No. 112.] ' 541 



the island pronounced by a gentleman from Madeira as a very 

 superior article. 



An address was delivered by the Hon. Obadiah Bowne, member 

 in Congress from our district ; it was an able, practical address and 

 gave very great satisfaction to his fellow citzens, a copy of which 

 I inclose. • 



The plowing match came off a few days after the fair. The 

 competitors were eight of our best farmers, for two silver cups, 

 and permit me here to digress a little. Three years previous was 

 our first plowing match, our farmers came together with their old 

 fashioned plows and the best they could do was to* give a furrow 

 about seven inches by five, and that by no means well turned, 

 leaving the ground ragged and unequal. 



At our present plowing match a number of elegant plows were 

 introduced and a beautiful furrow, twelve inches by seven with 

 much less draft well lapped, and the ground left in a fine state to 

 receive the action of the harrow. 



This improvement alone speaks well of the formation of agri- 

 cultural societies ; a new impetus is given in the whole department 

 of agriculture; and the noble result is felt and appreciated by every 

 member of the community. 



Officers for 1853. — President, Ephraim Clark; Vice-Presidents, 

 Daniel L. Clansen, James Guyeu, William H. Vauderbilt, Law- 

 rence H. C or tfcly ou ; Treasurer, Cliarles L. Leveridge ; Correspond- 

 ing Secretary, Fredrick Olmsted, Secretary, C. L. Leveridge. 



Staten Island, December 20th, 1853. 

 Dear Sir — EncU)Sed I fuiward an account of my corn crop, on 

 a lot less than three acres of land, Dot^or tlie pur])0se of compe- 

 tition, because, before I received yi-ur answer cnutaiuing your 

 rule?, I had proceeded so far in my harvesting that I could not 

 conii)ly. My measuring was done as stated below, and although 

 I believe it would, if all shelled at the time I shelled tlie leed, 

 overrun rather than fall short, I do not expect you to notice it 

 any farther than as I stated to you before ; let you know what 



