530 



NEW ENGLAND EARTHIER. 



Nov. 



a decided benefit in the uniform level surface it 

 leaves, avoiding those hollows usually left on the 

 finishing of a land ; also it completes the work 

 much better at the end of furrows. In a word, he 

 says he had rather pay the price of a side-hill 

 plow than to use any other kind for nothing. 



Our cultivators are busy in gathering in their 

 crops, though they are not so abundant as they 

 promised to be in the early part of the season. * 



South Dnnvers, Sept., 1856. 



LETTEK FROM MR. BROWN. 



Philadelphia, Oct. 7, 1856. 



Dear Sir : — The Fourth Annual Exhibition of 

 the U. S. Agricultural Society, opened in solemn 

 form this morning. The grounds, some forty acres 

 in extent, are on the west side of the city, on the 

 banks of the Schuylkill, of easy access on every 

 side; and dotted, as they are, with noble old cedars 

 and groups of other trees, they afibrd a pleasant re- 

 treat for the tired visitor when his physical powers 

 are weary with standing, and his mental, with look- 

 ing at the objects of interest about him, and answer- 

 ing the thousand questions put to him at every 

 turn. 



The elements, as well as all minor matters, are 

 favorable. Wiih a clear sky and elastic atmosphere, 

 the spirit of success is at once infused into those 

 having charge of the arrangements, and this is at 

 once infused into the surrounding numbers. Upon 

 approaching the grounds from the North or the 

 South, the most conspicuous objects are the orna- 

 mental gateways, which are finished with much ar- 

 chitectural taste. Inside the enclosure, the eye is 

 greeted with a perfect city of neat wooden struc- 

 tures, and a miniature encampment of tents. The 

 sheds and stalls for the oxen, horses, sheep and 

 swine, are located principally upon the Western side 

 and the Northern end of the grounds. Upon the 

 green sward inside the "track," the "stand" for the 

 judges is erected, and also the marquee of the 

 President of the Society, and officers, and here 

 gather the men distinguished for their knowl- 

 edge and zeal in agricultural affairs. East of the 

 track are the tents appropriated to the display 

 of agricultural implements, and machinery, the 

 coops of poultry, and cages of birds, which form 

 a distinctive feature of the exhibition. On the 

 West of the centre is the tent devoted to the show 

 of fruits, grains, vegetables, flowers, &c., and all 

 around these various general points are booths for 

 private parties, tents for resting, dressing, and eat- 

 ing. Such are the arrangements on the grounds. 

 Around them the country is picturesque and at- 

 tractive, — the Schuylkill is spanned by a noble 

 structure, over w}nch pass the railroad trains, and 

 the unceasing throng that go to and from the city. 

 The liver itself is dotted with various craft, eager 

 in their several pursuits, and above, the wire bridge 

 which bounds the north--\vestern end of the grounds. 



are two or three steamers, constantly running a 

 few miles up and back, passing the village of Man- 

 ayunk. Laurel Hill, and giving a fine view of the 

 scenery of the surrounding country. 



The great tent for the Banquet on Friday is not 

 yet up, — it is to stand on the green sward in the 

 centre of the grounds, where assembled thousands, 

 coming from every part of our widely extended 

 country, are expected to meet in council, and speak 

 of its most important element, the agricultural in- 

 terest. The show in all the departments is fine. 

 But night a})proaches, and with it many prompt- 

 ings to seek the quiet and retirement of my room. 

 The receijjts to-day have been about $3,000. They 

 must be greatly exceeded every future day during 

 the fair to prevent loss. 



SECOND DAT. 



Philadelphia, Oct. 8, 1856. 



Again the sun burst upon the world in its bright- 

 est splendor. Thousands of eager eyes were peer- 

 ing into the East in the morning, long before he 

 had found it convenient to show his face above the 

 horizon, but his advance beams lit up the whole 

 Eastern world, and promised that mists and clouds 

 should not check the festivities of the occasion. — 

 And they did not, — for he so tempered the Octo- 

 ber air that invalids and babes came out, and grew, 

 and gained health, and were happy in it. 



My first careful visit on the grounds this morn- 

 ing, was to see the cattle ; the number of entries 

 is very large, and consists of Durhams, Devcns, 

 Jerseys, Ayrshlres, Herefords, Natives and Grades. 

 The Durhams are not so numerous nor so excel- 

 lent as 1 expected to see ; the Devons are numer- 

 ous, and many of them very fine, half a dozen cows 

 particularly ; there is a yearling Jersey bull, sur- 

 passing in shape and color any I have seen ; several 

 of the cows are also very fine ; the Aijrshires, both 

 pure and mixed, are numerous, and some of them 

 remarkably good. The Herefords were pretty well 

 represented, having some good specimens. Some 

 of our common, or what are called JVative cattle, 

 are, in form, color, temperament, and productive 

 qualities, (as stated) as handsome as anything on 

 the ground ; there are grades, also, of all bloods, 

 exceedingly well made and promising. On the 

 whole, the show of cattle is interesting, but falls 

 short of my expectations. None of the States are 

 faii'ly represented. Maryland or Kentucky, single- 

 handed, could make a finer show of Durhams alone, 

 pure and grades, than the combined exhibition 

 presents. Among the Jerseys, or Alderneys, there 

 are exceedingly interesting specimens of the 

 French variety, retaining most of the characteris- 

 tics of that blood in size and shape, but in color en- 

 tirely unique, — it being all over of a uniform mouse 

 color ; these are said to be of the best variety of the 

 Jersey blood. 



The Working Oxen and Fat Cattle were a cred- 



