100 



THE NEW GENESEE FAKMER. 



Vol. 3. 



Transacliotis of New York Agricultural 

 Society* 



We ore indebted to ibe politeness of our friend 

 Luther Tucker, of the Albany Cultivator, for " Tlit 

 Tronsactiona of the New York AgrieulturnI Society, 

 published by order of the Legislature." The volume 

 has been got up under the superintendence of the Re 

 cording Secretary of the Society, Henry S. Randoli 

 of Cortlandville, and does great credit to his intelli- 

 gence and good judgment. It contains s large 

 omount of highly Taluable matter, and may be con 

 sidered as an important step in the advancement of a 

 Saciety destined, from its position, the zeal which 

 gives it impulse, and the intelligence which it com- 

 bines, to exert an efficient influence upon the agricul- 

 ture of the whole country, 



The volume will be extensively circulated through 

 theeta'e, but as many of our readers can scarcely ex- 

 pect to become acquainted with it excepting through 

 our columns, we propose to go through the book, 

 making such selections and notices aa we deem inter- 

 esting and bearing most strongly upon practice. 



To the honor of New York, she has not been back- 

 ward in giving to the country several valuable pub- 

 lications on the subject of Agriculture. We regret 

 that in this case we cannot refer to dates, but they are 

 not material in relation to the facts. She early insti- 

 tuted an Agricultural Society, which, under the care 

 of Chancellor Livingston and M. L'Hommedieu, and 

 other eminent compeers, gave four valuable quarto 

 volumes to the public, containing discussions and in- 

 formation in relation to several impoitnnt subjects ol 

 agricultural inquiry and experiment. Her Legisla- 

 ture iftcrwards, under the direction of Mr. Feather- 

 etonhaugh and Mr. Buel, published three octavo vol- 

 umes of agricultural essays and communications, 

 which we have always regarded as among the very 

 best papers ever given to the country. In the mean 

 time, one of her distinguished citizens gave the pub- 

 lic an important treatise on the Management of Sheep, 

 mainly translated from the French ; and another, a 

 Treatise on the whole subject of Agriculture, which, 

 for the amount of useful information, compressed into 

 a small space, is surpassed by no book within our 

 knowledge. 



The Albany County Agricultural Society about 

 this time likewise published several useful tracts ; but 

 their publications were soon interrupted, for reasons 

 of which we are not apprised. Then came al'.ng the 

 Plough Boy, printed at Albany, which we have had 

 noopportunity of examining, but which we believe 

 was mainly intended for a Farmers' paper. To this 

 succeeded the Genesee Farmer, edited by Luther 

 Tucker ; and after that the Albany Cult vator, under 

 the care of Judge Buel, and since his lamented 

 death transferred to the very able editorship ol Messrs. 

 Tucker and Gaylord. It may be said with no dis- 

 paragement to any other publications in the cnnutiy, 

 that more intelligent, useful, anu able periodicals than 

 these two papers have been, and the latter continues 

 to be, have, so far as our knowledge extends, been 

 produced in no country. At the demise of the Gen- 

 esee Farmer by the removal of its principal editor and 

 publither to Albany, the New Genesee Farmer made 

 its appearance at Rochester, and for two years the 

 strong approbation with which it was received, evinc- 

 ed the ability with which it was conducted. Now 

 in its third v^lume, having passed into the hands ofa 

 particular acquaintance and friend of ours, we feel 

 some reluctance in saying what we think about it: 

 but we may be allowed lo add that we hope something 

 from the lad's industry and good will in the cause. 



In thecity of New York at the same time were pub 

 lished the Now York Farmer, edited by Samuel Fleet 

 ind the New York Q.i»rl«rly Farojeri' and Mechau. 



cs' Magazine, which latter proceeded lo four vol 

 umcb octavo, but was in the main a reprint of thi 

 former ; both of them fidl of valuablb information 

 ind useful suggestions and essays. 



This has been followed by the Farmers' Library, n 

 republication of several valuable foreign works, in 

 monthly numbero, by Mr. Fleet. The Silk Worm 

 likewise, devoted to the Silk Culture, and published 

 It .\lbany, reached several numbers under the editor- 

 ship of Mr- Blydenburgh. 



The .)"iirnnl of the American Institute, Under the 

 i-are of Mr. Wakeman of Ntw York city, gave many 

 of its monthly pages to agriculture. 



The Central New York Farmer, under the able ed 

 itorship of Mr. Juhneon, and published monthly at 

 Rome, N. V., and the United S:atea Farmer and Jour- 

 nal ol the American Institute, opened with the pres- 

 ent year, and are doiiig good service to the cause. 



A new coadjutor is now added to the great cause in 

 the American Agiiciiluirist, of which we have been 

 lavoied with the April number, published nionihly in 

 New York city, Ifi pages octavo, at one dollar per 

 year, edileJ by A. B. &. R. L. Allen ; and promising 

 from what we have seen, efi'icient and intelligent iiid 

 lo the improvement of our Live Stock in particular, 

 and the general interests of an Improved Husbandry. 

 We inost heartily wish them success. 



In addition to these, Messrs. Wiley &, Putnam of 

 New York, boukscllersand publisheis.have issued sev- 

 eral highly valuable publications on Agriculture and 

 Horticulture, and design lo keep the press warm. 



In the production, therefore, of agricultural infor- 

 mation and knowledge. New York may justly lay 

 claim to the credit of having contributed no inferior 

 share. We trust she will continue to yo on in ihis im- 

 portant career every year with increased spirit and in- 

 telligence. Agriculture is her great iniercst ; here 

 her resources are immense ; and we had almost said 

 it may require centuries fully to develope ibem 

 F.very forward step in the subjugation of her unculti- 

 vated territory, in the improvement of that which is 

 already subdued, and in the increase ofher productive 

 powers, must essentially advance her prosperity, her 

 wealth, h^r indepondrncc, and, above all, the general 

 comfort of her rapidly increasing population. 



The volume commences with a general history of 

 the New York Slate Agricultural Society ; the Cattle 

 Show and J'air at Syracuse, and the proceedings of 

 the Society at its annual winter meeting in Albany, 

 with the address of Mr. Nott, the President of the 

 Society, on that occasion. These have been already 

 given to the public through our own columns and those 

 of the Cnltivnlor. 



These are followed by the Reports of several of the 

 County Societies, of their condition, prospects, and 

 the use ihcy made of their funds and the bounty of 

 the Elate. Societies were organized in thirty-two of 

 the counties of the s'.ate, but only nine have made re- 

 turns of their proceedings, and these returns are very 

 partinl and imperfect. 



Tompkins Coiinlij.—i''win the return of the Soci 

 ety of the County of Tompkins, reports are given on 

 the subject of Live Stock and the cultivation of Corn 

 and Beets. 



The report on Live Stock highly approves the Im 

 proved Durham Short Horn. For size and symme- 

 try, for early maturity and an aptitude to take on flesh 

 of the bett quality, as well as their production in milk, 

 [he commiite pronounce decisively upon their supe- 

 riority ; but ihey have some hcsiiatioa in recom 

 mending them for oxen. 



From the style of this report we are inclined to re 

 gard it not so much the result ol actual observation 

 and personal experience, as ol general and popular 

 impression. We have seen only one yokeof pure full 

 bloods, but wf have sfn sevpinl paT of half bloods. 



vhich were powerful, quick, and perfectly well train- 

 id, and we know no reason why they should not 

 uake as good oxen as any. 



The coinrnittec proceed to denounce the Yorkshire 

 >reed, by some persons mistaken fbr the Durham, as 

 I race by no means to be esteemed. They fat poorly : 

 do not tallow well ; tbeit meal is not good and they 

 ire bad milkers. 



In some parts ol the coufitry this kind of stock re- 

 mains ; but they are ntjt approved. The farmers in 

 Tompkins are certainly not alone in this decision. 



Crops, — Four crops of corn are reported to have 

 been presented for premium. Three kinds are men- 

 tioned as having been cultivated. 



The Dutl'ui, planted in hills four feet iipart each 

 way gave 113 bushels o*^ corn and three tons of fod- 

 der to the acre. 



The Brown Corn produced 105 bushels of corn 

 and two ions of fodder. 



The China "Tree Corn produced DO bushels of corn 

 and four tons of fodder. 



The Blown torn, but for some mismonngement, it 

 was thought would have produced the largest crop. 

 The China Tree Corn is pronounced too late for our 

 climate. The mode of harvesting was by cutting up 

 and slacking, when sufficiently glazed. 



A second account is given of producing 92 bushels 

 of corn per acre 



This was on a clover lay manured ihe previous sea- 

 son. The account of cultivating this acre is thus 

 stated : 



92J bushels of corn at 5(1 cents, .39,25 



Two loads of stalks at 2 dollars, 4,00 



Expense of cultivation, 

 Use of land, profit, &c. &c. 



50, '.iS 

 14,05 



$3ii.20 



Svgar Beets. 



One plat of i acre yieldtd at the rate of 790 bush- 

 els per acre. 



On plat of I acre yielded at the rate of 596 bush- 

 els per acre. 



One plat of i acre yielded at the rate of 502 bush- 

 els per iicf e. 



Orange County. — The Report of the Orange 

 County Agricultural Society is only remarkable for 

 Mr. Bull's account of his method of raisins calves. 

 This is certainly high authority, as who should know 

 better than he 7 



The Orleans County Agricultural Society report a 

 premium on a crop of Corn of 112 bushels and 30 

 quarts per acre: 



And of potatoes of 700 bushels per acre. 



The potatoes were planted upon a low piece of "rich 

 mucky ground never before planted, and had hem 

 used for a hog pasture two years previously. " The 

 potatoes were planted " close togeilier one way and 

 aiout two leet and a half the other." Tliis account 

 snot rcmarkalily di finite, and the mode of measuring 

 IS not given ; this we should have been glad to have 

 unown. 



The corn succeeded corn on the same land ; and the 

 lireparation was merely splitting the hills of the pre- 

 ceding crop and turning a boi k funowond planting 

 •n the ridge. No manure was put on the land. " It 

 was alowish pieceof ground inclining to muck. Two 

 (lushels of plaster were used upon it." We should 

 iiere likewise have been glad to know how ihe amount 

 if yield was determined, at what season it was ascer- 

 lained, and in what mode the plaster was opplied. 



Butter. — To these statements is subjoined an ac- 

 •ouut of a mode of making butter, which being thus 

 iiesented by the Society, we infer is appioved by 

 ihem. They state "that milk set in wooden kceltrs 

 or tubs will probably yield ihc most cream, but not the 



