Vol. XX, Second Series. 



ROCHESTER, N. Y., OCTOBER, 1859. 



No. 10. 



ITSANSACTIONS OF THE N. Y. STATE AG. SOCIETY. 



We are indebted to the Secretary, B. P. Johnson, 

 'Esq., for the eighteenth volume (1858) of the Trans- 

 actions of the New TorTc State Agricultural Society. 

 We regai-d it as one of the most interesting and 

 useful volumes yet published by the Society. We 

 make a few extracts. 



TnOROUGH-BRED StOOK BECOMING MORE GENERAL. 



-In alluding to the Fair held at Syracuse, the 

 Secretary well observes — 



" The State of New York had full reward for its 

 liberal policy toward agriculture, in the collection 

 to be found at Syracuse, on that day. In the ear- 

 lier years of the Society, the Fair was indebted to 

 a few men — men of real enterprise — men who knew 

 in advance the directions which the good judgment 

 of the farmers in our State would take ; it was the 

 debtor of these gentlemen for the fine varieties of 

 the very best breeds of stock ; there were fine herds 

 and few owners. But in this Fair of 1868, a nobler 

 result was seen. There were the same superb cat- 

 tle, the same choice varieties ; hut there icere many 

 owners. It was the proof of the gratifying fact, 

 that the farmers of the State had learned the value 

 of the lesty 



Grade Stock. — " Another feature most gratify- 

 ing was the perfection of the grade cattle on exhi- 

 bition. Of these, many of them might challenge 

 competition in all the points constituting a good 

 animal, and these of various crosses from the Short 

 Horns, Devons, and Herefords. When it is known 

 that the stock represented about one-half of the 

 fanning counties in our State, it will be seen that 

 the distribution of improved stock is widely ex- 

 tended ; and the increase of wealth to the farmers, 

 by this stock alone, amounts to an immense sum." 



Fat Cattle. — " The fat cattle were of extraor- 

 dinary excellence, showing that we have arrived at 

 great perlection in this direction. Small bone, apt- 

 ness to fatten, meat of the best quality, and laid on 

 in the right place, so that the excellent judges in 

 this class declared they had never seen the cattle 

 excelled, and never had found such difticulty in 

 deciding the prize animals." 



Improved Breeds of Cattle do not deterio- 

 rate IN THIS Country. — In proof of this, the fol- 

 lowing fact is mentioned: 



" Upon the ground were several imported ani- 

 mals, of very great merit and renown; and yet we 



heard from judges well prepared to give an opinion, 

 that no finer animals could be found than among 

 those bred on our own soil and by our own breed- 

 ers, fuUy sustaining the character of the choice 

 animals from which they were descended." 



The Annual Fairs op the Society especially 

 •eneficial to the Localities in which they akk 

 HELD. — In moving a vote of thanks to the Hon. 

 Joseph E. Williams, for his interesting address at 

 Syracuse, George Geddes said : 



"I rise to move a vote of thanks to the speaker; 

 but before you put the question, allow me, as one 

 of the farmers of this county of Onondaga, in be- 

 half of my brethren, to return our thanks to your 

 Society for this your third exhibition among us. 

 We thank you for giving us the lessons that must 

 be drawn from placing side by side, for comparison, 

 tlie finest specimens of all the varieties of domestic 

 animals and of the products of the garden and field, 

 as well as for this magnificent display of farm im- 

 plements which we see before us. This is a State 

 Society, and I know is the instructor of the whole 

 State; but particularly is it the instructor of the 

 localities that are so fortunate as to again and again 

 witness the great annual shows. Allow me to add 

 that your lessons, in Onondaga, have not been en- 

 tirely lost; the improvement here is manifest in 

 every branch of farming since you held your Fair 

 among us. I can assure the orator, to whom we 

 are about to return our thanks, that the standard 

 he has just held up before us, as showing what a 

 farmer's life should be, if not entirely arrived at 

 here, has nevertheless been approximated. If he 

 will do me the pleasure of riding in my company 

 over these majestic hills and beautiful valleys, I will 

 show him many specimens of high and judicious 

 cultivation, and many a pleasant homestead sur- 

 rounded with fruits and flowers. And within these 

 houses, on the center tables he shall find elegant 

 and useful books, with the newspapers of the day, 

 and on the shelves many of the standard authors, 

 and in not a few instances some of the ancient 

 classics ; and, sir, he will find that the women that 

 he will meet there, will acquit themselves with 

 credit, either in the parlor or the dairy," 



Agricultural Discussions. — Meetings were held 

 in the evenings, during tlie Fair at Syracuse, for the 

 discussion of practical subjects. We have before 

 alluded to them, but a few extracts from the full 

 report in the Transactions will be inteiesting. Many 



