8 [Senate 



consisting of a high evergreen arch in the middle, interwoven with 

 flowers, flanked with square wings on the sides. In the centre, and 

 surrounding the whole, w^as the inscription " Agriculture," and 

 the numerous articles arranged within this arch, were the appropriate 

 details of the great leading subject ; among which w^ere the tall lance- 

 like stalks of corn crossing the middle, the suspended heads of wheat 

 and other grain, the paintings of domestic animals, and a large as- 

 semblage of other articles, beneath the whole of which was a beau- 

 tifully ornamented miniature plow, the origin and foundation of the 

 whole. Under " Manufactures," were collected specimens of fab- 

 rics, domestic silks, and numerous others, of an appropriate charac- 

 ter. Under the chaplet inscribed " Horticulture," was a most in- 

 teresting exhibition of rich fruits and brilliant flowers. Numerous 

 emblems and inscriptions were interspersed through the whole, and 

 with some fine ornamental figures decorated the base. The whole of 

 this outline temple, which contained thousands of specimens, and 

 which occupied a space of twenty-six feet in length and twelve feet 

 in height, was designed by Alexander Walsh, of Lansingburgh, to 

 whose imaginative taste and unwearied labors the public are very 

 largely indebted for the interest and attraction of these extensive 

 halls. 



A double line of tables extended through the centre of this build- 

 ing, densely loaded with fruits on either side, and a long range of 

 flowers in w^reaths, temples and pyramids, in the centre. Among 

 some of the best collections of fruits, were handsomely arranged spe- 

 cimens of a hundred fine varieties of apples, eighty of pears, and 

 many of other fine fruits, from A. J. Downing & Co., of Newburgh, 

 extending compactly for forty feet along one side of the table ; also, 

 extensive collections of apples from R. L. Pell, of Ulster ; J. R. 

 CoMSTocK, of Dutchess j J. F. Oseorn, of Cayuga ; Alex. Walsh, 

 of Lansingburgh ; and large and fine collections of pears from James 

 G. King, Highwood, N. J. ; J. R. Comstock, Wm. Reid, of Mur- 

 ray Hill, N. Y.; and also excellent specimens of grapes from R. Do- 

 naldson, J. Merritt, S. "Van Rensselaer, and many others. The 

 whole display of fruits, though defective in a few particulars, exceed- 

 ed in variety and extent that of any previous exhibition of the State 

 Society. , 



The vegetables, suspended from the sides of the tables and beneath, 

 presented a very fine array j among which, was a superb lot from the 



