THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
165 
who ha,l retired irom the toils and bustle of { o- 
liiical life, to the quiet and peaceful j ursuits ol 
agriculture, and anii mg others he alluded to Ex- 
President Van Buren, who was present at the 
table, as an invited guest. 
Mr. Van Buren being called upon, rose and 
eppressed his giatitude tor the res sect which hau 
been shown him — first to those who did him the 
honor to solicit his attendance, and next to the 
audience, lor the kind and cordial feelings which 
had greeted his appearance aioong theiii. 
He spoke higiily of the exhibition which he 
had witnessed during the daj- — and although his 
expectations had been highly raised, the reality 
far exceeded his highest anth ipations. 
He alluded to his own exnerience for the two 
last years, which he had devoted to the cultiva- 
tion of his farm, and which had proved to him 
the happiest 3 ears of his lile. He gave an ac- 
count of his expel iments upon his larm, show- 
ing that he had profited by the experience of 
others, as his farm, which two 3 ’^ears since did 
not produce a supply for his own use, the pre- 
sen' season yielded him a surplus of eighty 
tons of hay. He closed with some very appro- 
priate remarks in addition, and was" loudly 
cheered as he sat down. 
Judge Leland, of Steuben Co., followed with a 
few remarks, in which he spoke much in praise 
of the fanner, and concluded by giving as a sen- 
timent — Gov. Bouck, It is a credit to the Far- 
mers ol New York, that they have otic among 
them capable of tilling the distinguished office 
of Governor of the State. 
The Hon. Francis Granger, of Canandaigua, 
one ol the Ihvorite .sons of Western New York 
was then called up. 
Mr. Granger rose amidst loud applause. He 
commenced by saying that something probably 
wasexpected of him in behalf of Western New 
York, but he said it could hardly be necessary 
— for on looking around him he saw all Western 
New York there. He alluded to the emotions 
he felt on entering the cars to find by his side 
the man who raised first bushel vt wheat west 
ol Cayuga Bridge. That man was Abner Bar- 
low, of Ontario Co., who was present. Mr. 
Granger paid a glowing tribute to ihe pioneers 
of Western New York, and concluded with the 
following sentiment; 
Tile Pivneers of Western Neio York . — They 
descended Irom Pisgah to enjoy the promised 
I'he Hon. Daniel Webster, was then announc- 
ed by the President amid the most enthusiastic 
plaudits. 
Mr. Webster remarked that he had made a 
very rapid journey of hundreds of miles to meet 
with the farmers of Western New York. He 
came to offer them the congratulation of a poor 
farmer of New England. He had devoted all 
the time he could spare to the cultivation of the 
soil, an I endeavored to make up by application, 
what he was unable to do by study. He spoke 
of Agriculture generally, and of its effects upon 
society, and alter a few remarks in relation to 
Western New York, and said that he intend- 
ed to cariy home with him for the benefit of New 
England, what he should learn here. He closed 
amidst the renewed cheers of the audience. 
Mr. Ferguson, of Canada, next followed in 
some very playful remarks, and concluded with 
giving— 
“ The President of the New York Slate Agricul- 
tural Society'' 
Mr. Wadsworth briefly responded, and was 
followed by the Mayor of Rochester. 
Thursday, Sept. 21. 
Another remarkable day has passed, and. we 
hasten to record a brief account ot its doings. — 
The Ploughing Match, that holiday of the far- 
mer, which is always ushered in with the most 
pleasing emotions, and which more than any 
one thing contributes to improvement in the cul- 
tivation ol the soil, has this day been held.— The 
streets leading to the ground were thronged for 
hours before the time of commencing the trial, 
and before 11 o’clock, at least five thousand per- 
sons were assembled to witness a trial ol skill 
by thirty -eight ploughmen, who had with a zeal 
truly commendable, entered the lists. The in- 
terest taken b 3 ' practical farmers in this part of 
the proceedings, exceeds ever}' other part of the 
exhibition. The woi k was much of it well done, 
but we greatl}' mistake the skill ol Oneida plow- 
men, if they cannot excel any work which we 
have seen to-da}'. — Let them challenge the State 
next fall, and we shall see who is the best plow- 
men. 
At three o’clock in the afternoon, an immense 
concourse of people, estimated at 5000 at least, 
assembled on the ground ol exhibition, and li.s- 
tened to a most admirable address from J. P. 
Beekman, Esq., of Columbia Co., one of the 
Vice Presidents of the Society. As the address 
will soon be published, we iireler giving it to 
our readers as delivered, rather than mar it by 
any sketch of our own. 
It has been announced that Mr. Webster 
would address the audience alter Mr. Beckman’s 
address — but the Piesident of the Society an- 
nounced that Mr. Webster was so unwell, as to 
be unable to appear upon the ground. — Hon Ex. 
Gov. Seward being on the platform, was loudly 
called lor, and responded to the call. He said, 
last year, he thought the farmers of Eastern New 
York the most unreasonable men he had ever 
known— ia calling upon him, at four days no- 
tice, to supply thf* place of the mo.st distinguished 
man and ablest Statesman not only of this, but 
of any other country', the Hon. Daniel Webster, 
ol Massachusetts — but he was constrained to 
sav,that the farmers of Western New York were 
still more unreasonable in calling upon him, 
without a moment’s notice, to make a sacrifice 
of himself, and to fill the place again designated 
for the same distinguished gentleman. 
He alluded very happily to agriculture, its 
importance, its tendency to peace and quiet — 
and showed in a few bold sketches, the superi- 
ority of the farmer, over the men ol many fields 
of battle and carnage. 
He alluded also to our larmer Governor, of 
Schoharie, and rejoiced most heartily to see him 
upon the ground, and pledged himself to stand 
by him in every effort to improve and advance 
the agriculture of the Empire State. He also 
alluded to the distinguished agriculturist, the 
Ex President Van Buren, of Lindenwold, the 
Hon. Daniel Webster, of Marshfield, amt the 
Farmer of Ashland, the Hon H. Clay, and said 
where such men were united, the cause must 
go forward and finally prevail, however they 
might differ as to Banks and Tariffs, and matters 
of that sort, which though of importance inthem- 
seives, must all ot them yield to this one great 
object, the imgrovement of the agriculture of 
our country. Gov. Seward was loudly applauded 
at the close of his address. 
The Ex. President and Gov. Bouck, were 
both called for, but having left the ground some 
time previously, they were not heard, much to 
the regret of the large audience assembled. 
The Reports of the several Committees were 
then read, and the premiums awarded. 
DRYING FRUITS. 
As this is the season for drying fruits, parti- 
cularly apples, peaches, pears, and the like, a 
few directions for the successful performance of 
this highly useful operation, may not be alto- 
gether uninteresting to some ol our readers. — 
The perfection of the process consists in taking 
ripe fruit whose flavor and body have come to 
full maturity, and then dry it sufficiently to pre- 
vent decomposition, without injury to any of its 
natural qualities. Peaches are too often gather- 
ed and dried before they are ripe; because it is 
less troublesome, and the product is much larger; 
although such fruit is little better than bits of 
dried sole leather. In order to dry fruit success- 
fully, it is well to know something of its chemi- 
cal nature. All fruit contains water in two dis- 
tinct states. In one, water forms a part of, the 
other it constitutes by far the larger element in 
its juices. A gentle heat drives off a good por- 
tion ol the latter by evaporation, without af- 
lectiati the former in the slightest degree. If, 
liuwever, the temperatme is raised above 89 or 
90 degrees, the organization ot the fruit under- 
goes a change, and weobiaina product more or 
! less altered, accoiding to the intensity ol the 
j heat applied. In this way dried fruit is often 
seriously injured. It matters not whether fruit 
I be dried by the warmth of the sun, or by artifi- 
! ciai beat, provided the temperature is not raised 
too high when artificial heat is employed. In 
drying plums and some other iruits whole, it is 
advisable to make an incision into the rind tq 
promote evaporation. In France, very acid 
fruits, afier they are partly dried, are }^ut into 
warm veak le}', until their surface becomes 
wrinkled, when they are washed clean and the 
process of drying compleieil. This is done to 
remove the excessive acidity of cherries, plums, 
and other acid Iruits. 
I'o preserv'e apples and other fruits fresh, it is 
advisable to put them up in tight ca.ses, and in 
some dry material that will prevent their com- 
I ing' in contact, which makes tiie pressure oi 
j their weight appl}' to the whole suitirce, instead 
ot to tne small points of contact when apples 
j are laid one on top of another. — Buffalo Auv. 
I Things that have been seen. — A writer in 
j the Prairie Farmer has seen some curious 
j things. We select ihe following: 
I I have seen farmers that went to the store oft- 
ener than they went to mill. 
I I have seen a tanners wile take the last 
; twenty bushels of wheat from the granary to 
j purchase a new dress, when her husband at the 
same time had an execution standing against 
him. 
I have seen farmers that could go twenty miles 
to a political meeting, but would not go’ five to 
an agricubural one. 
I have seen faimers that had but little except 
“dog fence,” but I could not see that they had 
better crops than those that had good rail or 
board fence. 
I have seen farmers that burned their straw 
when threshing their grain in the fall, and go 
begging the same article before spring to keep 
their stock alive. 
I have seen a farmer that travelle' one hun- 
dred and four miles in the course of a year to 
use his neighbors grindstone, \\ hen two days’ 
labor would purchase one that would last ten 
years. 
I have seen young men that could pay ten 
dollars tor a “spree,” that would not pay one 
dollar for the Prairie Farmer. 
I have seen a mother that called her child a 
“brat” in the cradle, and in two j'ears the child 
called her a harder name. 
1 have seen a farmer in Illinois that cut down 
thrilly saplings in his door }'ard, and then set 
out others in their place that would require ten 
years growth ere they would present the same 
beautiful appearance. 
1 have seen farmers that would cany their 
produce fify miles to market, when the}' could 
sell it at their own doors for the same price. 
I have seen many fanners that would drink 
slough water and have the ague six months, 
when four days labor would dig a good well, 
I have seen farmers’ daughters that were 
"very accomplished" in every thing except card- 
ing, spinning, weaving, knitting, churning, 
making cheese, cooking, &c. 
To PREVENT W'ORMS AND BUGS FROM DES- 
TROYING c.iBBAGEs. — Mr. William Putnam, of 
Methuen, tells us he soaks his cabbage seed in 
brimstone and soot to keep the worms from the 
roots. He says that he has good cabbages when 
others have nothing but pork for the boiler. He 
says any one can raise the Early York, but it re- 
quires more atlenlion to raise the Drumhead. 
He recommends coal-du.'^t for vines of all 
kinds — even cinders from the forge where sea- 
coal is burned. He spreads his coal-dust on the 
ground, and he says the squash bug and the yel- 
low bug are so much otiended with such pro- 
ceedings that they fly away. — Mass. Plowman. 
