vol.. XXI. M>. 31. 



AND HORTICULTURAL REGISTER 



\g:^ 



REPORT ON SWINE AT ALBANY. 

 We give below the report of Jud^t Lincoln, of 

 Worcester, Mass., upon the swine of New York. 

 Our friend — the friend of tlie pigs too — (at least 

 we 80 deemed him before lie recommended tlint so 

 many men shmild become pigs) — our friend, we 

 say, has lost none of his former skill at pickling pnrk. 

 He always uses the best attic salt in making his 

 brine. — En. N. E. V. 



Report. 



The Judjres of Swine, of the New York State 

 Agricultunil Society, respectfully submit tiieir re- 

 port: 



They have h.id the great honor of waiting on a 

 great company of tho.^e amiuhle animals, who claim 

 our warmest affections, by all those dear relations 

 which connect the pots ami plates of those who de- 

 sire to live well. The pi;:s have made Albany 

 the " banner county" of pork. They sent no dele- 

 gates to the State convention of stock; they at- 

 tended in person, and fcjrmed one magnificent 

 mass meeting." Seventy swine were present, 

 and deserved seventy premiums. Probably there 

 has never been a time since the century plant be- 

 gan to grow, nor u place within the Yankee land 

 or western world, where such large quantity and 

 rich quality of the most beloved of all races, have 

 ever before been gathered into a party, indepen- 

 dent of political distinctions. 



The judges have had great difficulty in deciding 

 IS to the relative merits of the four-footed compe- 

 :itors for prizes. The balance of excellence was 

 >ften so even, that the weight of a single fibre of 

 ■Saxony wool, would have turned the scale. If the 

 •esnlts of their deliberations shall not prove to be 

 latisfactory to all, they must fall back on the re- 

 ierved right of consoling themselves by the reflec- 

 ion that they have examined with care, and have 

 Discharged their duty with the earnest desire to do 

 exact justice. The wide separation between the 

 lomea of the several members of the committee, 

 ind the habitations of the pigs, will prevent any 

 uspicion that the swine have availed themselves of 

 my local partialities or exerted improper influence.''. 



The first premium of ten dollars for the be.st 

 loar, was awarded to Gen. Wm. Salisbury, of 

 ,eeds, for a beautiful animal of the Berkshire breed. 



Mr John Lossing, of Albany, was entitled to the 

 econd premium of eight dollars, for his excellent 

 ierkshire boar. It is possible that this creature 

 night have obtained a majority of the votes of the 

 ■lectors, if he had not manifested some aristocratic 

 eeling by remaining in a box during the exhibition, 

 nstead of adopting the democratic principle of 

 ■quality, by coming into the pens with the people 

 if Ins race. 



The third premium of five dollars is given to 

 (Ir Samu('l Shaw, for his Berkshire boar. 



Mr J. B. Nott, is entitled to a diploma for his 

 llheshire boar, whose grandfather was imported 

 rom England, by Mr Corning. 



Ic is recommended that very large premiums of 

 >raist should be bestowed on other gentlemen. 

 >Ir B. Knower, of Albany, exhibited a Berkshire 

 loar named "Jim Crow," who could exceed the 

 ame of his illustrious predecessor in every thing 

 :xcept the facility of jumping and turning about, 

 vhich he could not do. This, however, was not 

 onsiderrd a material defect. So many turn about 

 n these troubled times, that a hog who regards his 

 wn dignity, may be excused if he deviates from 

 le fashionable way, and stands still. iMr Knower 



should have a diploma. So should Mr S. S.Crock- 

 er, of Kinderhook, (which has been celebrated for 

 the greatness of its inhabitants,) on account of his 

 Berkshire. Anothrr diploma should be given to 

 Mr C. N. Bemeiit, of Albany, for his boar of the 

 imjirovcd China stock. 



It is requested by the coiiiniittee, that the thanks 

 of the Society slioiild be tendered to Messrs. S. S. 

 Crocker, of Kinderhook, for enriching the show by 

 the exhibition of his Berkshire boar; to Mr VVm. 

 Kirby, of Guilderland, for bringing a good speci- 

 men of the nerby-^^hire breed ; ami to iMr Harmon 

 Bussinrr, of Bethlehem, for a fine Berkshire boar. 



Mr C. N. Bement, whose praise as a successful 

 improver of stock, is in all the pens and styes of 

 the west, exhibited two Neapolitans, who were as 

 destitute of clothing as the famous "no-haired 

 horse." The hair of a pig should be short: so 

 should be that of a man. As the pool almost says, 



" Man wants but little hair below, 

 Nor wants that little long." 



However well they might flourish in the sunny 

 clime of their nativity, they would need great coats 

 or blankets to protect them against the stern win- 

 ters of northern regions. They were finely formed, 

 and were said to be peculiarly valuable for delica- 

 cy of flesh. The committee were of the opinion, 

 that although they might grace the table of the 

 epicure with a rich repast, that they avouUI bring 

 less of profit to the pot of the practical farmer, than 

 pleasure to those who are luxurious in pork. 



The representatives of the females of the com- 

 munity of swine, were beautiful, as all females are 

 by whatever name they are called. 



For breeding sows, the first premium often dol- 

 lars was awarded to Mr T. (C. Abrahams, of Wa- 

 tervliet. His excellent matron was surrounded by 

 a large and pretty family, only three days old, liv- 

 ing witnesses of the ability of the mother to in- 

 crease the population of the Empire State. The 

 repose of this pleasant domestic circle was unhap- 

 pily disturbed by the untimely death of one of the 

 sisters. It is hoped that the last moments of the 

 departed pig, were cheered by the rnflection that 

 it perished in priuiioting the great cause of agricul- 

 ture. 



The second premium was assigned tc Mr Eenja- 

 mia Gibson, of Albany. 



The third premium was given to Mr Gerrit Mid- 

 dleton, of Albany. 



As a testimonial of the excellence of the swine 

 exhibited in this department, the committee recom- 

 mend that diplomas should be presented to Messrs. | 

 C. N. Bement, Jesse Biiel, John Lossing, Wm. Lan- 

 don, and R. Fox, all of Albany ; Mr A. Van Ber- 

 gen, of Coxsackie ; and to Mr Harmon Bussing, 

 of Bethlehem. 



Fiftyscven pigs wore in the pens ; the census of 

 those who were out of the |iens, was not taken. All 

 were of remarkable excellence. 



No specific premium was proposed for the young 

 citizens of the coiiunoinvealtli of swine, by the So- 

 ciety, 'i'liey will afi"ord to their owners, by their 

 present merits and future value, higher rewards 

 than can be lueasund by any pecuniary recom- 

 pense in the power of the committee to bestow. 



The committee have derived so much gratifica- 

 tion from the interviews they have had with these 

 nice little creatures, that they recommend to the 

 Society to present a diploma for success in good 

 breeding, to Mr Gerrit Doualson, of Bethlehem, 

 Mr S. R. Schuyler and Mr A. Schuyler, of Waterv- 



lict, Judge Samuel Chcever and Mr Gibson, of Al- 

 bany, for their fine Berkshire pigs ; to Mr Thomas 

 I'emberton, for a pii: of the Grass breed ; to Mr 

 Henry Sloan, of Guilderland, for specimens of the 

 Cheshire and Grass cross ; and to Mr Thomas 

 Beighton. and C. N. Bement, fur examples of the 

 mingled blood of the China and Mackay stocks. 



There were two pi^s of Mr Bement's, which en- 

 listed sympathy and excited admiration. They 

 were left as desolate orphans, at the early age of 

 ten days, by the dece-jse of their venerable mater- 

 nal parent. Tlieir owner has since brought them 

 up by hand, and has thus ani"orded another instance 

 of his handiwork in benefiting the tanner's stock. 

 His good breeding is so well known, that it cannot 

 be doubted tho-^e pics will have a liberal education. 



A great mass of facts has been collected, illus- 

 trating the comparative merits of the various breeds 

 of swine, and the genealogy and biography of cele- 

 brated individuals. It has seemed convenient to 

 communicate the opinions of the judges with that 

 brevity which is demanded by the hurry of an oc- 

 casion where it is more desirable to sec than to 

 hear, and to ask leave hereafter to submit a supple- 

 mentary statement in relation to topics of general 

 interest to the agriciilturi.-it. 



In the deliberations of the committee, the chair- 

 man has participated slightly. Ho has conceived 

 it to be his duty to record their decisions accurate- 

 ly, and he regrets that it has not been in his power 

 to report them more fully and perfectly. The mat. 

 ters which have been stated, have been determined 

 by his associates. For the manner in which they 

 have been coiniiiuuicated, he alone .iiust be respon- 

 sible. 



The chairman ventures, without the sanction of 

 the committee, to take the further responsibility of 

 repeating sentiments. which have been sanctioned 

 by high authority. 



Pigs arc happy peciple. We may talk dispar- 

 agingly about living like a pig-: To live like a pig, 

 is to live like a gentleman. Although it is not 

 permitted by the order of nature that a pig should 

 laugh, or even smile, he enjoys the next blessing 

 of humanity — the disposition to grow fat. Ho'v 

 easily he goes tlirnHgli llie worldl He has no fan- 

 cy stocks to buy— no bank n(!tes to pay — no indig- 

 nation meetings to attend to attend — no log cabin 

 assemblies to hnld. He has no occasion to take 

 the benefit of the bankrupt act, or to have his es- 

 tate confiscated to defray (he expenses of the set- 

 tlement. Free from all the troubles that disturb 

 the busy world, he is as unconcerned among the 

 changes of earthly affairs, as was the citizen who 

 was awaked in the earliest light of morning, by be- 

 ing told day was breaking: " Well," said ho, as 

 he turned again to his repose, " let Day bieak — he 

 owes me nothing." 



When we lo'ik at the comparative condition of 

 the human race and of the swinish multitude, ne 

 may come to th*; conclusion, that if a man will not 

 be (I innn, he had better be a pig. 

 For the (,'oinmittee, 



WM. LINCOLN, Chairman. 



Jerome Nap(deon Bonaparte, son of Jerome Bona. 

 parte, formerly King of Westphalia and brother of 

 Napoleon, is the Chairman of a Committee of an 

 Agricultural Society in Maryland, to a^.vard premi- 

 ums for the best show of horses, &c. 



The crops in England are said to be more than 

 usually abundant. 



