THE GENESEE FARMER. 



333 



since the above article was written; and when we 

 state that soil analyses are of no practical utility, we 

 refer to such as have been made, and to such as are 

 now made, by the best chemists. In the article, 

 quoted above. Dr. Lkk says " a puund or so of earth 

 is etiotiglt," and when we show from facts and figures 

 that such analyses are utterly worthless, our friend 

 gravelv tells us that we ought to analyze from "nine 

 to twcuty aibtc fed," say from 800 to IbOO ftis! 

 Dr. Lee has evidently changed his position, and it is 

 fair to infer from his remarks that he now regards 

 ordinary analyses — made from a pound of soil, and 

 which he formerly considered " highly valuable" — of 

 no practical utility. This is all that we have claim- 

 ed, and it aifords us great pleasure to find so able a 

 writer as Dr. Lee agreeing with us in this respect, 

 though we should be glad to see him take a more 

 definite position, and lend the aid of his powerful pen 

 to correct the many errors entertained on this subject. 

 (11) We entirely agree with Dr. Lee that it is 

 desirable to direct analytical chemistry "into a more 

 promising line of research." We have no wish to 

 discourage invcsligations into the nature and action 

 of the food of plants in soils. Such investigations 

 may lead to valuable results. But such investiga- 

 tions are very different from ordinary soil analyses. 

 In the one case the chemist is searching for scieiiti- 

 Jic truth; in the other he professes, for from $5 

 to $50, to furnish information of a definite nature 

 that is of great practical value to the cultivator of 

 the soil. We assert that he cannot furnish such in- 

 formation, and think he ought not to make unfound- 

 ed pretensions, for the purpose either of getting 

 money from the farmer, or from the hope that he may 

 discover some new and important truth. In this 

 case . as in all others, " honesty is the best policy."' 

 Let the intelligent agriculturists and horticulturists 

 of America know the truth in regard to the present 

 position of chemistry as applied to agriculture. Let 

 them know in what direction it is desirable to make 

 researches, and we have no hesitation in saying that 

 they ^will not withhold either their sympathies or 

 their money. The "agricultural press" will not "dis- 

 courage" such investigations. It has no wish to 

 " depress an earnest desire for more Hght in the sci- 

 ence of agriculture." On the contrary, it will cheer- 

 fully lend its aid in supporting those who are endea- 

 voring to search out the hidden laws of vegetable 

 growth and animal nutrition. American farmers 

 would gladly support an institution in which scientific 

 investigations could be carried on conjointly in the 

 field and in the labratory, could they be assured that 

 it would not be controlled by mere pohticians. Un- 

 fortunately, the immense sums of money which have 

 been appropriated for the encouragement of agricul- 

 tural science^ have not afforded results at all com- 

 mensurate with the just expectations of the public. 

 Nearly all the money has gone into the hands of 

 wire pulling politicians, and the cause of agricultural 

 science has been retarded rather than advanced by 

 these liberal appropriations. Let scientific men be 

 candid; let the agricultural press be honest; let us 

 not resort to doubtful expe jients; let us fearlessly 

 declare the truth, and the boastful pretenders of sci- 

 ence, falsely so called, will hide their diminished 

 heads, and the sincere searcher after scientific truths 

 will no longer have occasion to complain of the 

 want of sympathy and support from the generous 

 timers of the BolI. 



FAIK OF THE NEW YOBE STATE AGEICHLTURAL 

 SOCIETY. 



The New York State Fair at Buffalo was a great 

 success — the weather delightful, the show intrinsically 

 good, the attendance large, and the receipts (.$10,000) 

 greater than at any previous Fair of the Society. 



The show of Shorthorns was large, but not quite 

 equal in quality to some former fairs. T. Beits exhibi- 

 ted seven head, just imported, which attracted much 

 attention. These two yearling heifers are beautiful 

 Considering that they are just off ship-board they 

 are astonishingly fat. They are for sale. Price 

 $!1,700 a head ! James 0. Sheldon of Geneva, shows 

 five head, all good. This cow is a great beauty, but 

 very fat. E. Marks, Camillus, T. Gould, Aurora, 

 C. P. Woods, Auburn and many other well known 

 breeders exhibited good Shorthorns. There was a 

 fair show of Devons. Herefords were better repre- 

 sented than at any previous fair. M. C. Eemington 

 showed 16 head of very superior animals, S. M. Ely, 

 Ripley, Geo. Clarke, Springfield, A. & H. Bowen, 

 Medina, and E. Cornixg Jr., Albany, also showed 

 good Herefords. The show of Ayrshires was small 

 Patrick, Huj:gerford & Brodie, Rural Hill, Jeffer- 

 son Co., showed some very superior animals, as did 

 also O. Howland of Auburn. The only Alderneys ex- 

 hibited were owned by James 0. Sheldon of Geneva, 

 They are beautiful animals. Here is a Shetland cow 

 — a decided curiosity. She is nine years old, and 

 only thirty inches high. She is not as large as a 

 good Cotswold sheep. She gives three quarts of 

 milk at a time. One of her calves five years old, a 

 cross with the Devon, was also exhibited. She is 

 much larger, but is not improved in symmetry, or in 

 milking and handhng properties. The beef of the 

 Shetland cattle is said to surpass all other breeds in 

 delicacy of fibre and richness of flavor. They are 

 owned by E. Ricketts, of Aurora, Erie Co. N. Y. 



There was a good show of fine wooled sheep. 

 Wm. Chamberlin of Red Hook, Duchess Co. N. Y. 

 and W. H. Ladd of Ohio, showed their beautiful 

 Silesians — the former 40 head, the latter 34 head. 

 There were some good Saxons, but we heard a lady 

 observe of one pen " these were brought here because 

 they were so thin, I suppose." She had just been 

 looking at the magnificent Leicesters of Messrs Pat- 

 rick, HuNGERFORD and Brodie, who showed 41 head. 

 These Saxons probably belonged to the same flock 

 of which an Englishman, just arrived is this country, 

 observed to a companion, " I had heard that your 

 rabbits were as big as our hares, but I had no idea 

 they were so much larger, or so plentiful and tame." 

 He probably was a relative of the gentleman who re- 

 turned a flock of sheep his bailif had purchased be- 

 cause they had lost all their front teeth in the upper 

 jaw. These are facts ! Seriously, some animals 

 would look quite as well at home as on the show 

 ground, and some persons that talk so wisely on ag- 

 ricultural matters would do well to say less till they 

 know mere about the subject. There was a fine 

 show of Spanish and French Merinos. These four 

 South Down rams, bred by Samuel Thorne of 

 Thornedale, Duchess Co., N. Y., are the best ue have 

 ever seen. Thomas M. Betts shows a fine lot of 

 Hampshire and Sussex Downs recently imported, 

 A. Briggs of WaiTcn, Herkimer Co.,'N. Y., shows 

 some useful mutton sheep. They were obtained by 

 cirossmg common ewes with a Leicester ram, and 



