Excerpt from A History of St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties, New York: From the Earliest Period to the Present Time

In tracing the birth and infancy of our settlements, through the weakj ness, and perhaps the waywardness of inexperienced youth, up to the maturity of manhood, it has been our uniform desire to render impartial justice to the merits of those to whom belongs the credit of having met and overcome the difficulties of a new country, and through along course of years, with hope deferred, have waited and labored for the accomplish ment of those objects which were calculated to secure a lasting benefit to the country. About 1818, the first attempt was made to establish the dairy interest, a branch of agriculture which will, to a considerable de gree, supersede every other, as the broken nature of the surface, in towns underlaid by primary rock, renders pasturage the most profitable use to which much of the land can be applied. The direct access to the mar kets, at all, times, \which is now enjoyed, enables the farmer to avail him self of the calls of the market, and derive every advantage that has hitherto been felt only by those living in the vicinity of large cities. Al though butter and cheese are required for consumption by millions, yet but a comparatively small part' of our dcountry is capable of producing them. The country that yields these articles is mainly limited to the northern border of the Union; the climate of the central and southern portions not being adapted to the purpose. This species of husbandry likewise possesses the elements of perpetuity within itself, from the very small amount of the produce of fields that are taken away. Of other sources of wealth our counties possess an enviable Share, when these resources come to be known and appreciated, they can not but be im proved.

The great and increasing amount of freight bus1ness done on the Northern railroad, and the corresponding addition to the commerce of the river and lakes to meet this road, bear evidence that the public are beginning to realize the advantages of the communication, and to reap the benefits to be derived from it.

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