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NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



NEW YORK STATE FAIR AT ALBANY. 



Wc liave delayed publishing any tiling concerning 

 this great exhibition, with a view of presenting to our 

 readers a particular account from, some correct ob- 

 server. "We copy from the Albany Cultivator. 



The Tenth Annual Show and Fair of the New 

 Vork State Agricultural Society was held near this 

 city, according to appointment, during the 3d, 4th, 

 5th, and 6th days of last month. It was another 

 grand gathering of the leading farmers, or, perhaps 

 we might with more propriety say, the leading citi- 

 zens of the Empire State, with multitudes of our 

 brethren from other states, and the adjoining British 

 provinces. The number of visitors was greater than 

 at any previous exhibition. This is sufficiently 

 proved by the receipts for admission, which reached 

 $10,465 61. The greatest amount received in any 

 previous year was $8,144 55, taken at Syracuse in 

 1849. A heavy rain occurred on the day and night 

 preceding the opening of the exhibition, and another 

 on Thursday night following, which doubtless pre- 

 vented the attendance of some who Avould otherwise 

 have been present. The rains completely saturated 

 the ground with water, which occasioned some in- 

 convenience ; but as an offset to this, they prevented 

 the rising of dust, which, if continued dry weather 

 had prevailed, would have been a great annoyance. 



Much credit is due the various railroad companies 

 in this state for the facilities they afforded the public 

 in attending the fair. They all gave half-price tickets 

 during the week, and carried stock and articles in- 

 tended for competition gratis. This is a liberal plan, 

 which Ave believe gave entire satisfaction, and it has, 

 also, well rewarded the owners of the roads. We are 

 sorry to say that the directors of the road between 

 this city and Boston but partially adopted this plan. 

 Had they pursued the same course as the New York 

 roads, the number of visitors from the cast would 

 have been greatly increased, and the road would have 

 made, in the aggregate, a much greater amount of 

 money. We presume this latter fact will not in 

 future be overlooked by men who have the general 

 reputation of shrewdness. 



Considered in reference to itself, and as a whole, 

 this exhibition may be said to have fully equalled 

 any former one. If, in some of the departments, a 

 deficiency existed, it was amply made up by the 

 fulness and richness of others. The whole number 

 of entries was greater than on any former occasion. 

 The number for horses was two hundred and eighty- 

 six, cattle four hundred and scventy-tivc, sheep live 

 hundred and sixty-seven. The horses and most of 

 the cattle were stationed in sheds provided for them. 

 This shelter was necessary to protect them from the 

 hot sun, to which they must have been otherwise 

 exposed. But in regard to the appearance of the 

 show, it had an unfavorable effect, as it ct«npletely 

 withdrew from observation most of the animals which 

 usually constitute so prominent and attractive a 

 feature in displays of this kind. 



The occasion has been, generally, one of high 

 gratification ; it has iifforded the means of obtaining 

 much valuable information, not attainable in any 

 other way, in regard to the various objects brought 

 together ; and the vast asscniblage collected and dis- 

 persed without the occurrence of any accident to 

 lessen their enjoyment. 



The people are beginning to look upon these ex- 

 hibitions in their proper light. On the part of com- 

 petitors, the principal benefit is not the taking of 

 prizes ; it is the opportunity of bringing their ani- 

 mals or articles prominently to the notice of thou- 

 sands of persons to Avhom they would otherwise 

 never be known. The objects are not only seen, but 

 they are compared, and by comparison, their relative 



defects or excellences are made apparent. It is in 

 this way, only, that correct knowledge can be ob- 

 tainecL A farmer, who breeds any kind of live stock, 

 can form no safe opinion of its actual value, Avithout 

 comparing it with other stock of the same breed. 

 So, too, of the mechanic, in reference to his various 

 productions ; and in every branch of industry, im- 

 provement can only be estimated by comparison. 



Nor is the advantage of comparison of less con- 

 sequence to purchasers than producers. In procuring 

 a horse, a cow, a yoke of oxen, or a plough, or other 

 implement or article, it is, of course, desired that it 

 should possess the properties Avhich Avould fit it most 

 perfectly for the purpose to which it is to be applied ; 

 and by having side by side the \-arious descriptions, 

 a discriminating eye is able to select the best, with 

 almost infallible certainty. These advantages are 

 distinct and independent of the awards of premiums. 

 The people, so far as they have the opportunity of 

 seeing for themselves, generally form their own opin- 

 ions, and are but little influenced by the decisions of 

 others. 



Ho7-ses, — The display of horses was hardly equal, 

 in respect to quality, to the shoAvs of the two pre- 

 ceding years ; yet there were noble specimens in the 

 different classes. In blood-horses there Avas but lit- 

 tle competition. Among those on the ground, we 

 noticed the celebrated " Trustee," the sire of the 

 famous running mare " Fashion." Though bearing 

 evident marks of age, he still shows some excellent 

 points. His head and eye have the striking linea- 

 ments and expression so justly admired in the Ara- 

 bian horse ; his limbs are clean and sinewy ; the fore 

 leg, in particular, is remarkable for the length of 

 arm, and for the width and shortness of the shank. 

 "Leopard," an imported horse, owned by O. K. 

 Lapham, of Kceseville, is an animal of much nerve 

 and fire ; rather tall, and somewhat light in the 

 fore hand for hard Avork and endurance, but not too 

 much so for a racer. " Consternation," now OAvned 

 by !Mr. Burnet, of Syracuse, has heretofore receiA^ed 

 the first premium in this class, and is a horse of Avell- 

 doscrA*od reputation. " Young Alexander," OAvned 

 by Mr. Ireland, has also received the first premium 

 as a blood-horse, and attracted here, as on former 

 occasions, much attention. 



In the class of " all Avork," Ave noticed the Avell- 

 knoAvn " Morse's Gray." Several of his progeny 

 were also on the ground, Avhich did credit to the 

 sire. The young horses by the celebrated Vermont 

 " Black-IIaAvk," shown by Messrs. Felton, of Ticon- 

 deroga. Breed, of CroAvn Point, and BigeloAV, of 

 Bridport, \t., Avcre animals of fine appearance and 

 good action. 



Among " draught horses " Avas a stallion oAvned by 

 Joel Young, of Ncav Scotland, got by the imported 

 horse " Sampson," and another owned by William A. 

 Keese, of Kceseville, by the same sire, both of Avhich 

 Avcre good specimens of this class of horses, as Avas 

 also a five-year-old marc of the same stock, Aveighing 

 fourteen hundred pounds, exhibited by E. Corning, 

 Jr., of Albany. 



There Avere several pairs of handsome matched 

 horses. Those of Mr. Plumb, of this city, and Mr. 

 Faxton, of Utica, Avcre much admired. 



Among the young horse stock deserving particular 

 notice, was a pair of yearUng geldings, owned by 

 William B. Seymour, of Clinton, Oneida county. 



Cattle. — There was a greater number of cattle 

 exhibited, than for several previous years. The fat 

 cattle were not as numerous as at Syracuse, and the 

 Devons Avere not out in so great numbers. There 

 Avas more competition in Short-horns, and they AVcre 

 in general of better quality than they have been for 

 several previous years. The most extensive exhib- 

 itors of Short-horns Avere Messrs. Vail, of Troy, 

 ShcrAvood, of Auburn, Rotch, of Butternuts, Hill- 



