AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
Chester County Swine. —It is said that 
this excellent breed was first imported into 
Pennsylvania from Bedfordshire, England, 
m 1818. They maintain their stand in Ches¬ 
ter County against all other breeds; if the 
farmers there would select the best breed 
from those only, they would soon become 
famous and sought for all over the United 
States. They are thrifty and grow large, 
and similar in character to a medium York¬ 
shire pig. 
LETTER FROM IRELAND—ABUNDANT CROPS. 
Dublin, September 22, 1854. 
Friend Judd : Having completed a tour 
through the main agricultural district of Scot¬ 
land and Ireland, I may say that the harvest 
is truly a plenteous one. The reapers are 
in the midst of their pleasant labors. The 
grain appears excellent, and the crops will 
probably exceed in extent any known for 
many years past. You must have noticed 
the capital article in a recent number of 
the Times , concerning this abundant harvest. 
The increase of '54 over ’53 can only be esti¬ 
mated by tens of millions of pounds sterling. 
This will be doubly pleasant to Americans, 
now that (if I am correctly informed) it is 
ascertained to a certainty that your crops 
are to prove unusually meager. 
The potato disease is dealing sorely with 
the husbandmen of England and Scotland ; 
Ireland, save in certain portions of the west, 
enjoys a glorious exemption from its rava¬ 
ges. Paddy smiles “ like a basket of chips,” 
over his good fortune ; and, indeed, Erin has 
great cause for joy. 
I was present at the annual show of the 
“ Glasgow Horticultural Society,” held last 
week. The display was not extensive. Of 
hollyhocks, dahlias, and the coarser garden 
products, there were many exquisite speci¬ 
mens. The vegetables—nothing to be at all 
proud of. 
I am glad to see that my friend Bagg suc- 
seeded in getting the drove of Kentucky cat¬ 
tle across the ‘pond' in safety. He must cer¬ 
tainly have had his hands full. The importa¬ 
tion of so large a stock by the enterprising 
men of Kentucky, promises much for the fu¬ 
ture condition of her cattle. Let New-York 
look to her laurels. Yours, hastily, 
R. C. McCormick, Jr. 
GREAT NATIONAL CATTLE SHOW. 
The United States Agricultural Society, of 
which the Hon. Marshall P. Wilder of Mas¬ 
sachusetts is President, will hold a National 
Show of Cattle, open to general competition, 
without sectional limit, on the 25th, 26th 
and 27th days of this month, at Springfield, 
Ohio. Six thousand dollars will be awarded 
in premiums, several of which are larger 
than have ever been offered by any Agricul¬ 
tural Society either in this or other coun¬ 
tries. Among these we notice the follow¬ 
ing : $500 for the best bull and five cows or 
heifers, of one year or upwards, from any 
one herd. $300 for the best Durham bull 
$200 for the best Durham cow. Other large 
premiums are offered in the respective 
breeds. 
The judges in the various classes have 
been selected with great care, and constitute 
a phalanx of Agricultural talent of the first 
order. Among the names we find those of 
Gov. Wright of Indiana; Col. Stevens, John 
A. King, Lewis F. Allen and Col. Johnson, 
of New-York; Cassius M. Clay and Brutus 
J. Clay, of Kentucky ; Judge Watts and Dr. 
Elwyn, of Pennsylvania; Judge Musgrave 
and Col. Medary, of Ohio ; Richard Peters, 
of Georgia; S. B. Findlay, of Virginia ; and 
from Massachusetts, Moses Newell, B. V. 
French, John Brooks, Paoli Lathrop, Simon 
Brown, and other distinguished Agricul¬ 
turists. 
Extensive peparations have been made for 
the accommodation of strangers. Extra 
trains will convey passengers to the neigh¬ 
boring cities and towns, who cannot obtain 
lodgings at Springfield. Private houses will 
also be open for the reception of guests. 
The principal railroads will take stock 
free of charge, and passengers at half price. 
On stock the freight must be paid on the 
passage out, and on the certificate of the 
Secretary of the Show, that the animals have 
been exhibited and have not been sold or 
exchanged, the money paid for transportation 
will be refunded, and they returned free to the 
point from which they started. 
Visitors should be careful to obtain excur¬ 
sion tickets on the several railroads, and at 
Springfield to have them stamped by the 
Secretary of the Show, in order to make 
them available on their return at half price. 
Passengers from New-England ivill take the 
New-York Central Railroad at Albany. 
On Thursday, October 26th, at 2 o’clock, 
P. M., a Grand Agricultural Banquet will be 
heald on the grounds, and at which Col. Wil¬ 
der, the President of the Society, vvillpreside. 
The President of the United States, the heads 
of departments, the Governs of the States, 
with other distinguished guests, have been in¬ 
vited to attend. It is anticipated that this 
will be one of the most interesting and impos¬ 
ing parts of the exhibition, and in which ladies, 
as well as gentlemen, will participate. The 
exhibition of cattle will be the largest ever 
held in America, if not in the world, and the 
concourse of people will be immense. 
Persons desirous of obtaining any further 
information in regard to the exhibition or the 
transportation of passengers or stock, may 
procure the same by addressing Wm. S. King, 
Esq., Secretary of the United States Agricul¬ 
tural Society, at Horticultural Hall, Boston. 
The Railroads hereinafter mentioned will 
convey passengers and transport stock on 
the following conditions : Excursion tickets 
half the usual rates. Stock for exhibition at 
the show will be transported free of charge, 
under the following regulations : the regular 
rates of freight to be paid on such stock, 
going; and on certificate of the Secretary of 
the Show, that the animals were exhibited 
and have not been sold or exchanged, the 
money paid for transportation to be refunded, 
and they returned free to the point from 
which they started. 
Little Miami and Xenia Railroad. 
Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad. 
Sanduskv, Mansfield and Newark Railroad, 
Zanesville, Wilmingnton and Cin, Railroad. 
89 
Cleveland, Columbus and Cin. Railroad. 
Central Ohio Railroad. 
Bellefontaine and Indianapolis Railroad. 
Cincinnati, Zanesville and Cleveland R. R. 
Ohio and Mississippi Railroad. 
Southern Michigan and Northern Ind. R. R. 
Springfield, Mt. Vernon and Pittsburgh R. R. 
New York Central Railroad. 
Pennsylvania Central Railroad. 
Madison, Indianapolis and Peru Railroad. 
The Mad River and Lake Erie, the Cleve¬ 
land and Pittsburgh, the Ohio and Pennsyl¬ 
vania, the Ohio and Indianna, and other 
Roads will carry passengers and cattle at 
half the usual rates. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
BEES. 
[This communication was received sever¬ 
al weeks since, and from a hasty glance, was 
supposed to belong to that class of articles 
which go into our drawer marked “ Good at 
any time.” This will account for its late 
appearance.— Eds.] 
An agricultural paper can not be expected 
to go into the rudiments of all the matters 
pertaining to the farm ; it presumes on the 
reader being in possession of at least some 
knowledge. Yet there is such a vast differ¬ 
ence in the comprehension of your readers, 
that I bespeak a goodly share of patience for 
your dull ones—myself being one of the 
number. Those that understand intuitively 
will take care of themselves. I see no bet¬ 
ter way than for each of us to make our par¬ 
ticular wants known. No doubt it would be 
the means of bringing out, in detail, particu¬ 
lars for each case, from correspondents as 
well as editors; whoever happened to know 
best might answer. 
Probably you have not a reader who is 
more interested in bees than myself; and if 
there are any further advantages than I have, 
I want them. There were some remarks in 
the Agriculturist, not long since, which I did 
not understand, at least practically, as well 
as some not in accordance with my experi¬ 
ence. May I ask some questions, and make 
some remarks ? 
First. “ Before commencing operations 
with bees, they should be gently sprinkled 
with sugar-water,” &c. Now I do not know 
whether the sugar, in proportion to water, is 
in homceopathic doses or otherwise—wa¬ 
ter simply sweetened, or a thick syrup ; and 
then I don’t understand the modus opermdi 
of getting it on the bees before “ commencing 
operations.” Suppose I wish to take a box 
filled with honey and bees ; how to sprinkle 
the bees inside I can not imagine. Then, 
again, I wish to ascertain the actual condi¬ 
tion of a stock; how can I make it availa¬ 
ble 1 When the hive is first molested, then 
is the greatest danger of stings. If the hive 
is first to be inverted, two-thirds of the risk 
is over. I am in the habit of using tobacco- 
smoke, and have recommended it to others ; 
thought it the best of any thing, as it seems 
to be available in all cases, even before you 
begin. If the sugar-water is better, please 
give us a few more particulars. “ The best 
way is as good as any.” 
With respect to artificial swarms, the sim¬ 
ple matter of dislodging the bees may be suf- 
