AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
67 
T. Van Namee of Pittstown of verbenas ; 
Mr. Geo. W. Thatcher of Sunnyside of 
dahlias. 
Mr. H. A. Graef of Brooklyn, for the best 
floral design or ornament; and Mr. War. S. 
Parke of the same city, and James Weir for 
the best boquets. 
There were many fine dishes of fruits on 
exhibition, among which stood prominent the 
200 varieties of Messrs. C. M. Hovey & 
Co., of Boston, 190 of which were named 
varieties of pears from their specimen trees. 
Messrs. Elwanger and Barry, exhibited 
about an equal number of better grown 
specimens of pears from their trees ; and we 
were glad to see that Mr. Baiiry, the Editor 
of the Horticulturist, had carried out his own 
suggestion, in a late number of his Magazine, 
and had marked the name on each pear by 
writing upon their skin with ink. This adds 
very much to the interest and utility of these, 
exhibitions. Both of the above collections 
received the award of a silver cup to each, 
of the value of $15,00. 
Among the pears a fine dish of the Barlett 
attracted unusual attention ; and we are sure 
that those who saw those fine large speci¬ 
mens of Doyenne Bossock and Beurre Clai- 
geau, will readily recognize them elsewhere. 
These are among the most promising new 
pears ; and if the quality is at all in keeping 
with the exterior they must be acquisi¬ 
tions. 
There was perhaps the choicest collection 
of apples ever yet exhibited, although not in 
so great numbers as we have before seen. 
Many of the dishes and some collections 
were fully equal to any thing upon the tables 
at the show of the Massachusetts Horticul¬ 
tural Society at Boston. Mr. J. W. Bailey 
of Plattsburgh, won the silver cup for the 
greatest number and best specimens of 
apples. Messrs. A. Frost & Co., of Roch¬ 
ester, the second ; Messrs. Elwanger & 
Barry took the first premium on plums ; Mr. 
H. G. Dickenson of Lyons on peaches; Mr. 
Frost of Rochester, on quinces ; Dr. Under¬ 
hill Croton Point, on native grapes, and the 
same to Mr. Theodore Fowler of Fishkill. 
The second best was awarded to Mr. Saul 
Merritt, Dutchess Co. Thatonbest foreign 
grapes was given to Mr. James Potter 
Princeton, N. J., and best one variety to 
his Black Hamburg. Messrs. Hovey had fine 
specimens of the Concord grape on exhibi¬ 
tion ; and the most experienced pomologists 
after trial pronounced it a decided “ acquisi¬ 
tion." Mr. S. S. Pennington, of Whiteside, 
Illinois, received the first premium of a sil¬ 
ver cup of the value of $15, for the best 
specimens and greatest variety of apples on 
the foreign list. They were remarkably fine 
specimens ; and being from the West, were 
particularly welcome to the examination of 
pomologists. 
On the whole we were highly gratified 
with this department of the great New-York 
State exhibition, and think it must have an¬ 
swered every reasonable expectation of the 
friends of this Society. It cannot fail to 
scatter seeds of horticultural knowledge far 
and wide, which will mature hereafter in 
many a beautiful harvest. 
IMPLEMENTS. 
Of strictly Farm Implements, the number 
was large and highly meritorious, though 
nothing specially new and important. We 
have never seen better machines at any ex¬ 
hibition. The reapers and mowers were 
there in greater perfection than we have be¬ 
fore noticed, and we were gratified to wit¬ 
ness a rapidly advancing improvement in 
these invaluable machines. Of general ma¬ 
nufactures and implements there were few, 
and unimportant in character. 
The Annual Speech, by Hon. John P. 
Hale, of New Hampshire, was an able and 
off-hand effort, and calculated to do much to 
aid in forwarding the great cause he so elo¬ 
quently advocated. His audience was large, 
intelligent, and attentive throughout. 
The character of the spectators struck us 
as being the most intelligent and respectable 
we ever before saw assembled in so large 
numbers. We did not observe a rowdy, or 
boorish, or drunken man on or around the 
premises during the^four days’ exhibition ; 
and the police, so generously tendered by 
the Mayor, had an easier duty than arrang¬ 
ing the ingress or egress of a popular con¬ 
cert. Large numbers of the intelligent, far¬ 
mers—those who make it an amusement as 
well as a profession, among us and around 
us—were there, and highly gratified by the 
display. 
The first and most of the second day of 
the opening of the exhibition was rainy, and 
few consequently attended. The last two 
days were very fine, and the number of 
visitors respectable. Owing to the distance 
of the show grounds from the settled part of 
the city, and the great lack of sufficient con¬ 
veyance to them, nothing like as many per¬ 
sons were present as there would have been, 
could the exhibition been held in a place like 
Madison-square. As it was, about $10,000 
were taken ; located lower down, we liave 
no doubt the receipts would have been from 
$25,000 to $30,000. 
As our journal is national rather than sec¬ 
tional, and as a few only are interested in a 
long list of premiums, we do not publish 
them. They will be found at length in the 
Tribune and other daily papers of this city ; 
and will also be published in the next volume 
of the Transactions of the NewAork State 
Agricultural Society. To those interested 
in these matters, we would refer them to the 
above sources for information. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
SHOW OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, CONN. 
EFFECT OF EXCESSIVE CAUTION, ETC. 
Middletown, Conn., October 4,1854. 
The annual festival of the Middlesex Coun¬ 
ty Agricultural Society was celebrated in 
this place last week. The exhibition of man¬ 
ufactured articles was not equal to former 
years, but the collection of fruits was very 
fine for this place. 
The live stock exhibited the second day 
was fine, even for Middlesex County. One 
yoke of working oxen from Portland weighed 
5,054 pounds ! 
A man lost his life here a few days since 
by accidental poisoning. He had procured 
two phials of medicine, each containing tinc¬ 
ture of aconite—one to be taken internally 
and containing but little of the poison, the 
other containing more, to be applied exter¬ 
nally. The phials were properly labeled, 
and the man properly cautioned both by the 
physician and by the druggist who put up the 
prescription—but to no purpose. After using 
the medicine several days, he unfortunately 
made the fatal mistake, and in an hour after 
he was a dead man. 
Query l —When a person undertakes to 
guard against a particular mistake, the dan¬ 
ger of which he is forewarned, does not his 
excessive caution sometimes render him 
even more liable to the very mistake, than if 
only using ordinary care 1 Jay Jay. 
GOING TO THE FAIR. 
BY MRS. FRANCES D. GAGE. 
Ben Fisher had finished his harvesting, 
And he stood by the orchard gate, 
One foot on the rail and one on the ground, 
As he called to his good wife—Kate. 
There were stains of toil on his manly hand, 
The dust of the field on his hat, 
But a twinkle of pleasure was in his eye 
As he looked on his stock so fat. 
“ Here, give me the baby, dear Kate, you are tired, 
I fear you have too much care, 
You must rest and pick up a little, I think, 
Before we go to the fair. 
I’d hate to be taking fat oxen, you kno.v, 
Fat hogs, and fat sheep, and fat cow, 
With a wife at my elbows as poor as a crow, 
And care-wrinkles shading her brow. 
‘“Can't go,’ did you say ? ‘Can’t afford the ex¬ 
pense?’ 
I know, Kate, our crops ain’t the best, 
But we’ve labored together to keep things along, 
And together we’ll now take a rest. 
The orchard is bare, but old Brindle is prime, 
And Lily and Fan are a show, 
Your butter and cheese can’t be beat in the State, 
So up to the fair we will go. 
“You’ve ne’er seen a city, and Cleveland is fine, 
Ne’er seen the blue billowy Lake, 
Ne’er rode in a rail car, nor been in a throng, 
So, Kate, this journey we’ll take, 
And garner new feelings, new thoughts and new 
ways, 
If we find those that suit as we roam, 
And garner up strength with our head, heart and 
hands, 
For the love and the duties of home. 
“ I sometimes have thought, Kate, as I plodded 
along, 
For months, o’er the same weary ground, 
That a fellow who had such a really hard time, 
In Ohio nowhere could be found. 
But when I’ve been called from my home for 
awhile, 
And seen how the rest get along, 
I’ve come back to my toil with a light, cheerful 
heart, 
And ‘ there’s no place like home,’ was my song. 
“ I wonder that mothers don’t wholly despair, 
Who ne’er from their cares get away, 
But walk the same tread-wheel of duty for years, 
Scarce stopping to rest night or day. 
I don’t wonder they grow discontented sometimes, 
That their feelings grow raspy and cold, 
For toil never-ending, and labor uncheered, 
Makes women—and men sometimes scold.” 
Kate looked up with a smile, and said, “ Ben, 
we’ll go ; 
There may be better oxen than ours, 
Horses swifter on foot, and finer by far, 
Better butter and cheese, fruit and flowers, 
But there’s one thing I claim I know can’t be beat 
In the whole Yankee nation to-day, 
I’d not swap him, I know, for a kingdom to boot— 
That’s my ‘gude man ;’ ” and Kate ran away. 
[Ohio Cultivator. 
The only way to keep sweet com of any 
variety for winter use, is to partially cook 
and then dry it; or put it in a close jar, or 
other tight vessel. Corn nicely kept in this 
way, is very good, as we had abundantly 
tested, years before the Stowell corn was 
ever heard of. 
