74 Cattle Show and Exhibition of the N. Y. State Ag. Society. Vol X. 



(lemagogiios, who present to them annually 

 a ticket for their support which, if success- 

 ful, afford-s no hope of iiuprovernent in tlieir 

 condition, for it never properly or proportion- 

 ably represents the great and leading inte- 

 rests of agriculture, nor of those, the honest 

 industrious, who compose the most numerous 

 class. The farmers of New York act differ- 

 ently; they cause themselves to be felt, 

 )ieard, and understood. The merchant, 

 manufacturer, and professional man, are 

 made to acknowledge their value, and bow 

 with due submission to their intrinsic and 

 popular importance. But to the Exhibition. 



The town, or city of Utica, like all others 

 in Western New York, looks fresh and beau- 

 tiful, from its having within the last twenty 

 years, risen from a few straggling houses 

 among stumps, to its present size of broad 

 and well paved streets, closely built with 

 attractive warehouses, stores, hotels, and 

 public buildings, and numerous private resi- 

 dences of great beauty, containing a popu- 

 lation of some thirteen to fourteen thousand. 

 It is situated upon the Mohawk river, and is 

 distant from Albany about ninety miles. Its 

 central position, backed by such an agricul- 

 tural district as Oneida, led to great hopes 

 of a large contribution and a numerous at- 

 tendance ; and in this there was no disap- 

 pointment. The citizens of Utica subscribed 

 liberally towards the expenses of the Exhi- 

 bition, and made every possible arrangement 

 to accommodate the Agricultural Society 

 and the visitors in general ; and in doing 

 this, while they manifested a generous hos- 

 pitality, they showed a cleverness and good 

 sense equally creditable; for I doubt not, 

 but Utica was the recipient of more than 

 fifty thousand dollars, expended and left by 

 those who sojourned within her borders du- 

 ring the Exhibition, while it is impossible to 

 estimate the vast results growing out of this 

 great Agricultural Show, in the stimulus it 

 will impart to the skill and enterprise of the 

 agricultural district of which she is the 

 centre. 



To give you some idea of the number of 

 persons who witnessed this Exhibition, it is 

 only necessary to state that the Society, as 

 I learned, added to their funds something 

 over three thousand dollars, for admissions 

 to the grounds, at twelve and a half cents 

 for each visitor, independent of members 

 and contributors, who with their families 

 had free admission. I found individuals, 

 and in many instances, families, husbands 

 and wives, brothers and sisters, from almost 

 every part of the State of New York, and 

 not a few from Canada. To hint at the spi- 

 rit of New York, I need but remark, that 

 all the rail-road companies volunteered to 



carry cattle, horses, hogs, sheep, agricultu- 

 ral implements, butter and cheese, — every 

 thing to be exhibited — from any distance 

 within their respective lines, free of all 

 charge; not only this, but every individual 

 who visited the Show, was carried to and 

 from Utica, at half the usual fare. In what 

 other place except New York, could a cor- 

 poration be found to act thus patriotically 

 and generously 1 When I saw the immense 

 trains arriving constantly, filled with huge 

 oxen, fat steers, and stock of all kinds, 

 set down free, the agents as courteous, civil 

 and bland, as if they had made a most com- 

 fortable and profitable trip, instead of having 

 had unusual and vexatious trouble in taking 

 in and discharging cargo, and no freight ; I 

 began to think there was no insolence of 

 office in New York, and that there were 

 exceptions to the sweeping imputation, that 

 certain bodies had no souis. 



Among the cattle exhibited, the first class, 

 Durharns, took the lead, as indeed they do 

 everywhere. Where there are no Durhams, 

 the exhibition in cattle will always look 

 mean and meagre to the eyes of those who 

 are familiar with this noble breed. The 

 principal contributors to this class, were Mr. 

 Prentice, of Mount Hope, Mr. Vail, of Troy, 

 Mr. Sherwood, of Auburn, Messrs. Bell and 

 Morris, extensive dairymen of Westchester, 

 near the city of New York; Mr. Ballard, of 

 South Port, Mr. Carey, of Marcy, Mr. Nich- 

 olas, of Geneva, Mr. Brinkerhoff, of Albany, 

 and Mr. Wakeman, of Herkimer, to whom 

 were awarded the principal premiums. Mr. 

 Wadsworth, ofGenesseo, formerly president 

 of the Society, exhibited ten yoke of oxen 

 of such size, form, and training, as not only 

 did great credit to himself, but reflected fa- 

 vourably on the whole State — they were 

 awarded the first premium. The Herefords 

 and Ayreshires were represented; the former 

 by Mr. Coming's cattle, the latter by Mr. 

 Bement, an enlightened agriculturist, now 

 the obliging host of the American Hotel, 

 Albany, one of the best houses, if not the 

 very best, for cleanliness, comfort and cook- 

 ing, in the city. The Red cattle, or Devons, 

 with sundry grades were numerous, one or 

 two of the Devon bulls were very good ani- 

 mals of their class. The sheep, to my view, 

 were very superior, and consisted of various 

 distinct and improved breeds. It was re- 

 gretted, however, that Mr. Randall, of 

 Courtland, did not exhibit a portion of his 

 celebrated Merinoes — they would, as at 

 Poughkeepsie, have attracted much atten- 

 tion. The horses, from the thorough-bred 

 stallion, down to the special draught horse, 

 were superior and numerous — horses, mares, 

 geldings, and colts, were on the ground from 



