animals, together with horses, as these became available; the Rev. S.G. Lawson (above) states that small but hardy horses were obtained from the Magdalen Islands and from Quebec via the Acadians. Overseer David Lawson was quick to build up stock -— horses, cattle, sheep and hogs — and in 1774 he was able to give 45 or more animals to settlers who were striking out on their own on leased land, after their four years as indentured servants were up. Flax growing, the raison d’étre of Stanhope Farm, never did get off the ground, owing to the adverse circumstances of the settlement, even though the local soil was found. to be suitable for flax; we think sending soil samples to the Depart- ment of Agriculture is so modern, but David Lawson sent soil samples home to Scotland for Sir James Montgomery to have investigated, over 200 years ago.

From the 1841 census, we find that most settlers had a reasonable number of farm animals and were growing wheat, barley, oats and potatoes. Later, in 1861, the yearly output of butter and cheese was noted for each farm, and so many yards of homespun cloth, fulled and; unfulled. Turnips were being grown at this time, and the amount of hay cut by each family was noted. The marsh hay, around Long Pond and in various other damp locations, was a much-prized bonus for the settlers; there was no work involved except cutting and carrying. Most farmers also fished, and we have records of how many barrels of cured herring and mackerel each family put by for the winter, as well as the number of gallons of fish oil.

Making Marsh Hay Robert Harris: Confederation Centre Art Gallery and Museum

39