EARLY AGRICULTURAL METHODS

With the arrival of the first settlers around 1810 the practise of farming in the community had its origin. Settlers faced with the hard task of clearing the forest and preparing a home were restricted to the crudest of agricultural methods. An 1832 account of RE]. by J.L. Lewellin gives a vivid description ofthe farming methods employed by these early settlers:

“The first operation of settlement upon a wood farm is to cut down timber, which is done about a yard from the ground, it is then junked into 9 feet lengths and burnt. The trunks which remain are piled and again burnt, until the settler is allowed to put in his potato crop, which is done by gathering with a hoe, such mould as the roots will admit into hills, in each of which four or five sets are planted. Wheat sown broad—cast, and covered with the hoe, generally succeeds; or oats, among which timothy seed is or ought to be sown for hay, and the land remained under grass till the stumps will come out, commonly in five or six years, ifthe timber had been hardwood. The great want of a new settler is ‘hay’?’

An opinion has been expressed by a Lowland Scotch farmer, that, if the settlers wrought only 3 days in the week, as they are obliged to do in the old country every day, they would obtain a sufficiency to supply their wants . . .

“A piece of land moderately dressed with stable manure, and imperfectly tilled will produce 300 bushels of potatoes, heaped Winchester measure per acre, although cultivated only with the plough. After potatoes, wheat is sown producing 20 bushels or more. The general mode of conducting a farm is slovenly, often wretched. Cattle, sheep and pigs are turned into the woods . . 3’

“The manures obtained are kelp, other seaweed or eelgrass, mussel-mud, marsh-mud from banks in the rivers and other mud found in swampy places . . 3’

“Settlers generally make their own clothing from wool and homespun, also blankets, stockings, socks, and mittens. The wool is dyed with indigo. Some families make linen goods from flax. Leather is tanned by most settlers from their own animals’ hides; and there is some need of it, shoes being very expensive. The colonists make a lot of their own soap and candles but the greater number burn fish oil for light . . Z’

“The settlers kill their own animals for meat, selling any extra to others as there are no butchers or butchers’ shops . . 3’

“There is a great deal of the spirit of hospitality which is pleasing in every country. Gardens and or— chards are much neglected although apples and other fruits thrive well, and no country can boast of finer vegetables, which are not so early as in England. Many of the settlers live very much on fish, (herring, mackeral, cod, lobsters, etc.) and potatoes, oatmeal porridge, and milk. A settler may begin farming without a shill-

ing in his pocket . . 3’

Up to the 1830’s most of the farming was still hard work by spade, hoe, sickle, scythe and axe. The grain had to be threshed by hand with a flail.

A census commissioned for the Island in 1834 gives an account of agricultural produce and animals kept. The returns for Lot 25 list as crops: wheat, barley, oats and potatoes and mention milk cows, oxen,

other cattle, sheep, horses, and hogs as common farm animals.

The 1841 census provides more detailed information on agricultural activity in the Freetown area. Comparison of the census with land records and genealogical data suggests that 23 farmers were living in

Freetown in 1840. FREETOWN AGRICULTURAL DATA — 1840

CATEGORY AVERAGE AMOUNT Arable land 29.7 acres (Avg. of 26) Farm size 105.7 acres (Avg. of 26) Wheat 39.3 bushels (Avg. of 23) Barley 7.7 bushels (Avg. of 23) Oats 112.0 bushels (Avg. of 23) Potatoes 234.0 bushels (Avg. of 23) Horses 2.0 (Avg. of 23)

Cattle 10.0 (Avg. of 23)

Sheep 15.9 (Avg. of 23)

Hogs 6.4 (Avg. of 23)

30