282 



GENESEE FARMER. 



Dec. 



Genesee County Fair. 



Mk. Editor : — The Show and Fair of the 

 Genesee county Agricultural Society came off 

 on Thursday and Friday last ; and although it 

 rained almost constantly, and the roads very bad, 

 there was a turn out equal to any Fair ever held 

 in this county. The horned cattle exhibited 

 would number about 175 head. As a lot, they 

 were said to be first rate, Tiiere were many 

 full blood Devons — not one full blood Durham. 

 There were about 400 sheep on the ground, 

 nearly all fine wooled, showing a most decided 

 improvement from the first exhibitions of this 

 Society. The show of stallions, working horses, 

 mares and colts, was good — in some respects 

 better than former exhibitions. Swine were 

 scarce, the male part only having two represent- 

 atives on the ground. The farm implements 

 exhibited were few, but so far as Cultivators and 

 Plows were concerned we think would be hard 

 to beat. The domestic manufactures spread out 

 in Stage's long room, on the 7th, afford convinc- 

 ing proof that the women of this county are de- 

 termined to do their part towards sustaining our 

 Society. 



The receipts of the Society, during the first 

 day, amounted to about $126. Nearly half of 

 this amount was paid by the village of Batavia. 

 This shows that the farmers of this county are 

 wofully remiss in contributing their money to 

 the support of the Society — a fact which I am 

 ashamed to state, yet it is a truth. A farmer un- 

 willing to contribute fifty cents a year for the 

 support of an Institution which tends directly to 

 enhance the value of every thing which he pos- 

 sesses ! Who can believe it ? Yet who can 

 disbelieve it when we see it all ? There are 

 many men in this county who have had more to 

 say, either in finding fault with, or directing the 

 movements of this Society, than any officer in 

 it ; still they have not been members these two 

 years — not having paid their fifty cents, which 

 is necessary to entitle them to membership. — 

 What, men who imagine themselves first in so- 

 ciety where they live, who have been honored 

 with seats in our legislative halls, not ready to 

 pay fifty cents per annum for the support of an 

 Agricultural Society ! These men are even a 

 thousand times more ready to pour out the addled 

 contents of their heads, than the shining contents 

 of their purses. " Know thyself." I would that 

 these men did know themselves ; for I am satis- 

 fied that a little better self-acquaintance would 

 cause them to act very differently on such occa- 

 sions. 



I do not wish to be uncharitable, but these re- 

 flections, and many more, force themselves upon 

 me when I review the scenes of the 7th and 8th. 

 But I hope we shall see a different state of things 

 before long ; if not, it will soon be up hill busi- 

 ness for the few who now contribute their means 



for the support of the Society. But it must 

 be supported. This, and all institutions of a like 

 tendency, must continue their onward march, 

 till the Agriculturist shall occupy the position 

 that God designed he should occupy — the high- 

 est in the scale of intellectual, moral, and physi- 

 cal worth. 



But I am digressing from my subject. There 

 was an interesting trial of skill with the plow. 

 There were thirteen teams entered, and the lau- 

 nable spirit of emulation manifested is certainly 

 worthy of all commendation. The work was 

 done in fine order and every thing passed off 

 agreeably. We had an excellent and instructive 

 Address from Ambrose Stevens, Esq. — and 

 elected James B. Todd, of Byron, President; 

 Samuel Heston, Secretary, and Henry Mor- 

 RELL, Treasurer. Yours, 



Batavia, Oct. 10, 1847. Spectator. 



Remarks. — Although the above article may 

 be considered somewhat severe yet all who know 

 the difficulty of properly sustaining agricultural 

 societies will admit its truth and justice. Many 

 of the remarks of <' Spectator" will apply with 

 equal force to other counties and sections, as well 

 as Genesee. It is a humiliating fact, that so 

 many farmers are unwilling to contribute to the 

 support of societies which benefit themselves and 

 neighbors, unless they are quite sure of an im- 

 mediate profit — premium — in return for the tri- 

 fling amount of their membership. 



Butter Making. — Inquiries. 



Mr. Editor : — By request of a subscriber and 

 butter dairyman, the following questions are pro- 

 posed for the benefit of butter Aiakers, viz : Can 

 more butter be made from churning the milk en- 

 tire than from setting the same and churning the 



sam ? — and if so, at what temperature, (Fah- 

 erinheit,) and how long after milking should it 

 stand before churning ? If from the cream, at 

 what temperature should the room be kept in 

 which the milk is set ? Likewise whether but- 

 ter can be kept better under water by sinking 

 the firkins than above the water ? Also in set- 

 ting milk what depth of milk in the pans is best 

 calculated to yield the most butter ? In all of 

 the above, the best quality of butter is to be con- 

 sidered. 



By giving information on the above questions 

 through your valuable paper, you will confer a 

 great favor to many a young, and perhaps to some 

 old farmers. Yours with respect, 



S. E. S. H. Nott, M. D. 



Hamburgh, Erie Co., N. Y. • 



Remarks. — Many of the above questions have 

 already been discussed in this journal. We shall, 

 however, be happy to give place to a communi- 

 cation, answering them definitely — and hope to 

 receive such from an experienced butter maker. 

 Who will furnigi the information desired ? 



