The weekly clarion., 1874-11-12
GRANGE DEPARTMENT..


From the First Century OF the r Republic,'
in H1rper's Magazine for November.1
In the course OF century, with their
narrow fringe, of country, the colonists
had transformed the wilderness into a
fertile and productive territory. Agri-
culture WAS their t:tvori. e pursuit. Tray
elers from Europe were struck with the
skill with which they cultivated the rich
and abundant soil, the fine farmhouses
that filled the landscape, the barnes over
flowing with harvests, the cattle, the
sheep. The northern and middle colo
MES were famous for wheat and corn.
Pennsylvania was the granery of the
nation. In New Jersey the fine farms
that spread from Trenton 10 Elizabeth
town excited the admiration Of the sc;en-
tifc Kahn. Long Island was the garden
Of America, and all along the valleys
opening upon the Hudson, the Dutch and
the Hugenot co:onsts had acquired ease
aud opulence by a careful agriculture.
The farmhouses, usually built of stone,
with tall roofs and narrow windows,
were scenes of inte !ligent industry. While
the young men labored in the fields, the
mothers and daughters spun wool and
fax, and prepared Il large part of the
clothing Of the family. The farmhouse
was mandatory OF all the articles of
daily use. Even nails were hammered
out in winter, and the farmer WAS bis
own mechanic A school and a church
were provided for almost every village.
Few children were left untaught by the
Dutch dominic, who was sometimes paid
IL wampum, or the New England student,
VINO lived among his patrons, and was
not always fed upon the daintiest fare.
On Sunday labor ceased, the church-bell
toIled IN the distance, Il happy calm set
ued upon the rural region, and the farmer
and his family in their ncatest dress,
rode or walked to the village church.
Iae farming class, usually intelligent
and rational, formed in the northern col
onies the sure reliance of freedom, and
When the invasion came the Hessians
We're driven out Of New Jersey by the
general rising of its laboring farmers. and
Blrgoyne was captured by the resolution
OF the people rather than the timid gem
eralship of Gates.
The progress Of agriculture at the
South was even more rapid and remarka-
bic than ut the North. The wilderness
WIS swiftly converted into a fertile region.
The coast, from St Mary's to Delaware,
with its inland country, became within a
century the most valuable portion of the
earth. It's products were eagerly sought
lor in all the capitals of Europe, and one
hoxlous plant of Virginia has supplied
mankind with new vice and new pleas
lre. 1t would be useless to relate again
the story of the tobacco trade. Its culti-
Ivatlon il Virginia was an epoch in the
history of man. Tobacco was to Virginia
the life of trade and intercourse; prices
were estimated in it; the salaries of the
clergy we're fixed at so many pounds of
tobacco. All other products of the soil
were neglected in order to raise the saw
age plant. Ships from England came
over annually to gather in the great crops
Of the large planters, and Washington,
one of the most successful of the Virginia
landowners and agricultualists, was ac-
customed to watch keenly over the vessels
and their captains who sailed up the
Fotomac to his very dock. The English
traders seemed to have been often anxious
70 depreciate his cargoes and lower his