Letter received by Banks from Richard Shepherd, November 1806 (Series 20.61) - No. 0002

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The Labor & expence of clearing the land is more than paid by the first Crop of Corn, which is put into the Ground with Hayseeds soon after the burning of the Wood, the Ashes of which serve for manure:  The Grass they continue to feed off for six years, when the roots & stumps of the trees are sufficiently rotten to be easily cleared away for admitting the Plough. - I am no judge of Cattle, but both Sheep & Oxen looked well, & I can speak to the roast Beef being very excellent.  They grow Corn & enough already for the consumption of the Colony;  but as the most cultivated part of the Country is at a distance of more than fifty miles from Halifax & the road in some parts very indifferent tho' improveable at a small expence, the Town is cheifly supplied by importations of Corn, particularly Oats, from Canada. - Of our Colonial Dock Yards, that at Halifax is one of the most compleat & best regulated:  we saw a small Frigate very near ready for launching, which was to be named after the town.  It is the first trial that has been made in the Royal Dockyard of the Black Birch & Grey Oak;  the former is said to be very durable under Water.  They both grow in great abundance in the nor-western parts of Nova Scotia & the neighbouring Settlement of New Brunswick. - From the Black Birch Admiral Berksley told me be had extracted a very strong fine Black Dye, of which he had sent a very particular account to a Friend in England much interested in all that related to that subject.

     When the hostile Confederacy of the Northern Powers threaten'd to deprive us of a supply of Naval Stores, Enquiries were made by [indecipherable] of the Secretary of State, how far the Cultivation of Hemp, was likely to succeed in Nova Scotia & an intelligent Person sent by the Governor Sir John Wentworth to explore the Country between Dartmouth & Cape Canso, found