SHOW OF THE QUEENS COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.-ETC. 
333 
Mr. Charles Henry Hall said that he could not 
concur in the opinion expressed in the report of Dr. 
Underhill that the foreign grape is totally unsuited 
to the climate of the United States ; for, it was his 
belief that, with proper culture, in chosen localities, 
it could be brought to perfection. He could not 
speak positively, however, on this point, but ex¬ 
pressed a desire that the Chairman should give what 
information he possessed in relation to the subject, 
upon which General Dearborn rose and said that, 
in early life, he attempted to cultivate the European 
grape in the open air, in Massachusetts, by high 
manuring, pruning, smoking, &c., but could not 
succeed in obtaining good fruit. He stated that, 
when his father was Minister, near Lisbon, he 
caused a selection of some cuttings of the choicest 
varieties of grapes to be made there, by an experi¬ 
enced vine-dresser, with minute directions for their 
culture and management, which were sent home 
and planted in his garden near Boston, and after 
nurturing them with seven years’ excessive care, 
no grapes were produced, and at last he dug them 
up and threw them away. From personal obser¬ 
vation, anil long intercourse with persons from differ¬ 
ent parts of the Union, he unequivocally expressed 
it as his opinion that the foreign grape will not 
thrive in this country in the open air. 
Adjournment. —Mr. Robert Lawrence of New 
York, moved that this Convention be adjourned to 
the next Annual Fair of the American Institute, at 
such time and place as the managers may desig¬ 
nate, which was adopted. 
SHOW OF THE QUEENS COUNTY AGRI¬ 
CULTURAL SOCIETY. 
This was held on the 9th of last month, at 
Flushing, and certainly was one of the most agree¬ 
able meetings we ever attended. It was made the 
more attractive by the plowing and spading matches 
of the American Institute, being arranged to come 
off at the same time, near the show-ground. A de¬ 
lightful hour’s sail up the East River into Flushing 
Bay, brought us to the town, where we found thou¬ 
sands of ladies and gentlemen already assembled 
there, and enjoying the festivities of the occasion. 
The show-ground was located in the heart of 
the village, near the Friends’ Meeting House, and 
was ample and commodious. It was well fenced 
in, and all around the different kinds of stock were 
arranged, and showed to great advantage. In the 
centre of the ground a magnificent tent of 80 to 100 
feet diameter was pitched, and within this was 
arranged a great variety of the flowers, fruits, vege¬ 
tables, and seeds, of the season. In the centre of 
the tent stood the Temple of Flora. This was 
really one of the most beautiful and tastefully 
executed things we ever saw. It was the handi¬ 
work of the fair ladies of Flushing, and did them 
great credit. Thousands of choice flowers were 
culled to adorn the Temple, principally from the 
gardens of Messrs. Winter & Co. But Flushing is 
a town of flowers, and many of the private gardens 
contributed to form the Temple, and the pretty 
pyramids and bouquets which surrounded it. W e 
doubt whether this show of flowers has ever been 
excelled in the United States. The dahlias particu¬ 
larly were very abundant and perfect. Of the 
fruits, Messrs. Prince & Co. made the largest dis¬ 
play. Mr. Wm. H. Schermerhorn contributed a 
plate of new seedling peaches, very large and fine. 
They much resembled the Late Crawford, but are 
less elongated in shape. He has given them the 
name of the Rose Hil 1 * from his residence, where 
they originated. We are not much of a connoisseur 
in domestic fabrics, but could not help noticing a 
curious counterpane, made by Mrs. Jesse Brow T n, of 
6,722 pieces! and a beautiful knit bed-spread, by 
the ingenious Mrs. Jander. Other curiosities there 
were in abundance, but we have not space to men¬ 
tion them. Among the stock present we counted 
37 yoke of superb working oxen, made up, we be¬ 
lieve, from the town of Flushing alone. This was 
just the same number as was exhibited in Auburn, 
at the late State Show, and they would compare 
favorably with them in appearance. The other 
animals present were respectable. Perhaps the 
most attractive after the big team, were a pair of 
beautiful Shetland ponies in harness, about the size 
of stout Newfoundland dogs. 
Upon the whole the Queens County Show went 
off well. It was attended by several thousands of 
both sexes, and seemed to give general satisfaction. 
This Society is one of the most spirited and flou¬ 
rishing in the State. W e are under obligations to 
its gentlemanly officers for their polite attention to 
us while on the ground, and close our brief notice, 
by wishing them well through their arduous duties, 
and as good a show next year. 
THE PROPER TIME FOR CUTTING TIMBER. 
Nine-tenths of the community think winter the 
time for this purpose, but the reason assigned, 
“ that the sap is then in the roots,” shows its 
futility, as it is evident to the most superficial ob¬ 
server that there is nearly the same quantity of sap 
in the tree at all seasons. It is less active in win¬ 
ter, and like all other moisture, is congealed during 
the coldest weather; yet when not absolutely 
frozen, circulation is never entirely stopped in the 
living tree. Reason or philosophy would seem to 
indicate that the period of the maturity of the leaf, 
or from the last of June to the first of November, is 
the season for cutting timber in its perfection. Cer¬ 
tain it is, that we have numerous examples of tim¬ 
ber cut within this period, which has exhibited a 
durability twice or three times as great as that cut 
in winter, when placed under precisely the same 
circumstances. After it is felled, it should at once 
be peeled, drawn from the woods, and elevated 
from the ground to facilitate drying ; and if it is in¬ 
tended to be used under cover, the sooner it is put 
there the better. Wood designed for fuel, will 
spend much better when cut as above mentioned 
and immediately housed, but as this is generally in¬ 
convenient from the labor of the farm being then re¬ 
quired for the harvesting of the crops, it may be 
more economical to cut it whenever there is most 
leisure.— Allen's American Agriculture. 
Travelling Agency. —Mr. J. Vanderbilt, Jr., 
is now travelling in the Southern States, as agent 
for our Agricultural Warehouse in this city; also 
for the American Agriculturist. All moneys paid 
to him on our account w T e guarantee shall be pro¬ 
perly applied, and all orders given through him will 
be faithfully and promptly executed by us. 
