104 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
Rev. Wm. Clift, of Stonington Conn., will 
hereafter be one of the regular contributing 
Editors to our columns—generally on horticul¬ 
tural subjects. The elegant article, “Hartford 
in October,” in this week’s issue is from his pen. 
- » O «- 
We must still ask the indulgence of our Cor¬ 
respondents, and our Exchanges who have given 
us friendly notices. We are improving the pre¬ 
sent Fair time in making tours of observation in 
various parts of the country. This will continue 
a week or two more. 
Just as going to press we hear of the sudden 
death of John Delafield, Esq., an efficient 
friend of agricultural improvement, for some¬ 
time past President of the Ncw-York State 
Agricultural Society, and formerly President of 
the Phoenix Bank of this city. His sudden 
death is attributed to disease of the heart. 
The importance and interest of the National 
Horse Exhibition justifies us in devoting a large 
space to a report of its doings. 
-- 
At the recent Ohio State Fair, a rare genius 
took upon the show-ground a hand cider-mill of 
the improved kind, together with a quantity of 
cider-apples, and essentially hit three birds with 
one stone. He made his cider; sold it as fast 
as made at five cents a glass ; and at the same 
time showed his machine to the best advantage. 
.. . . —-0^0- 
We mentioned, the other da} r , that the peo¬ 
ple of Iowa used Shanghae chickens to plough 
with. We have since learned that a gentleman 
in Ohio carries matters still farther and is now 
breaking a rooster to the saddle. He meets 
with very excellent success—having done, on 
Friday last a mile in 2.38. 
P. S.—There is an advantage the chickens 
possess over the horses—the latter you have to 
spur, while the former spur themselves. 
-«e#-- 
The Erie Railroad receipts for September are 
$512,634—an increase of nearly $140,000 over 
last year. The Hudson River Railroad receipts 
were $144,079—an increase of about $35,000. 
Guano for Cotton. —Mr. J. M. Dantzlee, a 
cotton planter of South Carolina, states that in 
1852, by way of an experiment, he applied 241 
pounds of Peruvian Guano, mixed with sand, 
to an acre of cotton plants, and that the ad¬ 
ditional yield was over 100 per cent on the 
amount expended for the guano. An acre 
without guano yielded 135 pounds of seed cot¬ 
ton, while an acre to which it was applied pro¬ 
duced 518 pounds.— Ala. Planter. 
Large Yield. —Mr. Thomas Clark, of this 
village, has raised this season, from one potato, 
seven-eights of a bushel of good potatoes.— Fre- 
donia Censor. 
Madagascar Rabbits. —Some of the most 
superb animals of this breed we have ever seen 
have just arrived from England in the steamer 
Asia, for Mr. Henry Faile. They measure 18 
inches or more from tip to tip across the ears ; 
and their colors and markings are such as are 
most highly appreciated. We have the youngest 
at our office, 189 Water street, and invite ama¬ 
teurs to call and look at him. He will be here 
for show only a few days. 
SURSTITUTE FOR THE POTATO. — A liliaCCOUS 
plant, the fritillaria, known commonly by the 
name of crown imperial, is said to contain in its 
bulbs at least as much nourishment as the po¬ 
tato. The fecula of the fritillaria is white, and 
serves perfectly well for nourishment, whether 
for man or cattle. The plant is of easy culture, 
and its fecula can be obtained at a less cost than 
that of potatoes. It has been tried in France 
for cakes and other purposes, and found to be 
excellent.— Maine Farmer. 
NATIONAL HORSE EXHIBITION. 
This exhibition, held at Springfield, Mass., 
on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 
of last week,- was really a grand affair, and 
quite exceeded the anticipations we had formed 
in reference to it. The originators and mana¬ 
gers themselves felt it to be an experiment, and 
they spared no effort to make it successful. 
This is, we believe, the first show of the kind 
that has been held, either in this or any other 
country, and promises to be the beginning of a 
future indefinite series of similar efforts. 
The idea of such an exhibition was first con¬ 
ceived in May last, by Mr. Geo. M. Atwater, of 
Springfield, and by him brought before the 
members of the Hampden County Agricultu- 
tural Society, who seconded the movement by 
appointing a committee to take the subject into 
consideration. The matter there rested till the 
month of August, when the committee called a 
general meeting of citizens of Springfield and 
vicinity, at which active measures were entered 
into for raising the necessary funds, and for 
giving the exhibition a prominent and reliable 
character. The former was provided for by 
creating a stock fund of 250 shares at $20 each, 
and the latter, by placing the direction of the 
exhibition under the control of the United 
States Agricultural Society. $2,500 were of¬ 
fered as premiums, ranging in value from $20 
for the common classes of horses, and so up 
through different grades, to $200 for the best 
Stallion of seven years old or upward. 
The Show- Ground. —A plot of 24 acres, situ¬ 
ated just east of the Armory, called Government 
Square, was secured and enclosed with a high 
board fence, and stalls were erected for the ac¬ 
commodation of the horses. A circular car¬ 
riage-way just one half a mile round, was well 
prepared for exhibiting the speed and*gait of 
the animals; and within this was a tent for 
the officers — Wright’s large tent, covering 
nearly 30,000 square feet of ground, with 
tables for 1,800 persons to be seated at the 
grand banquet, and a very convenient elevated 
stand, for the use of the judging Committees, 
invited guests, editors and reporters. Upon 
the outside of this course were erected substan¬ 
tial seats for 4,000 to 5,000 persons. These 
were arranged so as to give those back a good 
chance to see over those in front; were twelve, 
seats deep; extended about 600 feet in length, 
and when filled with visitors as they were on 
Thursday and Friday, presented a splendid ap¬ 
pearance. The cost of fitting up the ground 
was some $1,500. The preparation of good 
seats for the convenience of visitors at our 
State and County fairs is not generally taken 
into consideration as it ought to be. There was 
an oversight in not providing privies and water- 
closets on the ground. Good separate rooms 
for members of the press, invited guests, and 
for the transaction of business, were provided 
in town, and every thing connected with the 
exhibition showed that thorough business men 
had the whole matter in charge. Without 
finding fault elsewhere, we are free to say, that 
we have visited no Fair or Show, where every 
thing has been so perfectly and systematically 
conducted as at this Horse Exhibition. We 
give the names of the Board of Managers 
having charge of the arrangements: 
George Dwight, President and Chief Mar¬ 
shal; James M. Thompson, Vice President; 
Wm. Stowe, Corresponding Secretary and Ge¬ 
neral Agent; B. F. Warner, Treasurer; Geo. 
M. Atwater, Chairman of Executive Com¬ 
mittee; Wm. Pynchon, Chairman of Commit¬ 
tee on Premiums; H. S. Noyes, Recording- 
Secretary. 
The whole was under the supervision of the 
officers and Executive Committee of the United 
States Agricultural Society. This committee 
consist of Marshall P. Wilder, of Mass., 
President; Chas. B. Calver, Md. ; Moses 
Newell, Mass.; John A. King., N. Y.; Arthur 
Watts, Ohio; Alfred L. Elwyn, Pa.; Richard 
Peters, Va.; J. D. Weston, Wis.; J. 0. G. 
Kennedy, D. O.; William S. King, of Mass., 
Corresponding Secretary. 
We should be glad, had we space, to name a 
large number of other gentleman from differ¬ 
ent parts of the eountry, who assisted to carry 
out the various arrangements efficiently. 
The Exhibition. — Wednesday, October 18th. 
As we approached the ground, we witnessed the 
usual—perhaps an unusual—outside aCcoinpa- 
niament -of all sorts of hucksters, ninepenny 
exhibitions, Scotch giant, fat women and lean 
women, buffaloes, alligators, &c., down to blow¬ 
ing machines and strength-testing nuisances. 
One thing however was remarkable, (thanks to 
the Maine law,) during the whole four days of 
the exhibition, we saw no liquor-stands in doors 
or out-houses, nor drunken, brawling, or fight¬ 
ing men. 
The weather, this day, as during the rest of the 
week, seems to have been got up expressly for 
the occasion. At 9 o’clock the gate was opened 
and the ticket-officers were for a long time 
thronged by the 3,000 eager visitors. At 10 
o’clock the Chief Marshal, Mr. Geo. Dwight, 
called the owners of the horses to form into 
procession. There were already 310 entries 
including some 400 horses. The following order 
was observed:—Stallions of 7 years of age and 
over; Stallions of 4 and under 7; Thorough 
Breds; Matched Teams; Fancy Horses; Geldings, 
4 years and over; Breeding Mares and Colts, 
and Mares with foal; Ponies and Colts; Fillies ; 
Farm and Draught Horses; and Horses entered 
for exhibition and sale only. 
At the call of Marshall P. Wilder, the Pre¬ 
sident, three loud cheers were given for the 
First National Horse Exhibition, while the 
Springfield band struck up its enlivening strains. 
Then commenced the finest panorama of living 
horse flesh under guidance of bit, whip, and 
spur, ever witnessed in the country. Every 
color, kind and breed, were represented ; some 
galloping and prancing; some proudly and 
majestically stalking onward as if kings of the 
tribe; some lead, some rode, and some driven, 
some covered with gaily-colored blankets, and 
others in silver and golden-plated harness ; 
some drawing a slender phaeton, natty bug¬ 
gies, or skeleton buggies; and others exhibit¬ 
ing their muscular powers by drawing heavy 
vehicles with ponderous loads. The horses 
themselves seemed to catch the inspiration of 
the scene, and equalled their masters in ambi¬ 
tious display. The air was literally vocal with 
their neighing. We can fancy no finer tableaux 
for the painter, than was presented by so many 
fine animals, each exhibiting his own peculiar 
gait and carriage. Twenty States and the Cana¬ 
das had their representatives there. Among 
this collection were 75 to 80 Stallions, mostly 
of the Morgan and Black Hawk breeds. Cassius 
M. Clay and Lone Star, a Black Hawk Stallion, 
belonging to Mr. Ball of New-York city, t 
seemed to be a general favorites with the mass 
during the whole show. These—as well as 
many others present—were as beautiful as if 
pictured on canvass. There were the giother 
of Cassius M. Clay , and three worthy brothers; 
English thoroughbred Bob Logic ; Oscar, from 
Michigan ; American Eagle , from Flushing, L. 
I.; Clyde Britton, of Canada, a noble cart 
stallion, weighing 1,600 lbs.; a large fine horse 
from Kentucky, and many others whose names 
we did not then get. 
At 12 o’clock the comparative trials were 
opened with Draft horses. There were but four 
entries of double teams and one single team. 
We were less satisfied with the entries in this 
class than in any other. Draft horses are the 
great want of our country, yet much more is 
expended to improve fast and fancy horses. 
Those entered showed great power, moving off 
readily with a load of 5400 pounds, on a wagon 
weighing 1700 pounds. The single horse took 
3000 pounds, all his wagon would sustain, and 
walked off readily with his heavy load. 
At the ringing of the bell—a large church- 
bell placed upon the ground—for 2 o’clock, 
Breeding mares were brought forward. The 
general method of examining the horses in each 
class was as follows : at the appointed hour all 
the horses of a class were drawn up in order 
before the judges’ stand—each horse being- 
known only by a number given on first enter¬ 
ing the ground. The marshal called out one 
