Extract of a Letter from the Editor, Picton, March 12^th 1849.

Few Districts have changed less during the last twenty-five years than Prince Edward. True, it has ceased to be an appanage of the Midland District, and is become a District of itself; and one of its townships is subdivided into two; but in every other respect, save slight increase of population, Prince Edward is apparently the same unsophistical old six and eight pence that it was a quarter of a century ago. And yet, this same District is one of the most fertile, thrifty and wealthy Districts in the province, as it is unquestionably the most beautiful, for natural scenery, and the best located for agricultural and commercial purposes, having most excellent means of internal communication, both by land and water. All its farms are taken up, cleared and well settled; Saw Mills and Grist Mills are found in every direction; and the handsome buildings everywhere to be seen, together with the large quantities of wheat raised, give employment to both; shewing that the inhabitants are tasty and industrious, and fully deserving of the blessings they enjoy.

The manners of the Prince Edward people, both in town, village and township are very American, so much so, that were an inhabitant of New York to be dropped down among them, he would feel himself at once at home. I do not mention this as a reproach but as a characteristic fact; occasioned partly by the comparative absence of European settlers & by the circumstance that the primitive old village of Hallowell was first built by people from the other side, whose descendants are the first men of the place at this day. They are a quiet, industrious, inoffensive, honest race. – During the operation of the present Bankrupt law, three Commissions only have been issued, the present Judge of the Court, although in office some years, not having issued a single Commission, which is saying a great deal for the stability of the merchants and other traders, and the honesty of those with whom they deal.

The roads in this District are most capital, very superior to any I have met with in other parts of the province, save those macadamized. Nature has been very bountiful in this respect, the soil being well adapted for making and keeping in repair good roads. – They are very numerous, and the District having no particular form, but assuming all kinds. The roads diverge from Picton in every direction. Its Villages are eight in number, viz: Picton, Milford, Bloomfield, Wellington, the Consecon, the Carrying Place, North Port and Demorestville. There are Post Offices at all these places and also at Slab’s Creek and Roblin’s Mills, so that there is no occasion to complain of Mail accommodation. A daily Mail, and a two horse carriage, from Toronto to Kingston, and from Kingston to Toronto, passes through Bath, Picton, Wellington, the Consecon and the Carrying Place, and intersects with the regular Daily Mail at Brighton, ten miles above the River Trent.

Picton, the District Town (once called Hollowell) is a place of some 1500 inhabitants. It is most delightfully situated, almost in the very centre of the District; and consisting of one long street, is of apparent greater extent than real size. Its harbor would be a very good one, affording steamboat accommodation to the very bridge, at the entrance of the town; but the supineness of the inhabitants has allowed the mud to accumulate so as to compel the steamboat-landing to be at some half mile, or so, from the places of business, causing great inconvenience to both strangers and inhabitants. This very serious evil is capable of very simple remedy. All that is wanted is the use of the Government Dredging Machine for a month or two, and a contribution among the parties interested to set it at work. The mud is soft and facile to remove, and the whole expense (allowing the Government Dredging Machine to be procured,) to render the harbor navigable for light drafts of water, would be under one thousand pounds. Picton is very well built, and some very handsome residences are in the environs. It contains several Churches, a Jail and Court House, half a dozen excellent hotels and inns, a Masonic Lodge, &c., &c. The largest and best Tannery of the Province is here located, (that of Messrs. Miller, Brothers,) and a Steam Flouring Mill has recently been put up. Although not a stirring place, Picton does a good deal of real business, and Mr. T. Macquire’s Hotel (the jail) is often without an inmate.

I cannot be particular with the other villages, and a very short description of each must suffice. Bloomfield is five miles from Picton, Wellington is five miles from Bloomfield; Slab’s Creek is five miles from Wellington; the Consecon is five miles from Slab’s Creek; and the Carrying Place is five miles from the Consecon. Wellington is on the Lake shore, and in fine weather shipments can be made to all ports. A lake steamboat used to stop here regularly, but of late days the practice has been discontinued. The Consecon derives its importance from its excellent water privileges at the outlet of the Consecon Lake; and the Carrying Place is the head of the Bay of Quinte navigation. Wellington and the Consecon are busy thriving places, of some 300 inhabitants each. One merchant at the former place told me that he had then in store upwards of 35,000 bushels of coarse grain, taken in this winter on Mr. Morton, the Distiller’s account. Two very valuable White Fish Fisheries are on West Lake Beach (near Wellington,) and on the Consecon Beach. Many thousand barrels of this excellent Fish are annually taken and cured at these places, and during the fishing season, persons from all parts congregate here in great numbers. The Messrs. Miller, of Picton, last year made the experiment of smoking the White Fish, and from the ready sale of all they so cured, we may naturally look forward to see the experiment repeated in greater numbers. Demorestville is eight miles from Picton, on the Sophiasburgh road, and is a larger and more populous village than any I have mentioned. It is in the midst of a fine agricultural country, and possesses the disputed Manufacturing Mills of Mr. Carpenter. North Port is four miles from Demorestville, and is the landing place of the Bay of Quinte steamboats. Milford is also eight miles from Picton, on the South Bay road, and is a village of small moment. Nevertheless, there is a Customs House Collector here stationed, to look after the contraband traders, and Milford is a Port of Entry. Great quantities of Cedar, both Red and White, are still exported to the United States and from the excellence and safety of the anchorage, South Bay is much resorted to during heavy blows on Lake Ontario. With the exception of Presqu’isle, South Bay is the best harbor on the lake.

The Lake of the Mountain, five miles from Picton on the Marysburgh road, is a natural curiosity much visited and often described. – I mention it now for the purpose of letting the farmers of Adolphustown, Fredericksburgh and Richmond know, that at the Stone Mills, immediately below the lake, the very best of Plaster is ground and sold in barrels at a dollar a barrel, or less for cash. The great item of expense in the use of Plaster is the carriage. This, in some degree, is obviated by the proprietor having agreed with the steamboats to take his Plaster to all parts of the Bay of Quinte, between Kingston and the Carrying Place at six-pence a barrel.