11. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



165 



Genesee Cubiity Agricultural Fair. 



lis exhibilion was held nt Alexander on the 13ih 

 Utli ult. We were not able to be present on the 

 day, but were informed that the display of cat- 

 vaa very good, and gave evidence of considcra- 

 Tiprovement. On the second day the cattle had 

 ly left, but we noticed a fine lot of grade animals 

 Herent breeds belonging to the Messrs. Heeton, 

 lof which are very beautiful. The large herd of 

 o»ed Short Horns belonging to Peter A. Remsen, 

 we also witnessed with great pleasure. We were 

 that Mr. Remsen had some fine cattle, but 

 : by no means prepared to see so large a number 

 jfsuch excellence. We hope to give a more 

 cular account of them hereafter. 

 ,ic Ploughing Match excited a good deal of inter- 

 BS usual ; but the work was performed in too 

 t baste to be done well. We would advise the 

 agers berenfier to ofier premiums for those who 

 irm the work in the best manner within a given 



iie exhibition of Domestic Manufactures &c. was 

 aqua! to our expectations, or very creditable to the 

 ewives of Genesee, although a few families de- 

 s great praise. We noticed, in particular, a very 

 I assortment of useful and elegant articles exhibit 

 ly Mrs. Wordon Matlison, of Darien, consisting 

 Ik glovesand hose, sewing silk, linen thread and 

 work, domestic cloth and linen diaper, the 

 le alTording a greater di.^play of skill and industry 

 is often produced by one family. Other articles 

 rve to be noticed, but our space will not allow us 

 lumerate them. 



rom what we saw of this Fair, we are constrained 

 ty we were disappointed with Old Genesee. — 

 I rich agricultural county is capable of doing bet- 

 hings, and ought to be one of the very foremost 

 he march of improvement. Wo were greatly 

 rised when the President of the Society informed 

 lat they hiid not laised a sufiicient amount to be 

 to draw their full quota of funds from the State. 

 s fact alone aObrda conclusive evidence that some- 

 g is rong ; and the officers will have to put forth 

 efforts to awaken interest in the subject. 

 ^e have no desire to dictate, but from what we 

 e seen we are fidly satisfied that Alexander is not 

 most suitable place lor holding the Fairs, and 

 le of the best towns in the county refuse to co-op- 

 e because they are held there. It appears to us 

 :e are manv resaons in favor oi holding the Fairs at 

 acM. In the first place we believe the citizens of 

 : place would contribute liberally tow ards the funds 

 ho Society, and t\'ith the co-operation of the rich 

 rthern and Eastern towns which now keep aloof, 

 re would be little dilficidty in raising at least a suf- 

 ent amount to secure the full portion of State aid. 

 e are aware that some of the Southern towns might 

 lagrieved, but if we are correctly informed there 

 ' but few of them that have heretofore rendered 

 ich assistance, so that but little would be lost in 

 It direction. Besides, Batavia is the centre of bu- 

 less and attractions, has excellent accomodations 

 d ie easy of access. Sj that a much larger attend- 

 ee would always be secured there than at Alexan- 

 r. We presume the officers of the Society will con- 

 Icr this matter, and that such arrangements will be 

 ■de for the coming year as will redound to the credit 

 tbl3£mpire county. 



of sheep and hogs, was very slim, and a great falling 

 off from last year. It was far from creditable to so 

 large a county, and will probably be remedied at our 

 next Fair. 



The Mechanics seem to have taken little or no in- 

 terest in our meeting. Premiums were offered for al- 

 most every kind of mechanical production, but there 

 were only a very few kinds exhibited. 



The household arts were, if possible, still worse 

 represented, and the Ladies of old Genesee have much 

 to answer for in allowing themselves to be so poorly 

 represented. I feel confident it will not be so again. 

 On the second day the ploughing match came off, 

 and was by far the most exciting part of the whole ex- 

 hibition. The ground to be ploughed was one eighth 

 of an acre, and the premium to be awarded to the 

 person doing it the best in the shortest time. The 

 ground selected was a pasture on the flats. Four 

 teams entered at first, and their performances were as 

 follows :— 1st, 13 minutes .'iO seconds, 2d, 14 m. 25 

 sec, 3d, 14 m. 35. sec, 4th, IG m. 20. The second 

 took the premium. The team and plough were own- 

 ed by L. E. Heston, ploughman, Mr. Brownell.— 

 Had all the ploughs been equal to Mr. Heslon's it 

 would have been a very close contest. The plough 

 is manufactured by Smith & Co., at Batavia, and is 

 called the " Scotch Improvement." It is a decided 

 improvement, lipon the ploughs of this county nt least, 

 and must prove a great acqaisilion. There is no farm 

 implement ol more importance than the plough, and 

 yet there is almost as much improvement to be made, 

 as there was from the old btdl plough to the one now 

 in use. Two other teams entered subsequently, and 

 did the same quantity, in 12 minutes and 10 seconds, 

 and 13 m. 35 seconds. 



1 think the arrangements for the ploughing match 

 were defective, inasmuch as it should have been the 

 best within a reasonable time, say 25 or 30 minutes. 

 It would then enable weaker and lighter teams to 

 compete, as it would not be so much time aa work- 

 mnnabip, and that after all is the true test of good 

 ploughing, time being only a secondary object. I hope 

 such will be the order next year. 



There was also a defect in the arrangement relative 

 to the cattle. No person should be allowed to exhibit 

 cattle unless each animal is tied to a stake. 



The speeches should also be made the first day, and 

 the premiums awarded and paid the second day. 



All these things will be made right after a little 

 more experience, and famera must not complain if the 



mon or crossed, C. Carter, Durham, out of native De- 

 vonshire, got by Weddel's imported Young Rover. 

 This bull shows in an eminent degree, the great su- 

 periority of a cross with good Durhams. Z. Cono 

 andL. E. Hcston each drew premiums in this class. 



OXEN AND STEERS. 



Remean, L, Fisher, S. W. 



Kingsley, L. E. 



E. P. Beck, 2. 



P. A 



Heston, and C. Tompkins. 



cows AND HEIFERS. 



p. A. Remsen, 2 premiums, J. Heston, and E. 

 Stevens. Devonshire ; E. P. Beck, 4 premiums. 



COMMON OR CROSSED. 



W. E. Heston, D. Malory, and L. E. Heston. 



HORSES. 



J. Jenne, C. Burrett, S. W. Kingsley, B. Bene 

 diet, H. Dunham, S. H. King, L. E. Heston, and 

 C. Barrett. 



HOOS. 



E. P. Beck, E. J. Petibono. H. Brown, and L. E. 

 Heston. 



SHEEP. 



George Shapman, C. Hannum, 2 



FIELD PRODUCTS. 



H. Brainard, best acre of Corn, 07 bushels— beet 

 acre of Potatoes, 400 bushels— best 3 acres of Spring 

 Wheat, 37 bushels, per acre. Mr. Brainard had n.. 

 competitor. 



DOMESTIC ARTS. 



E. Scranlom, for Reeled Silk , E. Bishop. Flan 

 nel ; E. Murdock, Sewing Silk ; E. By.ngton. 

 Woolen Yarn: Mrs. W. Mattison, S.Ik Hose ;^. 

 Cone, 25 lbs. Butter: Mrs. T. R'^d'^. Carpet ;Le. 

 vi Hall, Saddle ; T. Yates, F.nc Boots ; W. Sillery, 

 Ladies' Walking Shoes and Slippers each. 



DISCRETIONARY PBEMItJMS. 



The following discretionary premiums were aword- 



An Ottoman made by Miss Matilda Butler, Ale.\an. 

 jer, $1— Hat, manufactured by P. Durant, Batavia, 

 ^1 50~Work Bag Miss Satnh Jenne, Bethany, $1 

 —Linen Lace Cap, Linen figured Tablecloth, Lin. 

 en Thread, a fine specimen ol Sewing Silk, and Co- 

 coons, by Mrs. and Miss Mattison, of Darien, $4~28 

 lbs. Maple Sugar, very fine by Mr. Mattison, $1— 

 Woollen Rob Roy Shawl, manufactured entirely by 

 Miss Farnham, Alexander, $2-Beautiful specimen 

 of Reeled Silk by N. D. Hart, $2— Elegant Hearth 

 Ru", Mrs. E. G. Spalding, Alexander, $1 50— Gig 

 Harness, double work Harness, travelling Trunk, 

 Valice and Carpet Bag, by Wm. Manly, Batav.a, 

 Very fine specimen of Penmanthip, by A. S. 



Pratt, Alexander, $1-Very excellent article ofLeatb- 

 ■nian'agement of Ihc Society is not perfect the second lor, by Wm. Gcer, Alexander, $2-0n a numhero. 



For Ike Nex Genesee Farmir. 

 Gexts. — I s'nd you a briefnoticeol the proceedings 

 the Genesee County Agricultural Society,' at the 

 Bind annual Exhibilion and Fair, held on the 13th 



\l 14t'a of October, 1641. 

 The s'jow of cattle and horses was very fine, being 



Inr^i' o.iin oy.»r H^t year's Exhib-'.i^-'n. The sh-iw 



year. 



I am Eorry to say that there is not as mucli spirit 

 manifested by the farmers as there ought to be, nor 

 have they come forward as liberally as every person 

 had reason to suppose they would. There was a 

 large concourse of people, but nothing when compar- 

 ed with the assemblage in other counties. I regret 

 exceedingly that we were not able to draw from the 

 state all the money to which the county was entitled. 

 We have not received our portion into sixty-one dol- 

 lars. It does not tell very well for the " EmprVe 

 Counlij," that out of its 7,000 farmers, there could not 

 be found enough to raise the sum of $179 00. The 

 premiums will all be paid, but still it would have been 

 much belter if there could have been something in the 

 treasury lor another year. 



It was resolved to keep the two counties, Genesee 

 and Wyoming together as one society, and officers 

 were elected the same as though the county bad not 



been divided. 



Piemiunis Awaidea. 



BULLS. 



Devonshire, M. Vcinon, T. G. Goodwill, E. P. 

 Beck, 2 premiums. Durhams; B. Murpbcy, P. A 

 Rem^cu, 2 prr-miums. 



Fowls raised by Mrs. Palmer, of Attica, called the 

 Top Knots, wbicU were very fine, $2, 



OFFICERS FOR ESSUISG YEAR. 



President, T.C. Peters, Darien ; Vice Presidents, 

 E: Bishop, Attica ; L. DeWolf, Middlehury : John 

 Jenne, Bethany ; H. Ranisdell, Batavia ; C. R.cb, 

 Alexander; E. P. Beck, A. Sheldon. R. Rich, Le- 

 Roy ; P. Dickey, Elba. C. P. Turner o. Ba-av.a, 

 Recording Secretary. P. FoUett of same place, Cgr- 

 responding Secretary. L. E. HeMon of Batav.a. 



Trensurer. , „ . „ 



1 had intended to have made some remarks on the 

 different breeds of cattle, but this article has been so 

 much longer than I expected that I shall reserve tfaei* 

 for a future number. Yours &c., 



Darien, October 16, 1841. 



P.cst Full of any age cnm- 



T. C P. 



Premium Ploughs, 



In justice to the manufacturers, we remark, that the 

 plou-h which gained the first premium at the plough- 

 C;atchin.his county, was the Whiting plouob. 

 ma'de by A. J. Langworthy. of this city i and the one 

 which gained the second premium was the .mproY,i 

 I.ivinestott county Plough, made at Caledonia 



