376 
OHIO STATE CATTLE SHOW. 
freely from the atmosphere, which is one of the 
most important materials for crops. But the 
main benefit is the conversion of potash and 
soda in the soil, and especially the former, from 
an insoluble to a soluble condition. Clays often 
contain large proportions of feldspar, mica, 
porphyry, and trap, all of which abound in pot¬ 
ash, So, also, do granite and gneiss from the 
considerable proportions of mica and feldspar 
they contain. All these ingredients are broken 
up by moderate calcination, and yield potash 
freely when again diluted by copious rains. 
OHIO STATE CATTLE SHOW. 
On the evening of the 22d September, we 
left Buffalo in the steamer Buckeye State, to 
attend the cattle show and fair of the Ohio State 
Agricultural Society, at Columbus. Arriving 
at Cleveland at eight o’clock the next morning, 
the managers of the railroad politely waived 
the conditions of their half price rule, in for¬ 
warding passengers to the fair in extra cars, 
and permitted us to take the express train to 
Columbus, and back on the same terms. 
Arriving at Columbus in the evening at a late 
hour, caused by the delay of an overloaded train, 
and the consequent irregularity upon a new 
and yet hardly organized arrangement of travel, 
we found that the executive committee of the 
Board had provided us rooms, through the at¬ 
tentive notice of Dr. Warder, of Cincinnati, who 
was with us the previous week at Rochester. 
We found Columbus full to overflowing; and 
all its public houses thronged, as well as private 
hospitality taxed to its utmost, in providing 
quarters for the multitude in attendance. 
The next morning we proceeded to the show 
grounds. They were located in Franklinton, a 
mile west of the city, on the national road, and 
on the extensive farm of M. L. Sullivant, Esq., 
president of the society. They occupied a fine 
elevation, shaded by a grand old grove of nat¬ 
ural forest trees. The plan and execution of 
the grounds were perfect—the best we ever 
saw, embracing broad avenues and foot-walks, 
fenced off' in separate divisions, with abundant 
sheds, yards, and stalls for the shelter and con¬ 
venience of stock, and ample buildings and 
tents for the display of all the variety of articles 
intended for exhibition. 
Every facility was given us on the part of Mr. 
Sullivant, the president, Dr. Wells, Gov. Trim¬ 
ble, Mr. Spinger, and other gentlemen of the 
State Board, Mr. Medary the treasurer, and Mr. 
Gest, the efficient and accomplished secretary, 
and other gentlemen connected with them, in 
obtaining all the information desired in every 
department of the exhibition; nor did they fail 
to give us full employment in appropriating our 
services on the viewing committees in several 
branches of domestic stock. 
The show, as a whole, was good, and highly 
creditable to this second effort of the society, 
and a striking improvement on that of last year, 
held at Cincinnati. The exhibition of short¬ 
horn cattle was truly magnificent, although in 
refinement of quality and high breeding in their 
animals, not equal to some of ours at Rochester. 
Of Herefords, there was but one thorough-bred 
animal, and this one not superior. Of Devons, 
but a few, and those of a recent New-York im¬ 
portation—a breed, like the Herefords, not yet 
popular in that corn-fed region, and probably 
destined not to be, until their advocates shall 
spiritedly drive their herds into a tested compe¬ 
tition with the now thoroughly established 
merits of the shorthorns. Of thorough-bred 
Ayrshires and Alderneys, there were none, that 
we saw. Of natives, none! a most convincing 
evidence that the improved breeds of cattle are 
the only ones that find favor with the public in 
a contested cattle show. 
The superb imported bull of Messrs, Sher¬ 
wood and Stevens, Earl Seaham, was there, and 
by the great attention that he drew, and the 
liberal offers which his owners received to have 
him remain in Ohio, he proved the consideration 
with which their valuable importations are re¬ 
garded in the west, as well as in our own state. 
The display of horse stock was numerous 
and respectable, but of a different style, in gen¬ 
eral, from that mostly prized in New York- In 
the large and valuable stock of a$ses and mules, 
which forms so important an item of the pro¬ 
ductive agriculture of central and southern Ohio, 
we were disappointed in finding so few on ex¬ 
hibition ; but those few were good, and said to 
be but fair specimens of the stock of the coun¬ 
try at large. 
The swine were numerous, and generally 
good; chiefly of the larger grades, and of no 
distinct breed. 
The sheep were few, as compared with our 
own; but some good specimens of Merino, Saxon, 
Southdown, and long-wooled varieties were ex¬ 
hibited. 
Of poultry, any quantity of the fancy were on 
the ground. Shanghaes, Malays, Cochin-Chinas, 
Et id omne genus , with heads as high as a crane’s, 
and legs as big as a walking stick, were there, 
about the merits of which it may be supposed 
each spectator formed his own opinion. 
