ANNUAL SHOW AND FAIR OF THE NEW YORK STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
281 
ANNUAL SHOW AND FAIR 
OF THE 
NEW YORK STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
We again call attention to this splendid fete —the 
Farmers’ great annual Festival—which takes place at 
Poughkeepsie, commencing Tuesday, the 17th of Sep¬ 
tember, and continuing till Thursday, the 20th. Ex¬ 
tensive preparations are on foot for it, and we have no 
doubt it will be the most superb and gratifying specta¬ 
cle of any kind that ever came off in America. Noth¬ 
ing can be more useful or commendable than Agri¬ 
cultural Shows; and it affords us much pleasure to 
learn, that they are fast coming to be so considered by 
the Farmers, for whose great benefit they are especially 
got up. Moreover, they are rapidly winning their way 
into the favor of all classes,’ and we are of opinion but 
few years will pass over, before every State in the Union 
will have its own Show, backed by separate ones of 
most of the counties throughout the land. It affords 
us no little gratification that New York, the Empire 
State, should be the first to set the great example and 
carry it out so liberally and effectually. We hope and 
trust that all who can, will attend, and also bring their 
families with them; for it will not only be a superb 
festival, well worth regarding, but prove a school of 
much learning to whoever may be there, whether large 
or small. 
The regular Annual Address before the State Society 
and visiters generally, will be delivered by Mr. Ban¬ 
croft, the historian. Several other gentlemen, distin¬ 
guished as agriculturists or as public functionaries, will 
also comply with requests by addressing the society and 
their fellow-citizens during the afternoons or evenings 
of the assemblage. 
PROGRAMME. 
The plan agreed upon by the Executive Committee, 
requires the enclosure of about ten acres of ground, 
within a high fence—the erections inside to consist of 
four buildings, in dimensions each one hundred feet by 
thirty—making a total length of five hundred feet, al¬ 
lowing for the spaces between the buildings; and in 
addition to these erections, of plain and substantial ed¬ 
ifices for the temporary purpose, several tents or mar¬ 
ques will be erected for various purposes inside the en¬ 
closure, while suitable buildings for ticket and business 
offices will be erected in front of the enclosure. Large 
spaces of meadow-land surround the location, so that 
neither the crowds nor the people of the village need 
be incommoded by the pressure of horses and carriages 
within narrow limits. Wells will be dug within the 
enclosure for the accommodation of cattle, &e.; a car¬ 
riage-way will run round the fence inside, to enable 
families and parties to drive around the grounds to see 
the animals, after examining the various articles exhib¬ 
ited in the several buildings, &,c. 
One of these large buildings will be devoted to the 
ladies, for the exhibition of flowers, fruits, needle¬ 
work, &c.; and the greatest care will be taken to ren¬ 
der this share of the exhibition satisfactory to the ladies, 
who, in numbers scarcely less than the gentlemen, visit 
these annual exhibitions. This branch of the arrange¬ 
ments will be chiefly under the supervision of the ladies 
of Poughkeepsie and other neighboring villages, assist¬ 
ed by Mr. Walsh, of Lansingburgh, Mr. Downing of 
Newburgh, Mr. Bateham of Rochester, and other gen¬ 
tlemen of the Society. 
Another building will be devoted to the exhibition of 
domestic industry generally, which may be sent for ex¬ 
hibition or competition, as connected directly or indirect¬ 
ly with the interest or comfort of the farming com¬ 
munity. Mechanics, manufacturers, and invent¬ 
ors of implements and machinery for lessening labor, 
or rendering labor more productive, (and all such are 
invited to send specimens of their industry or ingenuity,) 
may find their own interest promoted, as well as public 
curiosity gratified, by sending specimens to the Show, 
and notifying the recording secretary immediately of 
their intention. 
The other large buildings will be devoted to the ex¬ 
hibition of agricultural productions generally—to 
specimens of grain, vegetables, implements of husband¬ 
ry, and to all other articles (except animals) not em¬ 
braced in the other buildings. Gardeners as well as 
farmers and fruit-growers, will here find accom¬ 
modations for any articles they may choose to send. 
In connexion with these arrangements, it may be 
well to state that no charge is made for entering arti¬ 
cles designed merely for exhibition, and only one dollar 
from persons who wish to compete for any of the five 
hundred premiums offered on all sorts of articles. The 
payment of one dollar constitutes membership, and en¬ 
titles the family of the member to admission; and the 
small charge of one shilling is made for other visiters, 
to aid in preserving order, as well as for assisting the 
Society in paying premiums. 
Plowing Match. —This takes place on Tuesday, the 
17th of September. To correct some misapprehension 
on the subject, it may be added that the Trial of plows 
and other implements is different from the Plowing 
Match. The former is for the purpose of testing the 
qualities of all new and improved farming implements. 
General Exhibition. —Commences on Wednesday, the 
18th, and continues all Thursday, the 19th. Friday 
and Saturday, Ihe 20th and 21st, will be days of private 
sale. 
All persons intending to compete for the Society’s 
premiums, must become members, which they can do 
by the payment of $1 at the time of entering their ar¬ 
ticles for exhibition. 
All members of the Society will be furnished with a 
member’s badge, which will admit them and their fam¬ 
ilies to the show yards. Tickets for admission, to those 
who are not members, twelve and a half cents. 
The list of premiums to be awarded at this Show, 
was published in our May Number, p. 146. Since 
then, the following alterations and additions have been 
made:— 
Books and Essays for Publication. —For the best Text¬ 
book on Agriculture, for the use of schools, $100. 
Cattle. —Best Ayrshire Bull, 3 years old, $15. Sec¬ 
ond best, $10. 
Jacks. —Best, $15. Second best, $10. 
Mules. —Best pair, $15. Second best, $10. 
Sheep. —In the classes for sheep, the prizes are for 
the best three ewes, instead of the “ best ewe,” as here¬ 
tofore published. 
The following is a list of the judges appointed to 
award the several premiums :— 
On Farms. —J. P. Beekman, Kinderhook; J. S. 
W adsworth, Geneseo; Thomas Hillhouse, Albany. 
On trial of Plows.— Caleb N. Bement, Albany; John 
Wilkinson, Union Yale; L. B. Langworthy, Roches- 
ter. 
On Farm Implements ,—T. V. W. Anthony, Fishkill; 
