East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1866-10-11

ing in the forest, and contributed more
encouraging statistics to the agricul4
tural record of the State. 1t is prob
able, that ut all events, agricultuture
by such means would have so advanc-
ed, that the present demand of local
consumers could have been satisfied
from the abundance of our home pro-
ducers. That is contamination great.
ly TO be wished. When we reflect ON
the change that such condition i'm.
plies, the addition to the population
of the townships, the stimulus to the
sale of farming land, and the conse-
quent appreciation of its value, We
cannot fail to be reminded that we
have not in the past mado tho most Of
our opportunities.
A few farms on Cass river. a larger
hero and there one in other parts OK
the county, had, prior to 1860, been
yearly conducted with intelligent vig-
or and singleness of purpose. They
were early distinguished by .heir COM
modious buildings, thrifty orchards,
their clean, tidy and expanding fields,
and by all the significant works of in
dustry, successful husbandry and ru-
raj taste. They were too conspicuous
to the public eye to require more
particular allusion; they are now seats
Of comfort and moderate afluenco.--
In thoroughness of culture, and in
the abundance produced annually by
the acre, they will not suffer by COM
parison with the best farms in the
State. Being classed however in Off.
cial reports, with the multitude on
which the owners spent their leisure
days meditating new operations in
pine, or other labors having no Kim
dred with farming these excellent
farms were statistically. Inundated.
Willie this Indifference to agrieut-
ture continued, the large amount of
capital employed In numbering, and
in auxiliary and dependent morchan-
dlzlng, was .scrupulously, withheld, to :.
every practicable extent, from invest.
ment In real estate The eye could
not, with a few exceptions, rest upon
any local improvements, which did
not, by their transitory and unsub-
stantial character suggest, that our
business, then locally impor-,
tant, was temporary, that when the last
cargo Of lumber should leave the river,
all activity and enterprise would de-
part with it, and the Saginaw Valley
be abandoned to the silence of desc
lation and forgetfulness. The saga
cious founder of the city within whose
shade we this day meet, however, sur
veyed the country with deeper in.
sight into its resources, and q clearer
foresight of the forthcoming develop
ment, lie lavished his money in i'm
pIEQv9gRmsRta which hiaeyS isaReeS q 9aqeptit aqeptite 6filage
and prophecy. Many at the time gazed
upon them with an incredulous smile;
but that smile is now genial and be-
lieving.
The period Of doubt and hesitation
has passed away, aud with it the coy
ness of capitalists. They have here
become domesticated. The--opening
Of salt wells was a signal for general
activity in business for six years wo
have beheld the working of new
life--the effects of a sudden, decisive
and confident forward movement in
the right direction. 1t has Inaugural
ted new era in our farming. There
was 10 want Of sufficient encourage
ment before; now the inducements are
more fo,cible than in any locality in
tho West. The soil is excellent; it is
of uniform and surprising fertilit,;
no larger yields of cereals aud vegeta-
bles can anywhere be found. Timber,
of which there is now an abundance,
possesses peculiar value, FOR fuel,
for slaves, hoops ard lumber. The
process Of converting wooded into ar
able land, instead of being expensive,
as is generally the case in u new coun-
try, may fitly be spoken Of here ns
the prcft Of clearing nsw land. The To-
cal market is ample and greedy. Eve
ry product Of farming and horticul-
ture is at once lespoken, and the
prices always are in advance Of those
paid in any other portion Of the State.
On the important question of tho
healthiulness of the climate, need
not pause for moment. If there ars
any visages among us that betray tho
marks Of disease, they are not to the
manor born," they must have como
from abroad and the invalid has
chosen wisely the place Of resort to
recuperate. Here he is as safe as on
the most favored ground God has Civ
en- to man. From my experience and
observation during residence for
over thirty years in this and an ad-
joining county, for large part of that
period here, can certify that our
county is peculiarly exempt from the
prevalence Of disease, that no part OF
our State, which is proverbiallY salu-
brious, is more so.
In conclusion I congratulate the
society on the success OF its first
annual exhibition. Although the
season has not been particularly pro-
pitious there is fair collection of the
fruits of the land. Every branch OF
trade and industry is creditably repre-.
scnted. The ladies too have graced
the occasion with exceedingly intorcs.
ing contributions.
This society deserves tho attention
and co. operation of every farmer. Il
| is we'll calculated 10 stimulate health
ful inquiry and labor, to induce pro
ftable emulation. 1t will promot,
} the interchange Of practicable view,
, by bringing together the men VIII,
have had large experience. 1t is b,
: such means that the character Of thi
: timc-honored branch Of industry ha
! been elevated, ennoblcd and rendere
2 moio productive, by receiving til
benefit Of general experiments, u
. aid of ingenious inventions, aud II
Q revelations of science.