THE FARMER'S CABINET, 



DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE AND RURAL ECONOMY. 



Vol.UI.-No. 5.] 



December 13, 1838. 



[Whole No. 47. 



Proceedings of the Philadelphia Society 

 for Promoting Agriculture. 



In our last publication we referred briefly 

 to the Cattle Show and Sale held by the 

 Society, on the 5th and 6th Nov. We give 

 below the reports of the vjurious Committees. 



Report of the Committee of Arrangement to 

 the Agricultural Society. 



The Exhibition and Fair by the Philadel- 

 phia Society for promoting Agriculture, held 

 on the 5th and iJth of November, 1838, is 

 the first attempt of the kind made by the 

 friends of agriculture near Philadelphia for 

 many years, and with pride and pleasure 

 the committee of arrangement report on the 

 result of tliis effort, to revive a spirit of ener- 

 gy and activity amongst the farmers of east- 

 ern Pennsylvania. Tlie late period at which 

 the exhibition was held, and the short notice 

 given to farmers, occasioned apprehensions 

 that a meagre display would be made, not- 

 withstanding the Society was aware that an 

 abundance of fine stock of various kinds 

 existed within our district. 



The weather was unfavorable on the first 

 day, and previous to the show, which doubt- 

 less deterred many who had intended contri- 

 buting, yet we are happy to report that the 

 quantity of live stock on the ground was 

 very large, particularly of neat cattle, horses 

 and sheep. 



That the quality was such as to establish 

 3 high character for the raisers of stock 

 around Philadelphia, is, your committee 

 think, fully evinced by the reports of the 

 judges herewith submitted. The commit- 

 tee of arrangement would gladly have 

 enumerated the owners of stock sent to the 

 exhibition, and contemplated doing so, but 

 nearly all the animals coming in on the 

 morning of the first day were entered so 

 rapidly that they found it impracticable to 



Cab.— Vol. III.— No. 5. 137 



make a correct list. There were about 

 eighty head of cattle, one hundred and forty 

 sheep, and twenty horses, besides a number 

 of hogs, jacks, &c. on tlie ground. 



The sale was conducted with considerablo 

 spirit, although much inconvenience was 

 experienced on account of animals not hav- 

 ing been regularly entered previous to the 

 day of sale. Most of the stock that was 

 sold brought very fair prices, and some of 

 fine breed and good pedigree commanded 

 rates that encourage liberality in improving 

 the quality of live stock. 



It may be well to remark that the number 

 of bulls crossed by Durhams was beyond 

 the demand, and we think that the attention 

 of farmers should be directed more to tho- 

 rough-bred males, which may answer well 

 for crossing with half-blooded cows, but a 

 part-blooded bull derives very little advan- 

 tage from his imperfect origin. 



For steers a cross of the Durham is be- 

 lieved to be highly beneficial, and the speci- 

 mens exhibited go far to confirm this 

 opinion. 



The success which has attended this exhi- 

 bition will doubtless encourage a continuance 

 of them, and in future many arrange- 

 ments and regulations can be adopted, 

 the necessity of which was not foreseen, 

 and would have added greatly to the 

 satisfaction of contributors. One of the 

 principal diiriculties was the short space of 

 time afforded to the judges, and the amount 

 of duty some of them had to perform. It 

 was impossible for three committees of 

 judges in a short afternoon, to examine witli 

 sufficient accuracy so many animals, and 

 where decisions may not accord with the 

 opinions of competitors, we trust they are 

 too generous to attribute the results to any 

 improper motives, but will rest their hopes 

 for better fortune on a future and similar 

 occasion, when the Society hopes to be 



