calais, in the St.ato
of Maine. About four miles below St. Stephen is sitiuited the Ledge,
important as a place wjiere vessels of the largest burthen can harbour with
16
Kaf(-ty ; from tliis \)hco most of the luinbt.T is Hliippcd in largo vchkoIs to
J']||''lilllfl. , , . i- r
III order to tlio prospcritv of St. St<'i.li«'n iiii iilt.Tiition or cxcnij.tion tn.iu
tlic .'Ni.ort (liitv laws, so tar as tliis jx.rt is cmi. ,Tiif<l, is iiiipciativrlv ciillrd
fur, ntli.'rwiso the rliicf sliip|.in>r, with its a.Tompaiiying biisiut'ss, will bo at
Ciihii-^: tlif shipping' duties there beln^- sn uiueli less.
The Villa;;e utMilbown, situate<l about two miles above St. Stephen, on
the River St". (Jroix. 'I'liis is a thriviii;.; piaee. and the nnmerous Haw, last,
Kliiiede iuid lath maeliiiies iin'ord emiilovineiit to a lar-v number oi men.
Further up river, about three miles above Milltown, is siniated I5arin^' or
I'pix-r mills, where the saw mills afford a like employment to tlu- inhabitants.
There are eorrespoiidin-: villa-es on th(i Amoriean side of the St. t'roix.
iind th(! most frieiidlv relations are established between tins places: while
the OIK! side is thoron^^hly Kn-lish in habits manners, and taste, and the
other as eoiniiletelv American. .
St CJeore-e Town,— This is likewise a lumber manniactnrmj; place, witii
numerous >^iw mills situated ,,ii the Ma-a-uadavic. A i.owder mill has als(.
been here erect.d. Further n]. is the Cpper Mills \ illage, where eonsider-
able business is done in the manufacture of lumber.
Th(> S(>oteh, I'omerov, and I'.asswood Hid^a'S, bef<u-e named. 1 hese are
sitmited ill the westerii part of St. .lames' rarish. and were about hity years
a-o settled bv emiKranIs from the Highlands of Scotland, and wiio witli
their de<een.iant<. hnvo ever preserved their national eharueter ior industry,
lov iltv and reli-ion. Hxtensive elearin-s have been made m tlieao localities,
mid the utmost iiarmoMV has ever prevailed amon- them in all their opera-
tions and desiu^ns. Tiierc; is also a eonshleraiile seltlement m .suae 1 arisli,
calleil Oak Hill, of lik(! industrious settlers. , . . t • .i
The IJaillie Settlement— This place is also in Far.-', of .^t. James in the
eastern par*— so called from the intervention of the late Surveyor (•enerai.
Thomas IJaillie, haviim- obtained for the settlers their -rant oi land I ins
i.laee was settled chietlv bv emi-raiits from th<> North oi Ireland, alu.ut tiurty
years a.-o. It is known also bv the naiim of Irish Settlement. The mliabit-
unts arLM)f a siq.erior class, in comfortabl.! circumstan.-es : and these sett e-
lueiits each alford a most strikin,^' example oi' the benehts ol a iiealthy
•omi'-'ratioii of associated pcM-sons to same locality.
'J'o the Eastward of St. Andrews there arc many smaller but itonrislnn^
settlements occupied by industrious jieople, and we may remark that the
Countv of Charlotte is Well settled both in ref^^ard to the numbers and ciiar-
aeter (".f inhabitants ; numenms comlbrtable dwellings are to bo seen along
the bve-r<iads that intersect the County.
Th('> iir<t settlement of the Countv of Charh.tto may be sanl to have com-
menced in the vear ITSt. when several individuals from the 71st Regiment
.and other lovafists came from Xova, Scotia, New York, Massachusetts and
ndjoinim: i.lacos, three of whom, vi/. : William and 'I ristam Moore, ol the
respective ages of SO and 8G, settlers in St. David's Parish, and John Dins-
inore, of St. Stephen, still survive. ... „ . +^ +i „
Soine of these sturdvlovalists, desirons of maintaining allegiance to the
];riti-;h tla>r, formed themselves into a body by the name ol the Lajx Ann
^Issoriutiou. haviinr hailed from that locality. During their lirst_ summer of
the vear above named, their time was occupied with .surveyors in soiucUng
land hn- settlement, which, when acc.miplished a grant by the above name
was made. As the loyallsu-, came, and either as companies or indivuluals
.-decled their locations, grants were issued accuidmgly.
Th(^ Penobs
the Digd.!gua>
Anion;;- the
tioi: ' ■' naiiM
befo ■.• haiiied
exemplary am
at tliat time.
now called Oa
most praisewij
in thi' >piii'g
hired men : t
preparatory t«
with, and so v
soil, that ill til
hundred IhisIi^
busliels to till
of pn(ato(>;;, t(
Was the first t
loyalist s('ttloi
an abundant c
gave place to
proiitable to v
crop.
'I'o the setl
grinding the ;
the site now 1
its com]>lttion
ccura};e and i
in sf> disadvai
enced in the
be expended
Mr. Moore ha
for tlie purpo
mable privilej
The names
Vam^e, TIkmi
Thomas, Josi,
M'Allister. .
More, settled
and its inlets
in other port
children. Tl
Bon, James N
Bobb, Willia
John Jordan,
One of the
out which it
the abundanc
at the Cove,
gaapercaux \
the export r
exchange am
much regret!
:i
CBHC'ls to
ion from
ly <-;illr(l
k'ill bo ut
plii'ii, on
illW, liist,
of men.
liirin;: or
laliititntr*.
^t. ('ri)ix,
's : wliilo
. mill the
ivcc, with
I has also
ooiisidor-
"hc'so are
ifty years
iho, witli
inilitstry,
localities,
Ar opi-rii-
le rarisii,
PS, in the
• GeneraK
nil. This
loiit thirty
ic iuliahit-
.•so settle-
ix healthy
loiirishin^
V that the
and ehar-
leen alon,i:;
have com-
IJeginient,
isotts, and
ire, of the
lolin Dins-
[100 to the
Crtjjc Ann
Slimmer of
1 rolcftlil^
)ove nuini'
individuals
Th.! Peiiohseot Association grant enihraees a V.w^o tract of_eountry on
the I)ij.'fle^,'nash Hiver, settled hy h)yalistH fn ni reni.l)seot, in IT^l.
Ain.m'-riie niauv worthv individuals who foinud the Caiu' Ann Assocui-
tioi: '"ninne of" Willian'i MiK.rt- fatiier of William and Tri>tam .Moorfi,
bcfo ■;. allied is peeuliarlv •les.Tviii';- of ni.tiee, he was, iierliaps, tlie most
exeiiii.larv and s\icee.-;sfiil of the settlers— nnmiierin^' ahoiit twidve iamdiett
at that tiiiie. Mr. MiMjre sideeted his firm alMmt four miles hack of what 18
now called Oak Uay, in the I'
ari^li ot
St. I)avid, where he at <ini.'e with a
most praiseworthv" (letermination, cMiimeneed his |in|.ai:iti< ns fdrfaiiiiing
in thi' >prii!^' of nf^5. Mr. Mi.oro was accc miaiiii d 1 y Ins m ns and several
hired men : Ww itsiial tirst oj crati. n of cuttin^i' <!« wii trees and imining,
preparatory to the tlionii-h el.'.arin-; ( f the laii.l, was at dice procerded
with, and so well was tlir \\"vk p.rli.i iiied, and so pn.duetive was the virj;iri
«oil that in the liarvesl of thr .Mieerediii}: year a crop was taken tf over two
hundr.'d l.usliels (d^;Tain of dilfereiit sorts, the yield of wh.at heiiiK thirtv
bushels to fill! acre, and other grain in like pn-idi tn n ; live hundr((l lni>lieltf
of p(:tat<M>;;, t( o(.tli(.r with large (piaiitities of tuinips, heaiis, ) eas, Ac. 1 hi8
wa>^ the lirst crop taken IVdii tlie soil of the County (,f Cliarlotle, by the
loyalist settlers, of which 1 have been able to learn. The siiereeding year
aii abundant crop of hav filled the n.nvlv erected barn, and tlie wilderness
gave place to tin; well stocked farm yard. At this lime it was l.mn.l most
prolitable to rai-e spring wheat, tiien and for many subsequent years a sure
crop. 1.1 r
'J'o the settlers who addicted firming as their I usincss, tho means lor
grimline- the "-rain were soon made available. A grist mill was erected on
the sitiMuav known as Jbiore's Mills; tin whole undertaking laAvever, belore
its completion devolved upmi Mr. -Moore, who alnne, of all the settlers, had
cciinige and f-tcadfastness to (iverci nu' the many obstacles to such a task,
in sf) disadvantageous circumstaiiees. Some idea of the difliciilties experi-
enced in the woik, may be conceived from the fact, that ab.out .i^OO lia<l to
be expended in preparatory oporatiiiis before a board was cut tor the mill.
Mr. Moore had, with wise forethought, brought with him millstones ami irons
for the pur|tose, and in due time his mill was erected, and proved an inesti-
mable jirivilege to tlie settlers. ,v-ir
The names of those who camo with Mr. Moore as settlers, are W illiaiii
Vane(>, Thomas M'Laughlin. Rmibeii Smith. David Clemlinnin, Samuel
Thomas, Josi;di llilehings, Francis Norwood. Nathaniel Parsons, and_ Daniel
M'Allistcr. About Iburteeii heads of familes frcm same yilace, with Mr.
More, settled about same time as he did, along the shore of the St. Croix
and its inlets, manv of whom have left in common with the worthy .settlcrH
in other portions of the County, the heritage of their ginxl name to their
children. Tho names td" these settlers are Ivhouiid I>(.herty, James Ihomp-
Bon, James Nieheivon, Zebediali Liniken, John M'MuUen, Joini Lily, Joshua
Bol)b, William Gailo]., John I/'eman, Luther Daiiy, Alexamler I'aierson,
John Jordan, Jacob young, John Ilo[ips.
One of the great helps to the sustenance of the settlers— and mdeed with-
out which it is dinieult to conceive how they could have succeeded— wae
the abundance offish which swarmed in the river. In the St. Croix River
at the Cove, (so called in St. Stephen) freiiuently two hundred barrels of
gaspercanx were taken in a night, likewise abundance of shad and salmoij,
the export of which became quite a remunerative bu.-in-ss, fnd by the
exchange and returns, afforded material benefit to the settlers. It is to be
much regretted that due precautionary measures were not miintamed to
C"
i .
18
h;ivc [iicscivi'il iVuin iiuw tnCil ilc-l iii:l imi, IVturi nuw rliist iiinl (liil't., tliji
vain iMc siiiin',! nl' iiKHJiir-, iiml strict iitli'Hiidii Ikh'Ii ^ris(,'ii In tin- |iriivi<lirii
Kiilli ii'iit li-li ways.
I''i'\v ul' llii' early [lidin'i'ix iiilciiil.'il miiiily tu t'lc iMHiui-^i cf I'lrrnirig
Liinilii'riii^- w i-^ iIh' '^\r.\t ultra"! inii. aii^l sm ihriviii.!,' u liiisiiii':-s wis it, t'lii;
ill t!ii' year \^\'> twn liiiii'ln'il iiii-ii aii'l sixty t(Miii-« wi'v^^ criiplnytMl in tii«
ri'M^^'iliitiirliniii nl' Mdnrc's .Mills ill |ii(HMiiin;j,' s(|iiiir<: tiiiilu'r. ^"1. Ainlrcwi
liir'iiiiir w i-i ill tli'si' (1 iy> 11 iiusy > •i-ii", wliiti'iicd, iis it m'trii wa-", with tin
Hiilsdl' I'lirly vi'ssi'l"! waiting' i'or tlicir I'arpics tu Miiirlaril or tlio \V(;h(
III liiis. 'I'lic I']ii,;lisli .\'avy ri»iitra.;t fTivu ^rcat stini'llu ; to tlin liiiu'M'r tiusi-
li(!ss, iiiisis rnuii till' st ilcly piii!' wen; |»riiciircil, uKMSiiriii;;' lOl) Irct in
l(Mi^''t'i, I I'l'ct ill liii'l.aii'l so Well |»r()[)ortioiifil tliat, at luiji'lii nf TO I'l'i;! they
Would III M>iir(! lliri'c I'l'i-t in iliaiii-liT ; wliilst suiiu! wcn^ olil liih'f! rory;'.nl«
ims.i-urlii;^' in li'n'.::tli 1 1(1 Iri't. It is an int:!n'-liii!;' I'lct. t!i;it t!u! Il( n. l'i(!Hi-
detit 111' llii' Iii';;i-Iiit ivc Cuiiiiil wa-^ anionic tli." nuinlicr wlio in tlioso dayg
hclpi'd to I'.'ll I lie |iiii>', mar win 're now .-'ands (lie Cily oi'Caliii-t. So Im-rative
was dm lai.-iiii ss ol' Iniiilicriii;.; that it. hci aiiu; the all a'lsorliiiij; <•(■< ii[ialiiin.
Wlicri'Vi'r till- readiest cliair'e wis olFered lor its purpoHOs, si;ttli-!mont,H wore
nrule, and ils pi'eiiniary retiirn-^ wi-re specily. All ne'essiirie-; tor consmnpti.)!!
were readily supplied liy the iiiiiiii-rons vessels that !iwait(;d their car^'ooB
uf Iniiilier; whilst, what was needcij tor wants wlii(di the ^rcund could sup-
j)ly, w.is renilere(l, williriit nmeli elVorl, in cultiviitiri}; (he soil to fu'<i(luc(! ik'
'l"h<> (,'oiinty (d' Charlotte, with its forests unsurpassed in riehiiess and
variety, pn>sente(l irresistalde attractions, laiinherint: was the absorliing
l)ii-iiies-j, and I'imiii that time to the present, ihe inlialiilants have hen slow
to learn that it w.is ever capable of liciiifij other than a plai'(! for liuwors of
ivooil. Agriculture, under such cireumsfaiices, made lilth^ prot';resH an ft
skilll'iil and scj'iililic pursuit; niiu h hard labniii howevr. Iia.s lieeii la.'stowcd
in all the Parishes, by many settlers, in the clcaiiiu,^ of tic land; and il is
with much interest that I have listened tu tlie n irralive oltlie arduous work
of laboriuj:; the most forbiddinij; soil, by one early and familiar settler in (hi«
County, who so l(mij,and ably has filled the ofTiee of Iciislator in his adoptxjd
Country, and liki; a second Cincinnatus called thereto from the plough. In
all the I'arislies of the County llcre is a fair proportion of <j:oMd arable land,
and farmiiii;' operations are ,ij,reatly on the increase ; larj^e and well cnltivatea
iiolils now fro(iiu;iitly meet tlu> eye; luxuriant crops of turni|)s may lie scea
around the. frontier jiort ions of St. Andrews Parish and clscwliore. Tlicir*
are many acres of land in the (,'ounty, jjecniiarly adapted to the raising of
the j;ra^ses; 1 nd'er to the vari.ais cedar and alder swamps, wiiich, by a vorj
little attention and outlay, in dilchinti; ami draininj^'', mij^'ht be made most
remun(M'ativ(>. Attention has been lieretcdbru directed, in most party, toth*
cleariiiji,- of the hij^di lands.
Farming; properly, so called, with sonu; exceptions, is far from bein^ riphtljf
pracdised. Tlu; capabilitit's of the soil, by prop(.'r maiiurinj^ and cultivatioBj
have never been fully tt'sted ; drainiiig is scarcely known, althoui,di now
attention is Ixdn^ direct(!d to its importance. The system (d" rotation of
crops- I'roin imprudence ami want of manajrcment — it has been inconvenioot
to practice; f>louj^liiiip; has too often been little better than scratching tho
Boil ; tlu; making and saving of manure has been little understoo<], and
straiigidy iieglccti-d; t' v-upcriority of pure bre<l stock has not been apprft^
ciatcid ; the neccissit} of properly housing and caring for cattle, has heon*
and still is sliamefully and cruelly iiegle(;ted. Nearly all such may he tracoa
to the circumstance, that farming as a moans of subsistenco has not boe»
relied nnoti.
their now irji
her' toi'or.' hi I
laTid : he gf •
husliand'',\ ; t|
ni^kc-^hiit for
that its pr Hsi'!
gcstion of ( • .'
diHConlelil 'l ■
on til • 'uud ; i
Tl.:s lend-; 1
yenrs li.i-s 1k"-
from the deer
to. .\i any iiu!
with proper o
far befiw ihei
taujdit her s i
wa-lcd liieifis
country afra'i'
iidluciice in s
tc' timoiiy, tli-
It v>-.is not to
take |iiacc.
naturally be (
Ileii'e. while
ami til" riiit(
Kow is it t
corcur in the
a more lavi-<h
and wdtli the
that there an
man succccdi
capital in nio
hand il is als
imposed, c!in
and [leculiarl
Alltln.t wou!^
con I led with
On cnmnai
the [*ro\ in<'0
Bome crops, i
pric(>s compr
large dcmam
affords to tin
hia lab.our in
the 'igriculti
fitted to rais
many eases i
agricultural
has been be;
and liurning
been little u
to be of no i
lift, tlili
'ri)vi(liri|
I'irirtirig
* it. t!iiii
i| in tlt«
Amlrcwj
with llic
111! \V.;Ht
I'icr biii^i-
» Irct in
i'ovA tliev
lor Viirflii
II. I'nini-
loKc. ilayB
Iii''ni(iv«
( ii)iatiiiii.
irilH wore
siiriipti.jD
• CJII-'^ofiB
iiillil siip-
idduco ik"
iioss aad
il)S(irliirig
ic'ii .slow
lowors of
rcHs iirt n
lidstowcd
and it is
lulls work
i>r in this
s llilo|)t.ud
ai^'li. In
alijc Ian J,
■ullivatcd
y lur suea
'. Tlicr*
•iiisin>^ 0/
liy a vorj
laile most
rty, to th«
i^iriphtly
iltiviitioB,
)u,i:li now
:)tution of
onvcniont
cliing the
too<I, and
cu apjjrw"
lia.s boon,
1)0 traced
not bcctt
10
rclicfl »ir.on. Tli.i ri-li ictnnn fn in r..nn>'i Innilurin^r nprralinns, still .xtcml
thoiriPAv irinrir,. Hl^'.'ts, t-. ii^ im^imt ai..l M.'i.dy rniM.it. N.-ry.ity
|„,r, ti .or.. '.; i n.p.lN-l tli. -> uirr tn .].. tli.- l.-si l.r cnnM wi li ,m
land: lir K"" '^ •'»» » 'livi.l-d all.niiMi to all inatt.Tr^ r •littn- I., u |.nJit;iMe
hush.irln ; tl.- pnrMiit -.I' a-rirultiiiv lias b.Hi rat la' ' n tlic natn.v nl .1
n,ak'-liil't iHi' tin- tini- iH.Jnjr, aii.l tlic raim I.H.l on m with m> .-liul.l => i«"l«l,
tlmt it- iM ^s.'ysor in manv <"isi-. !,i.- ••''••ii ready to ahaii.l.n it at I h> rn;;-
.n-tion .v. • TV i-oimin- advcntnnr. Sn-h liax in^r Imci. too imirli the cisl.
disro,,!.!,' '1 -'i.-caili-d: .•arinin- wouid imt pay: tl..' ianlf lia. \.rvu laid
on til • 'i.nd : llir Coiintv and iiirniin,!.' 'Tied dnwn. ^
'I'i.is load-; 11- lo i.otirc till' (•..nscpi 'lit cmiKratinii wliirli |.m- t,i.' l^-t t.n
yoarK li... Ik-i. p-in- on to a Iarp> and aiariuiii- .•Mmt. a-; may !"• jmli-^."
from tlio d.'Cfcas.. IVom tlio pm-rcsMVr iii.Tt-..^ in popnlatioii l.Hniv alhK r,|
to. Minv iiidivMnals in t'li- Cn'inly ..wniii- tlirnin piod laims, ('apal.io
with piopr ordinary attcntiMii. of iviid.riii;; a .•.•iiip.'toiu y, liav.. sol-l tlii'm
far li.dnw .h.'ir vahir. liav p.ti'- to Miniirr r.'nioiis, whoiv .■xpt>ncn.;(> haa
tan-ht lu'r -^ilnt .rv [.■s^ons and the waiidcicr has hccii l.atiiiiatc, il, Iroin
wa-'lrd iiH'Uis. hohas had runn-h > pared to eiiahle him to ntnni to \n^
conntn- aprn, liap.r. to teaeh tin- lesson- nf .ontenlniei.t, and exeni.e hi.s
infhieiie,- in st.vin/nti.eis iVeiii leaviii^^ their rarnis. as w.dl as !„■ nin- hi.»
tc'tiuioi-v. that'faniiin-. when properly condnete,!. in this ( ounty will pa.v.
It was lu.t lo I.eej.p.Ttrdthat immi-raiioii, nnder .Mieh eireiini^taTMes, w,,mN
take phor. irmcnnfnieaiisde.ired to s. Ilie ill tlie Caintv, thev w.a.ld
nafnrallv he deterred, if piided hy the e,.ii<Iiul .,f those already setth^l 11, it.
Ilne'e. whilu men of i-ai>ital and a<rrieultural skill have pn.iivd int.. ( anada
and tlf^ I'liited States, this Coniitv at lea4. has been |m><ed hv.
Now i- 't II- firt tliat {'lairlntte Camty is no plaeo lor iurmers . W g
coneur in th. .isstM-tion. that tlniv are many eonutries, wlnre nature with
anin,-,. !avi-h hand, will dve to the Im4.np'i;ian a m.-re ahundant harvest,
and witli the eNp.'iiditnivof less la!K,nrand UH.o.s: lait it i. hkrwi-o trno
that there are i;.\v plaees that present a more fivorahle (dianee h)r the pool-
man siieee. din- hv his farm, (/// //'''/;/s- r,>nsi<!,,r<J. as this Couiily. Soino
capital in mofev i"s needed ; hut where is nnt this the case? On the otiur
band il is iiNo true that land is ehea]) ;iiid payable on easy teriv h w taxes
imposed. .•iiii..t.' heakhv and favorable to the ^rowth ol ahiin-t .ny crop,
and i>eculiarlv so for i^ome : possessin- reai' . kefs Inr bar!, r or ca-h.
All tir.t would seem tola" wantinu- to ensure .Mi'cess.i-^ a spirit ol eontenlmeiit,
con led with well directed eii-irv. providence and ocoiioiiiy m m in i.irement.
O'n ena-narin" the -tatistieal n'tani' ,d' prndaee of the various ('(.unties of
the I'nnin.'-. iMippears that Cliarlntte Cunnty his ;;n eoinl average, and on
eome crops sicli as potatoes and Indian corn, a -nilir yield. 'I he markot
prices compare favorably. Liimberiiifx h^-n\'A <'arried on so < :;tensive]y, a
larjre dcmairl is made fir produce, especially hay; wltilst the same busine83
aftords to the small farmer an opportunity of ei'.riiin.L; soiiiu ready cash, trora
his lai)our in th(- woods. Hut what ha.^ been, and still is to a t^n^at extent,
the u^ricnll lira! condition of the County ? We have sud that tlio land is
fitted to raise avorasjc crops with most of tln^ .ilher ciauitios; buttliism
ma-iv cases tells of the vir^'in productivin"ss (.f the soil,— not the yield by
aj^ricultural .skill: Vvhere land has been cultivated ari-ht, the annual return
hm been boyoiid that obtained from same land aftcT the imiaediatc clearing
and burnino^r the value of manure: the savinij:: and compostinir of same, has
been little understo,,d: imperfect buildin-s for cattle, with numbors, seem
to be of no account ; in short, the whole story of tho agricultural couditioa
'•!
I
io
of thn County, ho fur im tlie pursnit of furtnirit,' n^ a hu^inei^ri is mnconiod
HVivIk; hiiiiu.mmI up l.y ,«iiyin^Mh;it, in .jnantl, as yv\, it is sccoixlan/ and
suhmihiifii |(, (it III. r |iiisiiii'>s.
Nfccssily, iiti'l tlii^ Irss.iiis (if cxpcricrK'c, nrc imw, Iiowcvor, iniikiii;;; con-
Bi<l.:rnl.|c altcniti.iii for th,. Ix'tt.-r: the liimlMTiii^r hiisincMs is now Ix'injr
^mhmI V( rv pnM.'Miioiis ; t!,,,... ..|i^r,ij,o.l in Ji (in,|inu. tlmt ono vonr with ano.
jL \^ ""^ *"""" ""■'^' '"''"'*^''^y' '"'* ratii.'niiT Icmts: attVntiun in l.i.Jng
PrVlW'uly furii -.1 tn the niiirn sdltcr (>nfr;i;r,,„„.|,t df a^rrii'iiltnir. an<l tlio per-
u.MnPKt Miipn.x.Kr f.t (,f f!„. farn), and tlio (Mcu|iaiif Irarninj; lo la; conti-nt
w»i ' tlio i*)n\v,.r III! -nr, r ntunn from lii.' Hiinic : <'aictiii (('(aKany and
Htea.iJfiistries^ aro fi.|» to I, • r. qiiisito to HiiPtvss ; whilst fn.ni the inanv who
had «'mipratL'(| toother laii.|=, hut now return. d, the tale is told in sonretinios
Had iind sobered afrents, that th. y have se.'U no plaro in whieh sfeadv
industry can he Letter rewar.h'd, l.oth in competeneo and hap[.iru«s.s, than in
thejiorne they !ii.| jei't : and In whicli tlajy had heen ;,dad to return.
f'Doil is thus hein,',' I)re»m'!it out of evil ;' a fresji I'Uyy^y is l.cinj,' instilled,
und .untentia-iit settliiez > 'vn upon the inhuliilants, and a healthy tone of
feelin;,' fast takin^^ the plaee of complaint and <lepreeialieii. 'I"he sev( ral
mtirkets in the chief towin of tlu' County allord an eppoitunitv for the salo
of snpcrllnons pro(lu;-e. to wliich plu'-es thrre are in every rlireetion good
conHiiiniiritit.n hy means of well luiilt roids. whilst in |lro^'poct tlutro is tho
St. Andrews mil t^nihi.' • If lilnmd, whi( h, when in active operation, will
prove an inestimiM' privile;.'.' in the tran- it of [trodu v' for tin; settleniont^j
ulon;,' its line: andsitn:ited as the County is on iIm^ iM.rdi-rs of .Maine, no MnalJ
iidviinta;ic is thus posses.sefl hy the ready mark.^t wiiich Calais proM nl-.
We turn_ now to the mention of A^'ri.'ultural Societies and K.xhil.itions.
The hjMii'lits of su -li are luirkcd in iiriilc i/iirj nu] /„r^rviii>/ a sjiirtl of
u<in->i't (rr. In tliis County there are at present "four A-'rii'ultural Societies,
al! ol winch ar-- mi a flonrisiiin.i; ccndition. The oldest of these is the -'Char-
lutte County Society," estahli>hed sinre 1S:J(I: the other .-ocieties, of more
recent date, are the " St. Crdx A,v'riciiltural Society," ♦he '• St. (Jeorgo and
Peiinticld Soeiety," and the "St, I'atri.^k Central' Society," einl)ra(Mnp: ia
their coiiipiss the lour <livi.>inns of tlie County, and as a larfre conmiuiiitv is
conipris(,.il in vwvU division, and (li>laiit from ("'aeh oth(M- at their nearest cen.
tral |.oint some twenty miles, it will appear (juite necessary that there should
exist tliis nunilu'r. Compri-in.'jr. as these societies do, nK*inl)ors of all pro-
fessions and husiness. the imp irtant avocation and resp(>ctal)le character
ol the firmer is upheld: emulation loosens the purse strin,iz:s of the more
wea!t!iy, desirous of possessing- and exhil.it inp,- the hest hreeds of stock, which,
when seen, evercise their inlluence. The hij,'her tlie standard of com|)arison
is r.ii-ed, tlie more his the firmer striven to olitain t!ie knowledge ixMpiisite
to pnuhicc --ood results, and the very lalior in its attainment tends to mako
him appreciate his culling. It will not he sulfi-ient, however, to rest aatia-
fied with the i^xhihitions of sto-k and proda'.;e, Model Farms require also to
be presented to view. A'erv mu"!i of the success of
ae-rii
■ulturc
and
the
instilling ;, pn,per agricultur.il spirit throughout the community, must dejiend
on uidindu'jl exertion and enterprise. Men of menus and taste for agricul.
tnro are called upon to pre-^ent in the superior i'lrming, stock, machinery,
buildings. A-c, a test and stimulus to the farmer, ..m. ■ t'r. ultiiral education
of the most convincing kind js thus atl'orded. 'I ■; ..Itural sf ''t. we
premiums to be
I
awarded in money.
.^rg(j
Attentitui has not yet boon snfTiciently turned towards the
Lubor ijaving Machines. The high price of lal
Dor i,s a great dr
importance of
•awback to suo?
ces<ful furtnii
itici)tii!» t.t on
KU'li nrehin :
niio'hines is tl
nre lieyond li
liar province i
think that Ag
chewing the i
learned that t
fii'liire till ill
aside ti'iiiii an;
in "lit liy all it
who are deter
of premium m
.Old lie»towid
•saving Machii
suggestion, til
nwarded, to n
used, what jir^
i-oiic> pra'-tical
far i| Would III
for th" exhiliil
cultivated fan
greatest impn
Now that tl
ture — :i miiclii
suggestions v.
the best inten
'I'hc County
they are inui
bestow the sal
and on the str
success attend
that fortune w
true as regiid
professional m
bering and tin
in order to sm*
more necessar
nerative yeir I
having an inte
the work of esi
of patriotism o
the Well direct
Agriculture,
through them
helping hand \
where it is <le-
a wise and lihi
that ngricjiitni
factures and c(
of Agriculture
rolls, a mire fa
cultural condit
21
i
Cf.'S4ful fiirtiiiiig. It inuy l.o worthy of coijsir!ortiti(.fi how fur it nIiouM I)«
iiiciiiii!). i.t nri t'Vi'ry A'criculttinil Society, rt'icivini; IVoviii<"iiI iiiil, to Imvo
►'ii'li ini.'hiii;' , tn l)(( let oiit t'ur xlii.'-irt !iiiv. Till' iiitn 'lurtii.ii ..( '^;^l(•h
nii'chiiip>i in till- hi'i^i way i)riiiiiTiif'i'>.tiii^' tlirir utility. Ah tin- prii-c of hmcIi
arc Itcynnd ilir idciiiih of iiio,it ot'oiir |t.inr fiiriiuT.'*," if woiiM ,<»'(iii tlic [ic.-ij.
liiir t)ri>vii»i'o of hOficticH to (issi^^l in this ro...|nM'i. ' um iiiii. li .li>iMi^r(l to
think that .\;.'rlc iiltunil KnIuI "tidiis imvo ai'i'uiii|.l' ■! Iieir iiiiiiii <li'^ij;ii in
shi'\\iiii4' tin- (•a|iiiliili!i(s i.r th ""il ami such li' mo liiriinT Ins i.irw
loariipfi that to raise ihc i i-i |ir(ii!u"\ tn k,.i|i (iic ln'st ctuck, 'uhI to iiiaiiU'
Jactiirc th' I'l'^t pidds, i-. wmi'iy in a |.friiiiiary view nf his iiiiii(>f*j oxcrtioii,
a-*i,||. tVniii iiiiy iirospcctivt. i^.tiii. What. now is (iitwt waiitnl is, fuciirajri'.
iri'-nt Ity all aids t(t tho faniierM who arc in sitruinlituni'd circniri'.taiir s, but
who arc determined tn live i. thrir faim-. Tin' larpfo aiiniiat cxjifudifuro
ol'iircniinni niuiiey iiiijrht he iniieh ninrc profital-ly ii]i[ii;ed i,> the junvhaso
and l<c-tn\\;d (il'ppnil M^cfls. artiiicial mihurcs. and the iiiti. dri.'tinn of I^ivbor
fcfaviiiu' .Macliin<-i, nindc availalile on e.i>y ti'rnis. It may he aisu nvirthv «jf
mi^'frcstion, that it he niaile incumiient un thd-e tu whom pi-eminm- may ho
awarded, to narrate hnw the particular pmdue,. wai< raised, what manure
• Ned. what preparatiuii of.-oil, cn-i ..f lahor, and such like i)arl' iilars. that
mni" pra'-tical piod may lie f^ained. It i> als-o worthy of otinsideration how
lai- fl would hi- expedient, in li.calilies pc.piijoiis ennn'tih. to have local Fairs,
for the exhiliiiinn and sale of >t,„-k. produce. cVe. IVemiiiui!* for the hust
cidtivatod farms mi-lit al-o have -., must hcncfieial elU-et, as also for tho
greatest improvement in sloi'k, or il- introduction.
Now that the I.e;ris|ature have instituted a Provincial I5oard id' A{,'ricul.
ture— a iiiiichinery nnich wanted — it may hi' looked lor that maiiv i)riictical
HU^^'cstiims will tVom time to time he inade. and carrietl o, . e. "n iucivo to
the lu'st interests of a^^riealtuie.
'Ihe ('(MHity id' Charlotte possesses mer) of sturdy armaiidt luriiifr sjiirit ;
they are inured to iIk' hardest toil, and if once' they > ui e induced to
bestow the sanii' ilili-iviice aud lahor on the farm as th'ey hav, in the woods
and on th(> stream, they will not he louu' in iliscoNcriu;;' that a hiore lasting
Huocess attenils their toil and perseveranc<'. They mn-t La .. however
that fortune will ma Hivor a iliriflnl airl lii^lrni I, ,1 nil, ,,ii,,i, ■ !;ii.-mi'nt
true as re-- lids also iju' meehanic. tlie in tniiiaeturer. the merci, mt, or tho
professional iiriii. The time is close at Ii ;iid when, in this Connl , the lum-
herin- aud the farmin,;:- interest must hecome distinct, and he pri served so
in order to success in either. The interests f>f ajrriculture are dailv lu'com:;-^
more nece.s.sary to he attiUKhnl to. I.uml.erin^- is more diiiicidt and :-ss remiT-
nerative year l.y year, hi order, tlieii, to i.reveiit depopulation, ali persona
Jiavinf; au interest m the cmiut ry are imperatively called upon to I, Ip on in
the work of estahlishing the basis of a country's prosperitv, be it Iron motives
of patriotism or selfishness. .Much al<o will (haihtless be accompl; lied by
the well directed laliors of the several memi.eis of tin- Provincial 1 .ard of
Agriculture. I'lie wants and re(piirement< ol' the several Counti s may
throuiih them become better known, aial we feel assured that a rea.:v and
helpiutr haul will be at all times extended by our (bivernment to ui]; nl aid
where it is .leserved, to develop resources liow oidv partiallv known, atid by
a wise and liberal patronage and protection [.rove "to the Counties at large
that agrienUuro is the main A;\y of every eountrv, aUil tl.u; prccurso. of, ,.uu-
factures and commerce. .<uch being the hope'l for case, the Provincial Loard
of Agriculture will, ere long, be enabled to prepare, from e.ssavs on 'heir
rolls, a :n re lavorablc tale than in this imperfect one is given, of tho .larl
cultural condition of the County of Charlotte. o ' d