26 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
ANNUAL MEETING of the N. Y. S. AG. SOCIETY. 
The annual meeting of the New-York State Ag. So¬ 
ciety was held in this city, on the 18th of January. The 
Society convened at 9 o’clock, A. M. in the Lecture 
Room of the Young Men’s Association, the President in 
the chair. Gentlemen were in attendance from the 
counties of Albany, Cayuga, Columbia, Greene, Jeffer¬ 
son, Livingston, Lewis, Monroe, Montgomery, Madi¬ 
son, Otsego, Oneida, Orange, Oswego, Queens, Rensse¬ 
laer, Schenectady, Steuben, Saratoga, Tompkins and 
Wayne. 
The Report of the award of Premiums on Field Crops, 
&c. was read by the Secretary, Mr. Tucker, as follows: 
At the regular meeting of the Executive Committee, 
on the second Wednesday of January, 1843, the several 
statements of the competitors for the premiums on Field 
Crops, Essays, Paintings, Engravings, and Designs for 
Farm Buildings, were referred to appropriate commit¬ 
tees, upon whose reports the following premiums are 
awarded: 
ON FIELD CROPS.* 
On Indian Corn. —First Premium to Samuel Phelps 
of Ira, Cayuga county. 122 bushels per acre—$15. 
Second, to Wm. Ingells of Volney, Oswego county. 89 
bushels per acre—$10. 
Third, to Joseph F, Osborn of Port Byron. $5. 
Fourth, to Anthony Van Bergen of Coxsackie, Greene 
county. 85 bushels 51 lbs. per acre—Diploma. 
On Barley. —First Premium to Nathaniel S. Wright 
of Vernon, Oneida county. 63 bushels per acre—$10. 
Second, to T. I. Vandeveer of Amsterdam, Montgome¬ 
ry county. 401 bushels per acre—$5. 
On Rye. —First Premium to IsraeZ E. Goodwin of West¬ 
moreland, Oneida county. 32 bushels and 36 lbs. per 
acre—$10. 
Second, to T. 1. Vandeveer, Amsterdam. 28 bushels, 
29 quarts per acre—$5. 
On Oats. —First Premium to Samuel Phelps, Ira, Cayu¬ 
ga county. 102 bushels per acre—$10. 
Second, to Wm. A. Russell, Salem,Washington county. 
97 bushels per acre—$5. 
Diploma, to Israel F. Goodwin, Westmoreland. 81 
bushels per acre. 
The Committee also recommend a special Premmiu of 
$10, to Geo. Shaffer of Wheatland, Monroe county, for 
his crop of oats of 871^ bushels, from 9^ acres of land, 
being an average of 91^ bushels per acre. 
On Peas _First Premium to George White, Rutland, 
Jefferson county. 33| bushels per acre^$10. 
On Potatoes. —First Premium, to George White, Rut¬ 
land, Jefferson county. 1 acre, 1 8-10 rods—421| bush¬ 
els Pinkeyes—$10. 
Second, to George Sheffer, Wheatland. 400 bushels per 
acre—$5. 
Ruta Bacas. —First Premium to John McConnel, Ca¬ 
nandaigua. 855| bushels per acre—$10. 
On Beets. —The First Premium for beets, to George 
Sheffer, Wheatland. 1 acre, 12 rods—1026| bushels— 
$ 10 . 
On Carrots. —'First Premium to Wm. Risley, Fredo- 
nia, Chautauque county. 985J bushels per acre—$10. 
ON ESSAYS, &c. 
There were no competitors for the Premiums offered 
for Essays on Agricultural Chemistry, on Rotation of 
Crops, and on the introduction of New Agricultural Pro¬ 
ducts. 
For the Premium for the best Essay on the General 
Management of the Farm, four Essays were presented. 
The premium was awarded to Willis Gaylord of Otiseo, 
Onondaga county—$20. 
But two Essays were offered for the Premium on the 
Management and Application of Manures. The Premi¬ 
um was awarded to Willis Gaylord of Otiseo—$20. 
Designs. —For the Premium on the best plan of a 
Farm House, Barn, and necessary out-buildings, three 
plans were presented. The Gold Medal was awarded to 
JohnJ. Thomas of Macedon, Wayne county; and a Sil¬ 
ver Medal to D. G. Mitchell, Salem, Conn., for the se¬ 
cond best. 
Paintings _The Committee to whom were referred 
the several Paintings offered for the Gold Medal of the 
Society, for the best specimen of Paintings of Domestic 
Animals, recommended that medals of equal value be 
given to Woodside of Philadelphia, and Van Zandf of 
Albany. 
The Silver Medal for the best specimen of Floral 
Painting, was awarded to E. Whitfield, Albany. 
Engravings. —The Gold Medal, for the best engraved 
portrait on wood, of Domestic Animals, was awarded to 
J. W. Orr of this city. 
The following letter from the Corresponding Secre¬ 
tary of the Society, was then read : 
Cortland Village, Jan. 13, 1843. 
James Wadsworth, Esq. Pres’t N. i'. S Ag. Society: 
Sir —Owing to official business of importance,and which 
does not admit of having the time for attending to it 
changed, I find it impossible to be present at the annual 
meeting of the Society. To one who has made it a 
point, except when unavoidably detained, to attend those 
meetings, for a long series of years, I need not say that 
in the present condition of the Society, and with the in¬ 
terest which our annual meetings at present possess, the 
disappointment is severe. 
I am unable at this time, to forward my annual report 
as Cor. Sec’y of the Society, from the fact that a consi¬ 
* Several applications for the Premiums on Field Crops, have 
been received' by the Ree. Secretary since the annual meeting 
of the Society. 
derable portion of the communications from our own 
state, designed for the Society, have not yet been re¬ 
ceived, and will be forwarded by individuals attending 
the annual meeting. A brief abstract of my proceedings 
however, for the past year, may not be without interest 
to yourself and the Society. 
Acting under the instructions of the Board, I have 
made an effort to elicit information of value to our So¬ 
ciety, from various sources, domestic and foreign. Out 
of about five hundred official letters written by me dur¬ 
ing the past year, about three hundred have been de¬ 
spatched to eminent agriculturists of this and other coun¬ 
tries, to ascertain those important facts and principles in 
husbandry, which advancing experience, and scientific 
experiment, are continually developing and establishing. 
Many communications of value, have been received 
in answer to my inquiries, from this and other states. 
Communications have been received from France, 
England, Scotland and Ireland, and I have reason to think 
that others are now on their passage. 
I have opened a correspondence with the U. S. Min¬ 
ister to Spain, by which I hope to be able to ascertain 
many facts of value, in relation to that unfortunate but 
interesting country, as well as the adjoining kingdom of 
Portugal. 
I regret to say, that owing to the difficulty I experi¬ 
enced in obtaining the address of several eminent agricul¬ 
turists in Germany, I was not enabled to address them in 
time to hope for an answer, prior to the present meet¬ 
ing. I therefore concluded to defer it, but it is my ear¬ 
nest hope that this important field of inquiry may be dili- 
ligently and successfully explored by the corresponding 
officer of the Society for the ensuing year. 
I have addressed communications to sources, supposed 
to be the proper ones, in South America, and the West 
India Islands, in relation to the cultivation and acclima¬ 
tion of certain plants, the successful culture of which 
would be a great desideratum to this and other states. 
My inquiries have not reached their destination, or have 
failed to secure the attention of those to whom they were 
directed, as no replies have been received to them. 
I have the honor to be, respectfully, your ob’t serv’t. 
Henry S. Randall, Cor. Scc’y. 
The Report of the Treasurer, E. P. Prentice, Esq. 
was then read. The receipts and disbursements of the 
Society for the last year, were as follows: 
Balance on hand, Jan. 19, 1842,. 
969, 
,36 
Receipts during the year,. 
2,349, 
.92 
$3,319, 
.28 
Payments for Premiums and expenses,. 
1,475, 
.36 
$1,843, 
.92 
The Treasurer estimates the sum now due by the So¬ 
ciety for Premiums, &c. at about $450, leaving a balance 
of about $1400 in the ti-easury, after the payment of all 
demands against it. 
On motion of Mr. Colman, 
Resolved, That the Executive Committee, in the dis¬ 
tribution of Premiums, be instructed, as far as they may 
deem it suitable, to give Dana’s “ Muck Manual,” or 
Ruffin’s “ Essay on Calcareous Manures,” as premiums, 
deeming the two works highly instructive, able, and use¬ 
ful, and a substantial benefaction to the Agricultural in¬ 
terest. 
It having been intimated to the Society, that a room 
might be obtained for an Agricultural Museum, in the 
state building, in connection with the Geological Muse¬ 
um, it was, after a statement on the subject from Prof. 
Emmons, resolved, that a committee be appointed to vi¬ 
sit the rooms and confer with the State Geologists on the 
subject. Committee: Messrs. Nott, Prentice, and Sher¬ 
wood. 
On motion of Mr. Rotch, 
Resolved, That the Executive Committee be requested 
to call a meeting of breeders, at such time and place as 
they may deem proper, for the purpose of discussing the 
different points of merit in domestic animals, with a 
view of arriving at some definite opinion as to the 
points most desirable to be attained in breeding. 
The President of the Society, after stating that Mr. 
Colman, late Agricultural Commissioner of Massachu¬ 
setts, had, at the suggestion of many distinguished friends 
of Agriculture, proposed a tour throughout Europe, for 
the purpose of obtaining exact and full information of 
the Agriculture of Europe, and of the condition of Ag¬ 
ricultural Schools and Experimental Farms, offered the 
following resolutions, which were adopted unanimously: 
Resolved, That the New-York State Agricultural So¬ 
ciety regard with great interest, the proposition of Hen¬ 
ry Colman, Esq. to make an Agricultural Tour through 
some of the most highly cultivated portions of Europe, 
and anticipate from this distinguished writer and friend 
of Agriculture, a body of valuable information, which 
will impart a fresh impulse to agricultural improvement 
throughout our country. 
Resolved, That the Society subscribe for - copies, 
to be distributed as premiums. 
On motion of Mr. Sherwood, the blank was filled 
with ‘‘ one hundred,” and the Treasurer was directed to 
subscribe for 100 copies. 
On motion of Mr. Nott, a committee of one from 
each county represented, was appointed to nominate of¬ 
ficers of the Society for the ensuing year, and to report 
on the place for holding the next Fair,which committee 
consisted of the following gentlemen: 
Mr. Hillhouse of Albany, Mr. Sherwood of Cayuga, 
Dr. Beekman of Columbia, Judge Van Bergen of Greene^ 
Mr. Hungerford of Jefferson, Mr. Scovill of Lewis, Mr_ 
■Wadsworth of Livingston, Mr. Enos of Madison, Mr 
Colman of Monroe, IMr. Vandeveer of IMonlgomery, Mr. 
Comstock of Oneida, Mr. Deniston of Orange, Mi\ MiD 
ler of Oswego, Mr. Rotch of Otsego, Mr. Cory of Sara¬ 
toga, Mr. Grove of Rensselaer, Mr. Duane of Schenecta¬ 
dy, Mr. Leland of Steuben, Mr. Youngs of Queens, Mr. 
Halsey of Tompkins, and Mr. Sheffield of Wayne. 
A bushel of very superior seed wheat, was sent to the 
Sociefy for exhibition, by E. K. James, Esq. of Pough¬ 
keepsie, accompanied by a letter, in which Mr. J. s^s: 
“ My wheat of last season yielded very indifferently, 
being completely flattened by a heavy rain and wind be¬ 
fore it was ripe, and from which it never recovered. 
Three acres yielded only fifty bushels of the same quali¬ 
ty as my sample, and four or five bushels of light shrunk 
grain. I have grown the same kind of wheat for the 
last ten years, and have invariably sold it for seed, for 
prices varying from $1.26 to $2.50 per bushel; my great¬ 
est crop, 27 bushels per acre; my lightest, 15 bushels. 
My soil varies—some fields a sandy loam, others a stiff 
clay. My general plan of culture—1st. Corn, well ma¬ 
nured, say from 20 to 25 loads, (2 horse wagon,) of long 
manure—^product from 50 to 65 bushels shelled corn per 
acre. 2d. Oats, product about 40 to 50 bushels per acre, 
3d. Wheat, limed, about 20 to 30 bushels Barnegat 
slacked lime per acre; seed, 2 to 2^ bushels per acre, 
soaked in a pickle of salt or saltpetre, and rolled in lime 
or gypsum. The wheat was raised from half a bushel 
picked wheat, (by hand from a heap,) which was sown 
and produced 8| bushels, which, sown again, yielded 
125 bushels. Twice within the last ten years, I have 
started a new clean picked half bushel of seed wheat, and 
my present stock is from the third and last half bushel. 
I have done this, fearing my wheat might deteriorate.” 
Mr. Bement presented for exhibition, some samples 
of Dairy Salt, accompanied by the following communi¬ 
cation : 
To the Members of the N. Y. State Ag. Society: 
Gentlemen —I herewith offer for your inspection and 
notice, two samples of salt, one in the crude state, the 
other as prepared for the dairy or table. 
In a letter accompanying the boxes, the manufacturers 
say, “ This article is manufactured from pure clarified 
coarse salt, which we order made expressly for drying, 
grinding and preparing for sale, and we think it is supe¬ 
rior to any now in use. It only requires one box or a 
peck, to convince any one that it is decidedly better than 
the common bag, or even the Salina salt. The farmers 
in this vicinity, will not use any other, and say the but¬ 
ter salted with it keeps much longer and is decidedly 
better flavored than that salted with common salt.” 
A small bag of this salt was presented to me the day 
previous to the Fair of this Society in September last, by 
S. Chapin, Esq. formerly a member of this society, but 
now a resident of Massachusetts. Not knowing any 
thing of its qualities, I did not present it for exhibition; 
since then I have made use of it in salting butter, and can 
bear testimony to its excellence, and do not hesitate to 
say that I think it far superior for the dairy to any other 
kind I have ever used. It appears perfectly pure, very 
fine, white and clean; of course strong. In the Liver¬ 
pool sack salt, many small, dark specks are found, which 
unavoidably find their way into the butter, and render 
the working it much more laborious. 
After the butter is worked over, it appears completely 
dissolved and thoroughly incorporated, not a particle is 
to be found, as is the case with the Liverpool bag salt; 
and so far, the butter made in my dairy, in the early part 
of October last, is now just as sweet and fine flavored as 
when first made, and from my limited experience, I most 
cordially commend it to the favorable notice of the mem¬ 
bers of this society, and more particularly to the dairy 
farmers of this state. 
The quality of salt used in making butter and cheese, 
is of more importance, in m}' humble opinion, than most 
persons are aware of; and in many cases, to this cause 
may be traced the failure of both articles. 
It is prepared at South Hadley, Mass, by Messrs. Bard- 
weU, Damon & Co., and sold for 3lc. per peck, or'112c. 
per bushel. If in boxes, like the one exhibited, 8c. will 
be charged for the box in addition. It is also put up in 
bags containing from one peck to a bushel each. 
Respectfully submitted, by 
C. N. Bement. * 
On the report of the committee appointed for that pur¬ 
pose, the following gentlemen were unanimously elected 
officers of the Society for the ensuing year: 
James S. Wadsworth, Livingston, President. 
Vice Presidents. 
1st dist., James Lenox, New-York. 
2d “ Robert Denniston, Orange. 
3d “ Anthony Van Bergen, Greene. 
4th “ E. 0. Delay AN, Saratoga. 
5th “ Jonathan D. Ledyard, Madison. 
6th “ Z. A. Leland, Steuben. 
7th “ J. M. Sherwood, Cayuga. 
8th “ L. B. Langworthy, Monroe. 
H. S. Randall, Cortland Village, Cor. Secretary^ 
Luther Tucker, Albany, Rec. Secretary. 
Ezra P. Prentice, Albany, Treasurer. 
Additional Members of the Executive Committee —C. N. 
Bement, Albany; H. D. Grove, Buskirk’s Bridge; Alex. 
Walsh, Lansingburgh; J. McD. Meintj're, Albany; Tho¬ 
mas S. Hillhouse, Watervliet. 
On the report of the same committee, it was 
Resolved, That it be recommended to the Executive 
Committee to hold the next annual Fair of the Society, 
in the city of Rochester. 
On motion of Mr. Colman, 
Resolved, That the State Society respectfully petition 
