white frosts had never done any injury to the vegetables in his garden. This ground was part of an interval, elevated scarcely twenty feet above Connecticut river.

A Mr. Bradley of Greenfield, (Conn.) in the year 1793 planted, very early, some cucumbers in the North-Western corner of his garden; where the ground was completely sheltered by a close fence on the Northern and Western sides. At the same time he planted others in the middle of his garden. The great frost, on the morning of May 18th, destroyed all the former; while the latter entirely escaped. This frost was more severe than any other, at so late a season, within my knowledge. In many places it killed the leaves of the forest trees; and in some, the rye, then in blossom, and the spear grass.

My own garden on Greenfield hill declined easily towards the East; yet its position was such, that the Western fence being an open one, it was brushed by the winds from the North-West even more effectually than most grounds, which decline towards that point. Accordingly I never lost a single plant by a white frost, during the nine years of my residence on that spot.

But a fact, more remarkable than any of these, is the following. In the garden of the Rev. Dr. Ripley, of Greens farms, a row of bush beans, a plant particularly tender, had, at the time of the great frost specified above, grown on the Western side of one of the alleys, running from North to South, to the height of perhaps eight inches. Immediately West of this row of beans, stood six or eight double rows of peas, at right angles with the beans, each at this time being about two feet in breadth, and a yard in height. Such of the beans, as stood at the ends of the rows of peas, and were sheltered by them from the Westerly wind, were killed: while all those, which stood in the interstices; (openings about six feet in breadth ;) were uninjured. Of these facts I was an eyewitness.

As nearly every such frost is produced by the North-West wind, it is evident, that plants, from which the dew is swept away by this wind will escape: while those, which by being sheltered from its current retain the dew, will be destroyed.

The facts already mentioned, it is believed, prove this point beyond all reasonable debate. Instead, therefore, of placing tender plants, or fruit trees, in a Southern exposure, or in any situation sheltered from the North-West winds, they ought to be laid open to its influence as much as possible. Orchards of all kinds, particularly, ought to be planted on North-Western, or where they cannot be obtained, on Western, or Northern declivities; so that, as much as possible, every tree may have the benefit of this exposure. On a plain the trees in the middle of an orchard will be effectually sheltered by those on the border; and will therefore always be in danger. I am, Sir, yours, &c.

STATE OF NEW-YORK,

CONTINUED.

LETTER I.

State of New-York-Its extent and population-Account of what has been done for the support of Learning and Religion-The different sects into which it is divided.

THE State of New-York contains about forty-five thousand square miles; about five thousand less than England. Almost all of it is capable of cultivation. Probably the part, which will be ultimately left in a forested state, will be less than enough to supply the demands of the inhabitants for timber and fuel. As the soil is rich, the climate favourable, and the inhabitants sufficiently intelligent and industrious to avail themselves of their advantages; the State is capable of sustaining a population as great in proportion, as that of England; or from seven to nine millions of inhabitants. If any thing should prevent this accumulation of people, it will probably be the want of fuel.

No country can be more advantageously situated for commerce. No commercial city can boast of a more advantageous position than that of New-York. The Hudson, in proportion to its size, is inferiour to no river in the world, in commercial faculties. The great lakes on the East, North, and West, yield a navigation, no where equalled by waters of the same kind. Even the Susquehannah, obstructed as it now is, will one day furnish, with its branches, an extensive communication with the Atlantic. When the artificial aids to navigation are provided, which may be rationally expected from the future wealth, and enterprise, of the inhabitants, they will be able to transport the products of their labour, in vessels of different sorts, almost from their own doors.

Of this commerce the mineral, vegetable, and animal, productions of the country will furnish ample materials.

Of the manufactures of this State I have already taken suffi cient notice.

From the character of the inhabitants, the nature of the soil, and climate; the proximity to navigable waters, always stimulating industry; and the abundance of gypsum, found in many parts of the country; the agriculture of this State will in all probability advance at least equally with that of any other in the Union. From these considerations it is evident, that the necessaries and conveniences of life will be found here in a degree, not inferiour to that, in which they are obtained in any other country.

The militia of this State are like those already described; inferiour in their discipline to those of Connecticut, and still more to those of Massachusetts; and, as a body, somewhat less hardy and energetic than those of Vermont, New-Hampshire, and Maine. Substantially they are the same men; and are regulated in much the same manner. Their number is not far from 120,000.

The rapidity, with which the population of New-York has increased, is without a parallel. In the year 1790 they amounted to 340,120; in 1800 to 484,620; and in 1810 to 959,220.*

A great part of the population, thus rapidly accumulated, has been derived from New-England. From three-fifths to two-thirds of the inhabitants have originated from that country. The proportion is continually increasing. New-York is, therefore, to be ultimately regarded as a Colony from New-England. It is not to be expected however, that this stream of colonization will continue to flow hither with the same rapidity for any number of years to come. The lands in this State have in many parts already risen to such a price, as must discourage new settlers; such, I mean, as usually venture first into the wilderness; and the region North of the Ohio presents a vast tract, equally fertile, and in a climate still milder, to invite immigration. Accordingly the cur rent of population from the New-England States, during the year 1815, has principally flowed into its borders. Still, the number

* By the census of 1820 the population of this State was 1,379,989.-Pub.

of inhabitants in New-York will increase for a long time to come, from immigration, as well as from the natural multiplication of its inhabitants. It is to be observed, that great numbers are continually crowding into this State for commercial, as well as for agricultural, purposes.

Antecedently to the Revolution, little was done by the inhabitants of the province of New-York for the encouragement of literature. The original Dutch colonists came to this country with designs, and dispositions, exclusively commercial. They were under the control of the Dutch West-India Company; consisting of a body of merchants, whose measures were entirely governed by considerations of pecuniary profit and loss. As the charter of this company was limited to a short number of years; the present profit and loss were alone regarded. In such a situation it was not to be expected, that any attention should be paid to learning; although the literature of the Dutch nation had at this very period risen to high distinction. The colonists 'themselves were mere adventurers, who had crossed the ocean in pursuit of gain; and were in a great measure discouraged from forming any permanent plans of improvement by a consciousness of their exposure to the hostilities of the English; hostilities, against which they were unable to make any effectual defence. They were, also, always threatened, and often harassed, by the Indians.

But notwithstanding these discouragements, the Legislature of the Colony passed a law in 1683* for the purpose of supplying the inhabitants with ministers. In this law it was provided, that in the City, and County of New-York, in Richmond and King's Counties, and in two precincts of the County of Westchester respectively, a protestant minister, qualified to officiate, and to have the care of souls, should be called, inducted, and established. It was also provided in the same act, that the freeholders of these places should every year be summoned to choose ten vestrymen, and two church-wardens; who, together with the Justices of each City, County, and Precinct, should be authorized to assess a tax for the maintenance of the ministry, and of the poor, in their respective districts.

*See Bradford's Collection, folio 19.