The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-06-04
COMMUNICATIONS.
Letter from western New York.


Letter from Western New York.
Beauty and fertility of the country unsur-
passed Agricultural enterprise and
products - Wooi-grotoing Sheep-shearing
festivals Facts for Maine ,rool-grouers
-aChmning done by dogs and sheep as ddiry-
mdids-Iateresting and udluable sfdtistics-
Canal enIargements s-A hint to Maine pom
ologists-Ne,p York patriotic-7he rebellion
to be crushed. tfE2
HECTOR, N. Y, May 2S, 1858.
To the Editor Of the Press;
Have you room for few notes from West
ern New York? Your occasional corresponds
ent finds himself for a few days among the
farmers and business men of this far famed re-
gion, and perhaps may be excused for occupy
ing an hour during brief period of leisure,
in jotting down few notes by the way for
the readers OF the Press. 'tr
My present location is one of surprising
lovliness To be appreciated 1t must be seen.
Denizens of the city may indeed sigh for such
rural beauty as this, and well envy the occu-
pants of the happy homes that cluster among
the hills and valleys of this fertile region. Sem
eca lake is sheet of water about 40 miles
long and two miles in mean width, ex-
tending from Geneva on the north to Watkins
on the south. On either side, the land rises
gradually from the shore for several miles to
the hight OF some 200 feet, sothat the eye
takes in view of so miles or more in extent
without changing position. This vast am
phitheater is studded all over with farm hous-
es, villages and cities, nesting among the
fields and woodland, intersected by railroads,
canals and telegraph lines. A view from the
ridge Of land either east or west OF the lake will
reveal regions of still greater extent and equal
fertility. Such are briefly some of the phys
ical features of this vast region known as
WesternNew York. Many portions are much
more densely settled, than this. Unlike our
State there is but little waste land so that
cultivated fields, fruitful orchards, and SYM
etricai patches of woodland neatly and sub
stantially fenced in squares or parallelograms,
make up the landscape for hundreds OF miles
in extent.
have no means Of knowing the amount or
value of products in detail of different towns,
but a friend, whose opportunities as an extern
sive dealer in stock and produce afford the
means OF ascertaining, gives me the following
for the single Town OF Hector is Schuyler Co.
Real and permanent estate assessed, 81 540,-
000-Population 5000. Wool sold last year tor
$4,000. Clover and Timothy seed for $4,000.
Number OF moving machines used in town
about 100. OF these 80 were sold by himself
as agent of the Wood patent, so justly popu-
lar with the farmers, being mostly the com-
bined machine for both moving and reaping
Flour, butter, cheese, peaches, sheep, cattle,
horses &c. are produced in vast quantities Tor
the. New York market which is reached by the
Erie and Central railroads and the Erie canal,
canal boats taking the produce from the nu-
merous landings along the lake. The facilities
for travel are unsurpassed. Seneca lake, un-
lkeour own Sebago and other waters in Maine,
or any Others here, has been frozen but twice
within the memory Of the oldest citizens. Thus
five steamers run every business day in the
year, for passengers and freight No ice en-
barge stops them here, while the great lakes
ofthe West and all the fresh water ports north
and east of New York city are Theoretically
sealed. The proximity ofthe Pennsylvania coal
fields, only go miles distant, is a convenience
that we Portlanders may well covet. While we
pay $40 ton for coal, the same article here
is supplied for S.
/ think our farmers in Maine might profit
by some Of the plans adopted by their brethren
here. Sheep raising and wool-growing are
favorite and profitable pursuits. As means
OF Improvement and a stimulus to greater
success, they hold an occasional Sheep-Shear-
ing Festival. These are occasions of special
interest TO wool-growers. Farmers select
few of their finest and heaviest wooled sheep,
take them TO the Festival, shear them on the
spot, and committee determines and reports
carefully for publication in the local and agri-
cultural papers the precise weight of fleece,
weight OF sheep, quality of fiber aud condition
of each. Such Festival was held last season
at Havanna, the county seat of this, Schuyler
Co. Farmers thus become personally acquain-
ted with each other, and interchange views
and experience TO mutual advantage. notice
by the printed reports of the last Festival,
that Samuel NJ. Barker sheared from one
sheep 10 lbs. and from another 13 lbs. of clear
washed wool, the sheep weighing respectively
lis 1-2 and 106 lbs. Various others came near
this, but none equalled it. This gentleman is
successful wool-grower and dealer, and is
doing much for the agricultural interest in
this section. He has obtained sheep from
Vermont at 500 a head to improve his own
and neigbbors flocks. Last year he sold 200
feeces, the yield of several focks, averaging
lbs. and IA OF. each. Why should not Maine
farmers do the same? have traversed the
state extensively, but have seen no focks to
equal this as average WELD
Speaking OF sheep reminds me of the use
some OF the good housewives make OF them
mere. am sure our butter-makers that supply
the Portland and other down-east markets
would enjoy it as a treat to see his wooly
majesty doing up the churning promptly, and
perhaps doubt my sincerity If l say he does.
But 1t is nevertheless true. Sometimes it is n
dog, which proudly treads the revolving plat
form, instead of sheep. These dog or sheep
churning machines are valuable institution
The quadrupeds thus relieve the task of the
dairy y-maid, by very small outlay for a ma
chine by which Dick or Lion can make as
good butter as Bridget or the mistress.
This great commonwealth well deserves the
title OF Empire State In wealth, area, popu-
lation, internal Improvements, educational in
stitutions, &c, she leads all her sisters. Look
for moment at the following figures. Her
area is 46,OS5 square miles, almost equal to the
whole of England, and her population $780,
735 souls Her people have built and now use
3475 miles Of railroad at a total cost Of S13S,-
100000 fdollars, carrying last year IS, ,l2s 900
passengers.