No. 105. J 447 



MONTGOMERY -COUNTY. 



I enter upon this ray last official act, under the pleasing conviction 

 that whatever may be said of other counties in the State, the Act of 

 1841, has given a new impulse to that branch of productive industry 

 in this county, which it was the especial design of its framers to 

 promote. 



It is a fact too well known, to be here repeated, that the valley of 

 the Mohawk, although one of the most fertile and desirable agricul- 

 tural districts in the State, and, at a period not remote, one of the 

 granaries from which the eastern markets looked for their supplies'of 

 the staff of life, has not kept pace with the improvements that have 

 been witnessed in other counties. 



Bad husbandry, pursued uninterruptedly and steadily, for a long 

 series of years, did more to hasten on the catastrophe alluded too, 

 than the combined agency of insects and unpropitious seasons. The 

 ravages of the insect tribe may be guarded against ; not so the con- 

 sequences resulting from the infraction of natural laws. 



There are not a few of the tillers of the soil among us, who have 

 caught the inspiration so generally prevailing throughout the farming 

 community. Repudiating the too common notion, that it is a decree 

 of fate, that the soil by continued use must necessarily become sterile 

 and unproductive, they now subscribe most confidently to the senti- 

 ment of the honored and lamented Buel, that the " productions of 

 agricultural labor may be doubled in ten years, and trebled in 

 twenty." With this conviction a spirit of inquiry hitherto unknown, 

 is manifesting itself in various parts of this county. And instances 

 not a few, are being presented, that show the striking contrast be- 

 tween the old and slovenly methods of tilling the soil and that other 

 and better system that has its foundation in scientific principles, and 

 which as it develops itself, affords tangible and conclusive evidence 

 that the more labor is enlightened, the greater will be its rewards. 



The fifth annual cattle show and fair of our society, was held at 

 Canajoharie, on the 7th and 8th days of October last. The con- 

 course of farmers and citizens generally in attendance on both days, 

 was unusually large, and the spirit and interest manifested on the 

 occasion, was evidently a foretaste of a better state of things. The 

 exhibition of domestic animals, including horses, cattle, sheep and 

 swine, was highly respectable, both as to numbers and quality. The 

 productions of the farm and the garden, together with the specimens 

 of household manufactures, far exceeded in every respect, similar 

 exhibitions in this county, in any previous year. Our enterprising 

 fellow citizen, John Sandford, Esq., of Amsterdam, presented for in- 

 spection, some fine specimens of ingrain carpeting, and hearth rugs. 



The annual address before our society, was delivered by Oliver A. 

 .Morse, Esq., of Cherry Valley. Of this production I cannot but 

 speak in terms of the highest praise, Mr, Morse is by profession a law- 

 yer, although, aside from the duties of his professsion, he devotes more 

 or less attention to the practical details of agriculture. It evinced. 



