314 SEVENTH ANNUAL SHOW OF THE NEW YORK STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
grasses that may spring up. If the soil is fertile, 
grass and weeds will obtain possession of the soil, 
and they can be kept out only by incurring an ex¬ 
pense which the crop will never repay. 
We have seen accounts in the newspapers of the 
cranberry being cultivated successfully on the up¬ 
lands, but we do not believe much of the stories 
that are told. On damp barren sands the cranberry, 
in this country, is as certain as any cultivated crop ; 
but on other soils it is precarious and uncertain, 
and will not repay the labor in cultivation.— Yar¬ 
mouth (Mass.) Register. 
Can any of our correspondents inform us whether 
the cranberry-plant has been made to bear an abun¬ 
dance of fruit on lands that are not moist or over¬ 
flowed with water a portion of the year ? 
SEVENTH ANNUAL SHOW 
OF THE 
fork Btate Agricultural Bocidg. 
This great show and farmers 5 festival came off 
at Saratoga, on the 14th, 15th, and 16th of Septem¬ 
ber. During most of the week preceding and up 
to Tuesday, it rained more or less every day. This 
untoward weather unquestionably kept back some 
things which otherwise would have been exhibited, 
and it probably had an influence in the number 
of people present on the occasion. But Tuesday 
night the clouds were dispelled, and during Wed¬ 
nesday and Thursday, the principal show-days, the 
weather was truly magnificent. 
Show-Ground. —This was admirably chosen, and 
comprised twenty-three acres, on the top of the 
rising ground just beyond the famous Congress 
Spring, about a quarter of a mile north of the 
centre of the village. The ground was fenced in 
with a high, tight board-fence. Inside of this 
a suitable space was set apart for horses and cattle all 
round; next to this was the carriage-drive; and 
next, spaces and pens for stock again ; so that those 
passing round in carriages and on horseback could 
obtain an excellent view of all the animals present. 
We think this arrangement an improvement over 
that of locating the carriage-road close inside the 
fence, and hope it may be followed at all future shows. 
Entering the show-ground, the first thing which 
attracted attention, was a large tent on the right, 
about 120 feet in breadth by 180 in length. This 
was the Floral Hall, and was devoted to fruits and 
flowers. Some 200 feet in the rear of this stood the 
Domestic Hall, 60 by 150 feet. The numerous 
pillars of this building were festooned with ever¬ 
greens, which lent to its architecture a highly taste¬ 
ful and rural appearance. To the left of this the 
Society’s great tent was pitched, covering seats 
enough for 3,000 people. Here the annual speech 
was delivered and the reports of the various com¬ 
mittees read on Thursday afternoon. Still further 
to the left of this was the Mechanics 5 Hall, 60 by 
180 feet, filled with stoves, carriages, tools of va¬ 
rious kinds, and farm-implements. In the rear of 
the great tent, 200 feet distance or so, was the Far¬ 
mers’ Hall, a commodious building, set apart for 
dairy-products. Aside from these, several small 
tents were pitched, for the accommodation of the 
committees, and various other purposes. With the 
ample grounds, and tents, and buildings, the reader l 
| will perceive that the accommodations for the show 
| were very commodious, and reflect great credit on 
the Saratoga Committee, who got them up. 
Horses. —Of these there were 166 entries, most of 
which were very good. Tornado, bred by Robert L. 
Stevens, got by Eclipse, out of Polly Hopkins, and 
now farmed by Mr. Long, of Cambridge, took the 
first prize among blood-horses. He is a superb 
animal, and attracted much attention. Besides 
thorough-breds, there were several of the celebrated 
New York roadsters present, a stock of horses, by 
the way, unrivalled for general purposes. Then 
there was the ambitious pony-horse of the Morgan 
breed, together with large, strong animals bred ex¬ 
clusively for the farm. 
Cattle. —Of these, there were 203 entries, an un¬ 
usually small number for the State show. They were 
generally good of their kind. Several of the fat 
oxen were magnificent, and though only four to six 
years old, they would weigh from 2000 to 3000 lbs. 
each. Mr. Wadsworth of Geneseo showed eleven 
pair of fat three-year-old steers, which for size, 
fineness of form, and early maturity, have never been 
excelled. They were grade Durhams. Mr. Elon 
Sheldon, of Cayuga, exhibited three superb pair of 
working oxen ; and Mr. Halsey, of Tompkins, a 
superior pair of fat, red cattle. 
Sheep.' —Of these, there were 166 entries. The 
Merinos and Saxons were tolerably well represent¬ 
ed. Of South-downs and long-wools, we never 
saw so few. . Major Reybold, of Delaware, had two 
specimens of his New-Oxfords on the ground. They 
are of the long-woolled varieties, and weighed up¬ 
wards of 330 lbs. each. 
Swine. —We regret to say that the show of swine 
was very inferior, less than 30 in all. With the ex¬ 
ception of a few Berkshires and the improved white 
English hog, we saw nothing more than those of 
the ordinary farm kind. 
Poultry. —A meagre display enough. Some 
pretty good Dorkings and Polands, however, to¬ 
gether with the beautiful small China geese from 
the flock of Mr. Mesier, of Duchess county. 
Farm-Implements. —These were as numerous as 
at any show we have visited, and of a much 
superior kind. Indeed, this was the only depart¬ 
ment that was satisfactorily represented at Saratoga. 
Among the new things most worthy of notice was 
a hemp-breaker from Kentucky, which we thought 
very highly of, and a mowing-machine from Buffalo. 
The latter is the only one of the kind we have ever 
seen that we think will work well. The price is 
$100. We also saw some excellent iron hurdle- 
fences, an account of which we shall give hereaf¬ 
ter. 
Dairy-Products. —There were about enough of 
these to have served up at the dinner tables at one sit¬ 
ting of the hotels, at Saratoga. Why there was so 
little butter and cheese we can hardly divine. But 
if the specimens were few, the quality of them was 
very choice—finer butter we never saw; and the 
cheese, especially the pine-apple specimens, deserved 
high praise. 
Vegetables, Fruits, and Flowers. —A very good ex¬ 
hibition of the two latter so far as quality was con¬ 
cerned. 
Domestic Fabrics. — Flannels, hosiery, bed¬ 
spreads, yarn, &c., &c., were displayed in gay pro- 
