AMERICAN AG-IilCULTURIST. 
[December, 
To Our Readers. 
This number closes the present year, and with it, 
our Thirttj-fourih Annual Volume. We begin 
work at once on Volume XXXY, for the Centennial 
Tear ! No Valedictory words are needed. Near- 
ly all of our readers go right on, from year to year, 
many of them having taken this paper regularly for 
a third of a century ; and mony more arc continu- 
ing the subscriptions begun by their fathers — begun 
in not a few instances before they tliemselves were 
bom. — Probably not one in ten of the original sub- 
scribers is now living. *' Deceased," is registered 
against a multitude of names of our friends, that 
in the passing years have been recorded on our 
books. How few, indeed, of the generation of 
toilers and thinkers of twenty and thirty years 
ago, are now remaining. Happy will it be for 
us, if we all so live, every year, and every day, 
that when our tui-u comes to go hence, it shall 
be ''well with us," and our record be one full of 
sweet memories to those we leave behind. 
Need we speak here of our ov.-n editorial work 
and plans for the coming year? Will not the past, 
and the fact that " Excelsior"' is our '' motto," and 
that the " Centennial year " itself will be a stimu- 
lant to extra exertions, be quite sufficient? 
We hope to part company with no present reader. 
Li any contemplate dropping out of the family 
relationship, which we strive to feel and act upon 
as existing between ourselves and all our readers, 
we shall be sorry to lose their company at the 
beginning of the New Era. We trust our oivn past 
work has furnished no reason for any such partings. 
We cordially invite every one to remaiu with us, 
and we promise to spare no time, no effort, and no 
expense, to make the future of the American Agri- 
culturist much hater than the x>ast, and every year's 
added experience aids us in this work. 
From those who approve our work, wc aok as a 
favor, that they will invite other friends and neigh- 
bors to join our company. Will it not be a pleas- 
ure to each one of our readers to bring along one, 
two, three, or more— fl^ least one—to begin with us 
the new National Century ? It will be a favor ap- 
preciated by us, while eveiy addition to the number 
of subscribers gives us increased faeililies fordoing 
better for all. 
One other favor we especialhj ask at this time. 
The work of re-entering names, and making out 
new books, is immense, and it is always largely 
crowded into a few days about Jan. 1st. If our read- 
ers will, on the reception of this number, at once 
RENEW THKIR SUBSCRIPTIONS, and scnd in such new 
names as they have secured, it will very greatly 
faciUtate our work, and enable our old and experi- 
enced clerks to enter and arrange the names prompt- 
ly. Sofar aspossiUc, 2>^ca3C accomodate as In th is ri-spect. 
^"^. To those who take the trouble to receive or 
collect other subscriptions, and forward them, the 
Publishers offer liberal rewards in the form of ml- 
■uahh Premium articles, as noted on page 477. 
Xlee l^ouBB. Ntfatc lfi«ai-4l oi" Agri-. 
culture will hold its \\'iiiti;r Mcc^tiug forLccLures and 
Discuureus at West Wiusted, Dec. 15, 1(1. and 17. Sub- 
jects, "Laying out and Fencing Farms," "Farm and 
Country Roads," "Farm Houses and Farm Buildings," 
and other kindred topics. For full pro^^ramme address 
T. S. Gold, Secretary, West Cornwall, Conn. 
The Georgia State Fair 
Was held at Macon, durini,' the week beginning' Oct. 
18, and it was our good fortune to bi^>re=ent ou this oc- 
casion. Wc do not visit fair^^ for the purpose uf reporting 
them, it being impracticable with the limits of a monthly 
to give anything like an extended account of the varinus 
fairs visited each year hy the different members of our 
editorial stall' They are visited for our own instruction, 
and at each one wc gather materials which may not be 
used unlil months afterwards, believing that wc better 
serve our readers hy this course than if we were to pub- 
lish a list of the prize animals, machineiy, and other 
things exhibited. This fair of the Georgia Society was 
an interesting one, for tlie reason that they had deter- 
mined to do without the ever-attractive and noble ani- 
mal, the trotting horse. Fine horses were exhibited, and 
tested, but the regular horse race was left out, much to 
the disgust of that class who regard the horse and the 
chances of betting as the great end of an agricultural fair. 
It requires even more courage to omit a liorse race in a 
southern than in a northern fair, as in the southern 
states the horse is even more popular than elsewhere, 
and iu the sparsely settled portions nineh more in use 
than with us. The horse interest did its best to make 
the fair a failure, and the papers iu other parts of the 
state published the statement that it was unsuccessful 
before it was fairly under way. We are glad to say that 
when we left, two days before the fair closed, the receipts 
were such as to satisfy the managers that the exhibition 
was not a pecuniary failure. The fair grounds, used at 
other times l)y the citizens of Macon as a park, arc vastly 
superior to any that we have seen elsewhere ; a large 
tract of land, directly upon thcOcmulgee River, and of 
easy access from the city, is in one portion a handsome 
park, with good lawns, fine forest trees, lakes, fountains, 
flower-beds, and other decorations, while the other is 
amply provided with fine and substantial buildings for 
the purposes of the fair. Aside from the large structures 
devoted to machinery, manufactures, floral hall, and 
others, the smaller buildings, such as the Prcsideufs 
Office, Editors' Home, Ladies Cottage, etc., are very re- 
markable for their excellent taste and appropriateness. 
Despite the croaking of the disappointed horsemen, the 
fair was a success, and in many respects, notably fine. 
Tiie array of farm machinery was very large and varied, 
and of course strong in the implements most demanded 
by southern agriculture. Plows, sweeps and scooters of 
kinds never seen ou a norlhcru farm, were liere in great 
numbers; cotton gins were in full force, and when all 
were in operation, presented a beautiful sight as they 
threw the lint in snow-like flakes into the gauze covered 
chambers placed to receive it. JDitJtrihutcrs of fertilizers 
and cotton planters of Georgia invention attracted de- 
served notice ; and we do not recollect to have seen any 
where else so large a display of agricultural steam engines, 
iu operation, doing work of various kinds. The ma- 
chinery department was not only very full, but it attracted 
a large crowd of intelligent and inquiring visitors. The 
poultry show was specially worthy of notice. "We have 
seen nowhere else, not even at regular poultry shows, 
such a fine arrangement of coops, of two uniform pal terns, 
arranged in single tiers, at the proper hight, all calcu- 
lated to display the fowls to the best advantage. The 
birds were very fine. But we. cannot particularize — suihcc 
it to say that the thow of cattle, sheep, and swine was 
not remarkable; some fine horses were exhibited ; the 
plowing match was a great success, and attracted much 
attention ; the lialls fov domestic and other manufactures 
were well filled with various products, some of theni ex- 
ceedingly creditable. It struck us as an encouraging 
feature, that every one took great pride in any new 
branch of home Industry, and our attention was frequently 
called to this or Ihatarliclc as of '■ Georgia" manufacture. 
In horticultural products the show was greatly diminished 
by a!i unfavorable season, though there was much of in- 
terest exhibited. Some of the Granges made exceedingly 
creditable exhiH lions, including farm, garden, and house- 
hold matters, in short all that was produced in the 
community. An exhibiliou which much interested us, 
was one of the various natural productions of the state, 
including the various forage and textile plants, and all 
the native plants known to he useful, wlthsoTiie regarded 
as injurious; this was gathered by Dr. Stotesbury, of 
Clinch Co. Another unpretending, hut valuable collec- 
tion, was an immense number of soils from the various 
parts of the state, which have been, or are to be, analyzed ; 
this was pnuiavL-d under the direction of Dr. Thomas P. 
Janes, t!io cflicient Commissioner of Agriculture for the 
State, who also had ou exhibition samples of all the fer- 
tilizers offered for sale iu the state, with their analysis 
and intrinsic value plainly given with each sample— an 
exhlhitiou which was of the greatest importance to farm- 
ers, and wc doubt if its like has been before seen at a 
state fair. We might enumerate olh-.r striking points, 
but after all, the most interesting part of the fair to us 
was the people with whom we came in contact, and the 
spirit which prevailed. The fact is, these Georgia agri- 
culturists mean business, and they are thoroughly wide 
awake to the fact that the future success of the stale de- 
pends upou improved agriculture, and that this implies 
work, and they are, to a most gratifying degree, on the 
lookout for every improvement which shall lessen the 
cost of productioi^ of their crops, or which shall increase 
their home comforts. Tlic Stiite Agricultural Society is 
in the right hands, and with such a geullcmau as General 
Colquitt for its President; such an omnipresent worker 
as Mr. Malcolm Johnson for its Secretary, with an execu- 
tive committee of the most sterling men iu the state, it 
must do a good work, and tell most favorahlj-'upon the 
future prosperity of Georgia. 
The Agricult'oral Experiment Station, 
The Conn. " AGKiccxTun.\.L Experiment Station,** 
at the Wesleyau University, at Middletown, though es- 
tablished and mainly supported as a State Institution, 
and for the benefit of Connecticut Farmers, will, in its 
work and investigations, be of general interest and utility 
to the whole country ; and we si:all, from time to time, 
gather therefrom useful information for our readers, not 
only in Connecticut, but elsewhere. Those having the 
Station in cliarge, have been making careful preparation 
for the work, which is now organized and in progress. 
Dr. W. O. Atwater, Ph.D., professor of chemistry in 
the University, has general charge as Director. Dr. W. 
C. TiLDEX, formerly chemist to the U. S. Agricultural 
Department, and later Professor of Chemistry in Howard 
University, at Washington, D. C. has accepted the posi- 
tion of Chemist to the Experiment Station. Provision is 
made for at least two assistant chemists, and Mr. Balen- 
tine, a graduate of the Maine State Agricultural College, 
is already engaged and at work. It is hoped to soon have 
another assistant direct from one of the leading German 
Agr. Experiment Stations. 
In response to an invitation from the Trustees of the 
University, the Conn. State Board of Agriculture, and the 
Farmers' General State Committee on Experiment Sta- 
tions, gathered at Middletown, ou October lath, to con- 
sult as to the policy and work of the Station. Daring a 
very jilcasant and harmonious meeting, the sympathy, 
coiiperation, and support of these representative bodies 
were most heartily assured. A report of progress was 
given by Dr. Atwater, and plans for the future were dis- 
cussed. The most ample accommodations, in the Hall 
of Natural Sciences, whieli contains Laboratories, Store- 
rooms, and all needful apparatus and appliances, large 
and wel! arranged cabinets of natural history, etc., etc., 
have been placed at the disposal of the Station, by 
the Trustees of the Universit}'. The use of lands 
belonging to the College, and to other parties at aiid 
near Middletown, are also tendered freely. With all these 
faciliiies, tlie small State appropriation, (^$-3,800 a year\ 
and the additional contribution by the Proprietors of the 
American Agriculturist y will make it possible to employ 
atlcast three workers, besides the Director, (whose salary 
is paid by the University). At the above meeting, Dr. 
Atwater exhibited statistics from, the TO Experiment 
Stations iu Europe, showing that scarcely a dozen of 
them are more fully equipped. 
An undertaking of this kind, however, if it will begin 
well, must begin slowly. Accuracy and thoroughness 
are indispensable to the greatest future success and use- 
fulness. The work completed, and in form for publica- 
tion, is, of course, not yet large, nor can it be very groat 
immediately. Still a large number of fertilizers have 
been brought or sent in by farmers, and several have 
been already carefully examined. Some have proved 
good, others poor, and one, for example, though sold 
with strong recommendalions. shows in every ton nearly 
1,300 lbs. of sand, gravel, fragments of coal, and other 
equally worthless material At the above meeting I'le 
introduction of a thorough •* fertilizer control system" 
in the State was discussed, and it will be aimed at. It 
was agreed that analyses, of jytiblic interest^ should be 
made for farmers and others witliout charge; and those 
of private interest mainly, at moderate prices. We have 
not space here to describe the collection of grasses, etc., 
cut at different periods of growth, the past summer, for 
investigation of their relative value, etc., nor of other 
work and plans in progress. Th^se engaged at the Sta- 
tion have opportunity for work of great practical value, 
not only to Connecticut farmers, but to the whole coun- 
try, and they will doubtless be stimulated to the highest 
activity and carefulness. We shall keep them and their 
doings, and the results obt-aincd, before the people. 
