I 



52 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



Feb. 



€i)"itov'3 ylable. 



Annual Meeting of the N. Y. Siate Ac. Societt— The an- 

 nual meeting of the State Agricultural Society was hold at Albany, 

 on the 15th inst. The following officers were elected for the ensu- 

 ing year : 



President— JoHy Delafield, of Seneca. 



Vice Presidents — Wti.u\M Bukil. of Monroe; Sit A3 M. RfR- 

 Rorcns. of Orleans ; Lewis G Morris, of Westchester : Anthony 

 Van Beri;e>. of Greene ; AvGi'sTys L. Claukson, of St Lawrence; 

 \1enrv Wager, of Oneida: Benjamin Ends, of Madison ; Ray 

 Tompkins, of New York. 



Corresponding, Srcritarij -'B. P. Johnson. 



Recording Secrrlanj—J. McD. McI.ntvbe 



Tteasitrer—L. Ticker. 



Executive Committee— Amhiosa Stevens, John B. Burnett, M. 

 G. Warner, Josiah Bissell, Beuj. B. Kirkland. 



Rochester was selected as the place tor holding the next Fair, 

 and the timo set is the 10th of September. Western New York 

 will now have a fine opportunity to show her productions, at the 

 most favorable time, and under the most favorable circumstances. 

 Nothing now remains but for every farmer to do his duty, and the 

 exhibition next fall will not only be one of the best, but the best 

 ever held. 



The price of life membership, which was $50, was reduced to $10 

 AltORethcr we are pleased with the acts of the State Society, at 

 their last meeting. 



We cannot avoid noticing a rather amusing part of the proceed- 

 ings that transpired while we were present. A statement was 

 made that a Mr. Comstock had actually discovered •' the secret of 

 vegetation,-' and a committee of gentlemen well skilled in vegeta- 

 ble science, was appointed to investigate and report upon the dis- 

 covery. We await the result with great impatience, of course. 



The address was delivered by A.J. Doivmng, Esq.,of Newburgb. 

 Engagements prevented us from hearing it, but we h.tve heard it 

 highly spoken of, as we are sure it deserves to be. The principal 

 subject was, .9 Stale ^1»ricuUural School— a. topic quite seasonable 

 and interesting, both for the occasion and the times. 



At the Fruit Exhihition, there was a very fine display of winter 

 apples, a large proportion of which were from Monroe and Wayne 

 counties. Among th<jm, the Xortheni Spy and H'agetier were 

 conspicuous and much admired. Some pears were presented, but 

 not until after we had left. 



Mr. Townend Glover, of Fishkill Landing, exhibited a beautiful 

 collection of artificial fruits, including apples, pe.ars. plums, cher- 

 ries, and indeed all the fruits. They were the best executed and 

 most natural of any we have ever seen, and we are glad to learn 

 that their merit has been duly appreciated and rewarded by the 

 Society. Mr. G. has received an order for a complete collection 

 for the Society's rooms, and every hortionltural society, and nur- 

 seryman in the country, would do wel to [irocure a collection. 

 Mr. Glover is making arrangements to furnish them on moderate 

 terms. Some very b<*utiful p.aintiugsof the Northerii Spy. J^'ag- 

 ener, and other popula fruits, were exhibited by James H. Watts. 

 of Rochester. They were executed by .~>'.r. Joseph I'kkstile, of 

 the Ebeneser Society of Buffalo. 



The Kebri'art Number.— We intend that our most distant sub 

 pcribcrs shall receive their numbers of the f'arr.i.T by the 1st of 

 each month, or at farthest within a day or .so of that time. In 

 consequence, however, of the unprecedented and unexpected in- 

 crease of our circulation, we have been so busily engaged in en- 

 tering the name-9 of our friends in our books, and forwarding the 

 January number, that a little delay this month seemed unavoida- 

 ble. To all our friends who have so essentially aided in extending 

 the influence ot our monthly visitor, we tender our hearty thanks 

 and shall endearor to give them no cause to regret recommending 

 it to the attention of their neighbor9. 



Postage of the Farmer. — .\s some Postmasters who have taken 

 an interest in circulating the Farmer, are in doubt as to the post- 

 age they are required by lav to charge, we re-publish tho decision 

 of the Asst. Post Master General. 



Post Opficr Department, ) 

 Appointment Oflke, Dec. 1.3, 1S49. \ 

 Sir :— In reply to your's of this date. I have to inform you that 

 the ■■ Genesee Farmer" published at Rochester, .New York, is re- 

 garded as a newspaper, and should be rati'd with one cent postage 

 when .arried In the mail/iover one hundred miles, or any distance 

 within the Stat* : and if carried over one hundred miles, and out 

 ot tho State in which they are mailed, one and a half cents postage, 

 I have ihc honor to he. Very refq-.ectfully, &c. 

 FITZ HKNRY WARREN. 

 Second Asat. Post Master General. 



Extracts from ol'R Letters. — In our business letters wo find 

 many choice things, which, would our space permit, we should 

 be much pleased to present to our readers. Receiving over a 

 hundred letters each day, from all parts of the country, we 

 gain from this source a pretty good idea of the state of public 

 sentiment among our agricultural population. We rejoice that 

 the signs of the times show an increasing interest in all that re- 

 lates to the agricultural profession. B. T. Cooke, of Bingham p- 

 ton, N. Y., writes — 



'• The taste for improving the soil— for prodnciug not oniy the 

 necessaries, but the luxuries of life— for exhibiting the earliest and 

 choicest varieties of vegetables, fruits, and flowers, among our vil- 

 lagers ; and for rearing fine stock, poultry. &c., and improving 

 farms, in the " rural districts." — is becoming a passion with many, 

 and exciting an increasing attention with all." 



We have among our voluntary agents many that are young, 

 some enterprising ladies, and a few whose heads are whitened by 

 the frosts of many winters, and whoso limbs totter by reason of 

 the infirmities of age. The following is an extr.act of a letter from 

 Hervy Johnson, of Holland. N. Y. AVe publi.sh it as an example 

 to the young. By industry and temperance, the old man has re- 

 tained his faculties— has outlived the allotted time of man's life, 

 and now writes a fair hand, and shows both by word and deed, 

 that he is still able to act well his part : 



" I have been thiuking of giving up the agency of the Genesee 

 Farmer for a number of years, in- hopes that some man more able 

 than myself would undertake it ; but I can't find him. I am now 

 an old man. (I w<is born December 26. 1776.) I keep neither 

 horses nor oxen, and it is very hard work for me to get about and 

 walk in deep snow with very little path : but the importance of 

 an extensive circulation ot the P'arnier, stimulates inc to put the 

 best foot forward ; for my district is large. I have spent two 

 days, and to-morrow 1 think of starting again, and shall try. and 

 keep trying ; but I assure you it is hird work for my lungs, as well 

 as for my body and legs. In addition to my time and fatigue, I 

 always have some postage to pay. I had to break a path into the 

 woods alone, and to shovel and wallow about 130 rods ; but I ac- 

 complished it. procured a team, and got up some wood. This 

 evening I am trying to write, so as to be a>aily to start on my mis- 

 sion to-moiTow ; but I mu.st give it up until morning. 



•'■Christmas morning — At fifteen minutes before four I arose from 

 bed. We gener.ally take breakfast before six o'clock This is the 

 way I work to get subscribers for the Farmer. It is the most dif- 

 ficult time in the whole year to get subscriptions, for the tax- 

 gatherer will soon be calling. Tell others to follow my example- 

 drink no spirits nor use tobacco— and you will have an overwhelm- 

 ing subscription. Tell them this from " Old '76." (this is the 

 appellation they give me.) '• old go-ahead." Do you like to hear 

 an old man boast ? 



'• I have had better success to-day than I have had at any other 

 time — I send you the names of seventeen subscribers It is laugh- 

 able to see how many ways people find to put me off. But I have 

 got through for this year, aud have made out better than 1 ex- 

 pected. I have sent five dollars, and shall try again at our March 

 meeting, and keep trying as long a.s I can talk." 



W. A. Bacon, writing .lanuary lllh. 'rom Paris. Ky.. and send- 

 ing a large list of subscribers, makes the following remarks : 



■'The Horticultural Department, presided over with so m-ach 

 .ability by friend Barry, suits oar latitude b(!tter than the .Agricul- 

 tural ; besides, the cultivation of fruit is receiving increased at- 

 tention The winter, thus far, has been very mild— very little 

 snow or ice yet. The last ten days have been spring lilb' ; indeed, 

 it seems like spring to see plows running, and the thermomiter 

 near summer he.at." 



OsCAR F. Wakben, of Erie county, who has for many years sent 

 us a largejist of subscribers, as au apology for coming a little short 

 Ibis year, encloses us his marriage notice. This will not do. Mr. 

 W., we must hold you for a larger list than ever, under so favora- 

 ble circumstance!. 



We should be pleased to give many extracts from our letters, 

 but space at the present time forbids. We may give others in the 

 next number 



Monroe Co. Ao. Society- Annial Meeting. — The annual meet- 

 ing of this Society was held on Saturday Last, at the office of the 

 Farmer. The attendance was larger than usual, and considerable 

 interest was manifested in the proceedings and prosperity of the 

 association. The report of the proper officer exhibited a hand- 

 some balance in tho Treasury. Officers were elected for the cur- 

 rent year as follows : 



President— Ly>i ATI B. L*iiowortht, of Greece. 



Vice Presidents — Calvih Spebry. of Gates j J. M. Babcock, Iron- 

 dequoit ; Elisha Harmon, Wheatland. 



Treasurer — John Rapaue. Rochester. 



Rec. Secretary — J. 'Vil-k, Jr. Rochester. 



Cor. Secretary— v. D. T. .\Ioore, Rochester. 



Field Crops.— Tho first premium on Carrots, $0, was awarded 

 to Nath'l HAVwAnn of Brighton— his crop producing 1005 bushels 

 per acre.— A premium of $4 was awarded to Alfred Fitch of 

 Riga, on a crop of Mangel Wart«el — no competition. 



