258 
SIXTEENTH ANNUAL SHOW OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 
these were of monstrous growth, especially the 
Roots and Squashes. A Chinese Pumpkin of a cu¬ 
rious rag-wheel shape weighed 118 pounds; and 
Egg-Plants we saw nearly as large as our hat-crown. 
Grain. —The Cereal display, we must confess, 
with the exception of Indian and Egyptian corn, 
was meager enough. Some ears of the former we 
measured were 15 inches long, of the grain part; 
and others were of great circumference, and show¬ 
ed as high as twenty-one rows, which is rather 
extraordinary for northern com. The seed of the 
Egyptian Com is something like Broom Corn ; the 
stalks are said by those who have tried it, to be 
admirably adapted for summer soiling. 
Fruits. —Here was a very good show indeed, 
with the exception of Peaches, it being passed the 
season for these. A Bell Pear was exhibited 
measuring 18^ inches round, and weighing 33 
ounces; Apples 18| ounces each; and Chinese and 
other Quinces of great size. There was quite a 
variety of grapes, and good of their kind ; Spanish 
Chestnuts four times the size of the common 
American, and various other things of which we 
shall make due mention hereafter. 
Flowers. —It was so late in the season that we 
could not expect a great display of these; there 
were, however, a few large bouquets, beautifully 
made up from quite a variety of flowers. The 
Dahlias were in great profusion, and a superb 
show. There were some new seedlings exhibited 
which struck us as perfect in form, shape, and 
color. 
Dairy Products.— In Cheese there was a good¬ 
ly show, some immensely large, weighing nearly 
200 pounds. Of Butter there was a less quantity, 
though the quality seemed unexceptionable. 
Plowing-Match. 
This came off on Monday the IGth October, 
within a mile of the flourishing town of Paterson, 
N. J., to and from which a special train of cars 
was furnished gratis by the liberality of the Rail¬ 
road Company, for the members of the Institute, 
all invited guests, and the instruments of hus¬ 
bandry. 
At 10 o’clock, A. M., a large company was ta¬ 
ken up at the station-house at Jersey City, among 
whom we noticed several distinguished strangers, 
the Marquis de Cadenas and others from Cuba; 
Cols. Bankhead and Cross, with other officers of the 
United States Army ;' Commodore Dekay and 
Captain Reed of the Navy ; together with General 
Fairbanks, and quite a party of gentlemen from 
Boston, &c.» &c. The fine bands from the Second 
Regiment of Artillery, and the ship of the line 
North Carolina, were in attendance, and played 
alternately upon the occasion. As we rolled into 
Paterson, a peal of cannon saluted us, and we found 
a numerous assembly of Jerseymen waiting our 
arriyal at the depot. A long procession was 
now formed, and with the banners of the In¬ 
stitute floating in the air at the head of it, and the 
inspiring strains of the bands, we mttrched through 
the streets in double file to the Passaic Hotel. 
Here the officers of the day were chosen as fol¬ 
lows :— 
General Johnson of Brooklyn, N. Y., President; 
Andrew Parsons, of N. J., Philip Schuyler, of 
N. Y., 'William Condeil, of Paterson, N. J., James 
Tallmadge, N. Y., James Clowes, N. J., Adoniram 
Chandler, N. Y., Edward Clark, N. Y., Abraham 
Godwin, of Paterson, George C. Dekay, Hudson 
Co., N. J., James L. Morris, Essex Co., N. J., 
Philemon Dickerson, Passaic Co., N. J., John 0, 
Choules, Mass., Stephen Fairbanks, Mass., Vice 
Presidents ; Henry Meig*s, of New York, Secre¬ 
tary ; Edward N. Dickerson, of Paterson, Assistant 
Secretary , 
The following gentlemen were appointed judg¬ 
es of the Plowing: Messrs. Johnson, Schuyler, and 
J. D. Ward. 
The several Vice Presidents were made Mar¬ 
shals of the day under the direction of General God¬ 
win, one of their number. 
These proceedings being over, and the plows 
not yet quite ready to start, most of the company 
now took the opportunity of visiting the Falls. 
The weather was delightful, and the river ap¬ 
peared to great advantage, rushing in a bold sliding 
leap down a chasm of about 70 feet. From these 
precipices it is well known the lamented Mrs. 
Cummings was precipitated below in the most 
unaccountable manner to certain destruction; here, 
also, the renowned Sam Patch first took his initia¬ 
tory leaps, which finally ended in his death. The 
scenery around is wild and romantic, and well 
worthy of being visited. But the Plowing-Match 
being the grand event, after a hasty view of the 
Falls and the delightful grounds around, we has¬ 
tened to the field of strife about a mile distant. 
Arrived on the ground, General Johnson called 
the assembly to order, when fifteen plows were 
entered. The soil was of a rich gravelly loam, in 
sod, and well calculated to test the merits of the 
plows. Previous however to starting on their 
match, Mr. Teschemaker of Boston delivered a 
capital address of about fifteen minutes duration 
which was listened to with interest, and roundly 
