AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
tff inijnritt % farmer, % flatter, at# t|e barter. 
AGRICULTURE IS THE MOST HEALTHY, THE MOST USEFUL, AND THE MOST NOBLE EMPLOYMENT OF MAN.-' Washington. 
PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY ALLEN & CO., 189 WATER ST. 
VOL XIII.—NO. 9.] NEW-YORK, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1854. [NEW SERIES.—NO. 61. 
Jov prospectus, (forms, &c., 
Gi^SEE LAST PAGE.^ 
THE GREAT NATIONAL CATTLE SHOW AT 
SPINGFIELD, OHIO. 
This event came off, according to appoint¬ 
ment, on the 25th, 26th and 27th days of 
October, as successfully as, under the com¬ 
batting circumstances of the time, could be 
expected. We say combatting circumstan¬ 
ces, as only meaning that, owing to the fact 
that all the State and County Shows of the 
adjoining and neighboring Stateshaving been 
already held, and that the Ohio State Socie¬ 
ty had postponed their own Exhibition three 
weeks later than the time first appointed, 
the public curiosity, for the season, had be¬ 
come measurably exhausted; and the Ohio 
State Show having beeh held the previous 
week, at Newark, many of the exhibitors, as 
well as their stock, were so jaded by fa¬ 
tigue as to enter into this new contest with 
little relish, and in greatly lessened num¬ 
bers. 
Presuming that an exhibition of this kind 
would awaken great interest with the Short 
Horn cattle-breeders of Ohio and Kentucky, 
the two States where they are kept in great¬ 
est numbers; and into which, within the two 
past years, probably three hundred animals 
of this breed have been imported from Eng¬ 
land, we determined to attend the show in 
person, and take our own view of whatever 
might come under inspection. 
Springfield, where this show has been held, 
is a fine, growing town, in the beautiful val¬ 
ley of the Mad river, a principal branch of 
the Big Miami, in the heart of as fine a coun¬ 
try as lies in Ohio. It has six or seven 
thousand inhabitants, enterprizing and pros¬ 
perous. It is finely built in and about its 
center, with many tasteful dwellings in the 
environs, seated on beautifully wooded emi¬ 
nences. A Lutheran college, in flourishing 
condition, stands just without the town ; a 
female academy is located here; a high 
school, for boys, is at hand; and the people 
are distinguished for intelligence, good mor¬ 
als, and refinement. A more eligible point 
for an exhibition of the kind could scarcely 
be selected in the State, or more accessible 
by railway, and in the conveniences it afford¬ 
ed to visitors. 
The show-grounds were just adjoining the 
town, and belong to the Clarke County Agri¬ 
cultural Society. They comprise some 20 
acres ; are commodiously and permanently 
fitted up with cattle-sheds, railings, commit- 
l ee-rooms, wide sheds for machinery and | 
manufactures, horse and cattle rings, and 
all such like necessary appendages ; ample 
walks and drives, cut out of a beautiful natu¬ 
ral grove, with the great body of the wood 
yet standing, but cleared out and thinned, 
affording a delightiful shade all over it—a 
thing of taste and beauty. 
The earth had been cooled and the dust 
laid on Monday previous to the show, with a 
timely and gentle rain ; in the early part of 
the day, and in the afternoon, the stock be¬ 
gan to arrive in considerable numbers by the 
various railways centering in the town. 
Owing to the prompt and excellent arrange¬ 
ments made by the local executive commit¬ 
tee, abundance of forage of all kinds had 
been prepared, and already on the ground ; 
the hay and straw department of which was 
free for all, while meal and grains were 
abundant, and at moderate prices for those 
who required them for their stock. Thus 
the cattle, as they arrived, were moved di¬ 
rectly to the grounds without hindrance, and 
placed in permanent quarters while remain¬ 
ing at the show. 
On Tuesday the weather opened fair, 
bland and delightful—perfect autumnal days, 
without a particle of frost at night, and so 
continued for the week. During all the day 
the stock continued to arrive, when, at night, 
there were probably two hundred and fifty 
cattle on the ground—every one housed, 
snug and comfortable in separate stalls, with 
adjoining bunks temporarily got up for their 
keepers and attendants. It was truly a beau¬ 
tiful, spirit stirring, grateful spectacle to 
walk around the cattle-quarters at sundown, 
and see so many noble animals all comforta¬ 
bly housed, lying at rest, and ruminating so 
peacefully and contentedly ; while the men 
attending them were loitering, or sitting 
apart in groups, the toils of the day 
ended, and enjoying their meals, or their 
jokes, each in their own peculiarway. Here 
were Highland Scotchmen, who had, from 
the “ heather ” land, followed the fortunes of 
the cattle they tended across the water, into 
Kentucky, and now kept them company. 
There were Englishmen, from various noted 
cattle districts at home, each one in charge 
of sundry and valuable beasts, which they 
knew how so well and so methodically to 
tend. Now and then, but few and far be¬ 
tween, an Irishman, from a neighboring 
county, who had led in triumph a stout bul¬ 
lock into the inclosure, and of which he had 
the special and particular charge. To 
these were added native Kentuckians and 
Ohioans, Pennamites and Hoosiers, all hale, 
hearty young men, pleased with the excite¬ 
ment of the time, and each inwardly exalted 
with the prominent part which his favorite 
beast was expected to play in the coming 
show. 
By this time, also, some thousands of vis¬ 
itors had arrived in Springfield to witness 
the exhibition, filling the public houses to a 
cram, and making no scanty demonstration 
upon the private hospitalities of the good 
people, who had extended their borders for 
the occasion. 
On Wednesday morning some lagging 
squadrons of cattle, which the disordered ar¬ 
rangements of the railroads had thus far de¬ 
tained, came in. These, however, were 
soon housed, and put into condition. The 
preliminary labors usual to the opening of 
an exhibition, such as the appearance of the 
Chief Marshal and his assistants, the calling 
together the various committees present, the 
filling of vacancies, and various other et cet- 
eras, were got along with, so that, by 12 
o’clock, the business of the day was com¬ 
menced. The time was thenceforward con¬ 
sumed in examinations of the various de¬ 
partments of stock, and most of the classes 
were brought into the great cattle-ring for 
inspection. Several thousand people were 
on the ground throughout the day, which, on 
the whole, like the preceding, was consider¬ 
ed one mainly of preparation. 
On Thursday, at sunrise, the gates of the 
show-grounds opened, and by 8 o’clock be¬ 
gan to fill rapidly with the gathering multi¬ 
tude. The viewing committees were prompt¬ 
ly at their work, and so continued up to 2 
o’clock, the hour appointed for the dinner, or 
rather, in more courtly phrase, the “ ban¬ 
quet,” as duly heralded in the bills of the 
day. This affair we shall dispatch more 
briefly than we did even the edibles them¬ 
selves ; as it was more of an interruption of 
the pleasures and profits of the day, which 
every one—except the few who were only 
up for dinner and speech-making, if such 
there were—came to enjoy among the cattle 
rather than an entertainment, in which they 
could not find prolonged pleasure. 
The dinner was well arranged, under 
broad awnings, and in great abundance and 
variety. President Wilder presided with 
dignity, and made a pertinent opening speech. 
Grace was said, in due form, by an attend¬ 
ant Divine, and the tables were filled with a 
highly respectable company. But we con¬ 
fess to a deep mortification of the flesh, in 
seeing twice as many men and women stand¬ 
ing on the outside, leaning on the slight rail- 
