HARTFORD COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SHOW. 
293 
such an experiment is trifling, and any one doing 
it and reporting to us, we will put on our free list 
for ten years. 
We published a table on the comparative value 
of different kinds of fodder for cattle, in our first 
Volume, page 250. We know from repeated ob¬ 
servation, that the value of straw varies greatly, 
according to the time that it is cut. If reaped 
when the grain is in the milk, it is more nutritious 
than when the berry becomes hard ; but if allowed 
to stand till the grain easily shells from the head 
upon being shaken, and the stalks and leaves get 
rusty, it becomes nearly valueless as fodder. It 
has been proved that grain may be cut from three 
to ten days earlier than we have been accustomed 
to do it in this country, that it will give a better 
sample in consequence of this early cutting, and 
that the straw is of far superior quality. 
HARTFORD COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SHOW. 
The day after the New Haven Show being over, 
(September 29th,) was appointed for the great 
display at Hartford, Connecticut. Joined by a 
pleasant party of friends at this point, we took the 
morning train at an early hour, and were soon set 
down in this fine old town, and ancient seat of 
government of Connecticut. The weather could 
not have possibly been finer, and we found the 
city thronged with denizens from the country, all 
anxious for the Show. The ample rooms of the 
City Hall were devoted to the minor articles, and 
here vve found a highly creditable display of fruits, 
flowers, vegetables, grain, flour, dairy products, 
and domestic manufactures. We should like to 
dwell upon the merits of these, particularly of 
some kinds of fruits and vegetables present, but 
we fear to fatigue our readers with repetitions of 
such things as we see elsewhere, and therefore 
forbear. 
The stock-yard was in the environs of the town, 
near the river, and this was well filled with the 
usual breeds of domestic animals. There were 
a few very fine fat cattle present, and about 220 
head of working oxen. Red predominated in their 
color. Some had nearly the fineness of points and 
clean sinewy limbs of the Devons; but usually, 
they were rather coarser and larger. Notwith¬ 
standing this, they seemed sufficiently quick in 
their movements, are said to be powerful in the 
yoke, and can not be excelled for their size as 
working oxen. We noticed a few good Durham 
bulls. Mr. Collins’s Hero especially excels in 
his handling qualities; and from the points of 
his shoulders back, it would be difficult to beat 
him, take the United States over. The best milk¬ 
ing cows on the ground we were informed were 
grade Durhams; but everything so soon gets mixed 
up with the generality of farmers, that it is im¬ 
possible to give more than an indefinite guess as 
to the breeding of nine tenths of the stock of the 
country. We must confess ourselves great stick¬ 
lers for pedigree among animals, or what is tech¬ 
nically termed u barn-yard aristocracy and we 
do like to be able to answer, with some definite¬ 
ness, the question of the shrewd Yankee boy:— 
“ Wal, now, Mister, can you tell us who that 
’ere crittur’s daddy is ? If you can, and ’tis a good 
one, it’s a trade, anyhow, and no more slack." 
Yes, the boy was right. To know “ daddy and 
mammy” puts an end to “ slack,” and makes some 
certainty in the animal itself and its breeding; 
the public, therefore, must bear patiently with us 
if we fire away rather sharp now and then upon 
barn-yard democracy. We mean no treason against 
the Republic by this, and only want to revolu¬ 
tionize a little the domestic animals of the coun¬ 
try. But to return to the Show. 
There was a good display of native bulls, of a 
handsome, bright-red color, some of which were 
unusually fine, and deserving all the care and at¬ 
tention bestowed upon them. Only go on, gentle¬ 
men, we say, and improve these, and you shall 
find us your warm supporters. Of fine-woolled 
sheep there was a goodly number, principally an 
intermixure of the Saxons and Merinos. Pigs were 
rather a scarce article present. Poultry was in 
pretty full feather, and Mr. Kennedy’s coops, es¬ 
pecially those containing his noble gobblers, at¬ 
tracted marked attention. They were the repre¬ 
sentatives of a flock of about 80 at home, and ap¬ 
peared so superior, that we set them down as be¬ 
longing to the “ aristocracy ” of poultry. 
At 2 o’clock P. M., in company with the mem¬ 
bers of the Hartford County Society, and delegates 
from others in different counties, we sat down to 
a capital dinner at the United States Hotel. This 
was soon discussed, when all proceeded to the 
Center Church, to hear the anniversary address. 
This was preceded by a prayer by the Rev. Dr. 
Hawes, and the singing, by a choir of about 70 
little girls, of a beautiful hymn, composed for the 
occasion by Mrs. Sigourney. Francis Gillette, Esq., 
of Bloomfield, then rose and made an excellent 
address, which was followed by the little girls 
singing the pretty song of— 
O, the merry harvest-time ! 
The merry, matchless harvest-time ! 
What can vie, beneath the sky, 
With the matchless harvest-time ? 
