THE CULTIVATOR. 
156 
In the Horticultural Department, particularly 
in that of fruits, the exhibition was truly splendid, and 
will go far towards confirming the impression that for 
all our ordinary cultivated fruits, the vicinity of Ro¬ 
chester is one of the first in the world. The vegetables 
were, on the whole, good, but had the season not been 
so uncommonly dry, better ones would doubtless have 
been on the tables of the exhibition. Beautiful melons 
met the eye on every hand; and one pronounced by the 
grower, Mr. S. of Gales, to be the only one of its kind 
in the ivorld, (it being a species of hybrid, formed by a, 
cross impregnation of the Minorca w'ith the green flesh 
southern melon,} W'e had the pleasure of tasting, and 
can truly say that in our opinion, its flavor has rarely if 
ever been excelled. The assortment of green house 
plants was very fine; and although the assemblage of 
flowers was not great, the skill shown by Mr. King of 
Rochester,' in weaving* a quantity of them into a beau¬ 
tiful representation of the American eagle, occupying a 
central position in the long range of tables, was much 
admired. 
Gen. Harmon of Wheatland, the Le Couteur of Ame¬ 
rica, presented some 13 or 14 samples of wheat, most of 
which he has tested by cultivation. He also presented 
specimens of about a dozen varieties in the head, and 
samples of smut and chess, also in the head. His wheat 
is most beautiful, the ‘‘Improved White Flint” particu¬ 
larly, and we trust he will allow nothing to prevent his 
progress in the career of improving this imp.ortant 
grain, upon which it is evident he has just entered. jjHe 
exhibited specimens of a new variety, a fine looking 
wheat, the heads slightly bearded, "and as he stated, the 
product of a cross fertilization of the “ Improved White 
Flint,” his favorite variety, with the White Province, 
a variety lately introduced from France. Should the 
new variety prove as valuable as it promises, it should 
in courtesy be termed the Harmon wheat. 
THE .DINNER. 
According to the plan of arrangements adopted by the 
Executive Committee, the Agricultural Dinner was to 
come off on the aftei*noon of the 21st. The time fixed 
upon was 7 o’clock, and the place, the Railroad Depot 
near the river. This immense building was seimrated 
in two parts, and in the south half, four substantial ta¬ 
bles were erected through its whole length, on which 
plates were laid for 1,000 persons. Contrary to the ex¬ 
pectations of all, every ticket was sold in a short time, 
and hundreds if not thousands disappointed. The ar¬ 
rangements for the feeding part were entrusted to Mr. 
Carpenter of Stanwix Hall. At 7, the tables were 
spread, and the depot splendidly illuminated. At a few 
minutes past 7, the doors were thrown open for the ad¬ 
mission of the President of the Society, who escorted • 
Mr. V.\N Buren and the other distinguished gentlemen 
present. The rush to the tables was tremendous, and 
the onslaught upon the good things provided by Mr. 
Carpenter, would have done honor to a band of Missouri 
hunters. After the dinner had been pretty effeclually 
despatched, the meeting was callcil to order by Mr. 
Wadsw'orth, who opened the proceedings by a neat 
and effective address, of which we can only give a brief 
outline from the hurried notes taken at the time. 
He congratulated all present on the success which had 
attended the labors of the State Society. It deserved 
success; its object and aims were of the highest, noblest 
kind; it endeavored to remler labor honorable, and cul¬ 
tivation eftective. It demanded and deserved universal 
confidence and cordial co-operation. Science had been 
pressed into the service of every other pursuit, while 
agriculture had been permjtteil to remain overshadowed 
with darkness, dense as that of the middle ages. It had 
remained for the present age to unite skill and science 
in a great effort lo render agricultural labor as successful 
as it was useful. * 
For years past, the farmer had suffered from an unna¬ 
tural condition of things. The currencj’’ had been at 
times expanded to a ruinous extent, and then as suddenly 
contracted, and we were but just beginning to recover 
from the disastrous effects thus occasioned. The national 
character had been injured, and it belonged to the far¬ 
mer to aid effectively in its renovation. National faith 
and national honor must be placed beyond suspicion. 
Mr. Wadsworth spoke a few words on the tariff. He 
thought the manufacturer had received a disproportion¬ 
ate share of government legislation and attention; that 
the agricultural interests deserved more attention than 
had been bestowed. He alluded to the extent of the 
subject, and said the present was not the proper time to 
enter upon its discussion. The gentleman from Canatla 
(Mr. Ferguson) had last year expressed, at Albany, the 
hope that the only field in which this country should 
meet England, should be the tented field at the Bull's 
Head. He (Mr. W.) wished to meet her, not on the 
ocean, but on the plowed field; for so long as by her 
superior agriculture she raises 40 bushels of wheat to 
the acre, and we but 15, she will not be an easy nation 
to beat, though she might be to meet. 
In his address at Albany, he alluded, he said, to the 
election of a Governor from the ranks of the farmer. 
[He was here interrup.’ed with cheers, mingled with 
hisses.] Mr. W. forcibly repeated the remark, that it 
was a matter of pride to the Society that a farmer, able 
and worthy, had been found to occupy the chair of 
State, and he regretted that ill health prevented his be¬ 
ing then present with them. Mr. W. entered at some 
length upon a history of the former Presidents; all 
had retired to their farms, and the influence thus exert¬ 
ed was of the happiest kiiui. He alluded to Mr. Van 
Buren, and the pleasure he felt at having that distin¬ 
guished son of New-York present at the meeting. 
After Mr. Wadsworth closed his remarks, Mr. Van 
Buren was loudly called for, and on rising, was receiv¬ 
ed with reiterated cheers. 
Mr. Van Buren said he should be doing injustice to 
his own feelings if he withheld an expression of grati¬ 
tude, first to the men who had invited him to be present 
at this great holiday of the farmer, and next to those 
present, for the cordial, sincere and friendly feeling 
with which his appearance had been greeted. For one 
purpose, and one only, he rose, and that was to present 
to that respectable body his unfeigned thanks. He should 
not attempt to make a speech to those whose object was 
the prosecution of the useful and the practical, rather 
than the showy and the ideal. He should not prc.sume 
to offer practical remarks on agriculture; were it neces¬ 
sary, ii> him, it would be like carrying coals to New¬ 
castle. , 
He spoke of the splendid exhibition of the day. His 
expectations had been high, from the state character of 
the meeting, and the district in which it took place, and 
it affbrded him pleasure to say that the reality had ex¬ 
ceeded his expectations altogether. It was an exhibi¬ 
tion of which every American, certainly every New- 
Yorker, might well be proud. His allusion to the de¬ 
partment of domestic indusfry in the exhibition, as the 
handiwork of the fair daughters of New-York, was in 
his most felicitous manner. 
Mr. Van Buren then spoke of the pleasure he had 
taken during the last two years in the management of 
his farm, and pronounced these two years the happiest 
of his life. He briefly spoke of his own farm affairs 
and experiments, with tlie success attending his efforts 
at improvement; saying that while his farm of 150 acres 
formerly barely furnished enough for his use, in the 
single article of hay alone, it now yielded him a surplus 
of 80 tons. He spoke of the honorable character of 
labor, of the necessity of industry, of the value of as¬ 
sociated effort, and the excellent influence exerted by 
such societies in improving and elevating the tiller of 
the soil. 
Mr. Van Buren sat down amid the cheers, cordial and 
hearty, of the whole assembly. 
Judge Leland of Steuben, one of the Executive Com¬ 
mittee, followed in a few remarks on the character of 
the farmer, the influence he exerts on the affairs of the 
slate and nation, and the consequent necessity of his be¬ 
ing well informed, patriotic and independent. He con¬ 
cluded a few pertinent and well dii*ected remarks, by 
offering the following ;— 
Gov. Bouck —It is a credit to the farmers that they 
have among them a man capable of filling the distin¬ 
guished office of Governor of this Slate. 
A little before this time, the train from the east, due 
at 4 o’clock, arrived, and exhibited the singular specta¬ 
cle of a locomotive and its lengthened train, with its 
thousand jjassengers, dashing through the immense din¬ 
ing room usually appropriated to their oxclusive use. 
Three cheers burst spontaneously from the crowd at the 
novel sight, and three more for VVebster, when it was 
announced that he hail arrived. 
The President, Mr. W., here arose, and gave— 
Francis Granger, the favorite son of the Farmers 
of Western New-York. 
Mr. Granger lose to reply, amidst reiterated cheers 
and other tokens of applause. When these had subsided, 
he said:— 
Mr. President and Gentlemen :—The distinguished ho¬ 
nor conferred upon me, would seem to demand that I 
should say something in behalf of western New-York, 
and yet it would ajipear scarcely necessary, for when 
I look around on this vast assemblage, I see you are 
all here—every man lo speak for himself! Well 
may he who speaks for western New-York feel proud 
of the duty! I can but feebly express to you the emo¬ 
tions which crowded in my mind, when to-day I took 
my seat in the cars by the side of the man who raised 
the first bushel of wheat west of Cayuga lake! (Cries of 
“Who is he?—who is he?” Mr. Granger answered, 
Abner Barlow, and then three hearty cheers were given 
for Mr. Barlow by the vast mu'titude.) Yes—the man 
in full health and vigor, who sowe<l (he first seed and 
raised the first crop of wheat in the west! and yet he 
was even then in (he pride and strength of manhood. 
The world can present no such instance in its histoi*}'. 
What is the history of wes'ern New-York? It is but as 
yesterday when i! was one vast unbroken forest. AVhen 
the revolution was over, Yankee industry, Yankee j)er- 
severance, would no longer consent to be bound down 
to the iron coast of New-England or even the high hills 
of Vermont. 
They sought a milder country, which would give a 
better return to the industry of man—where they could 
push sooner the ailvancemenfs of life, and secure earlier 
its elegancies—the enjoyments of civilization—abroader 
field for their energies. What has western New-York 
done? Even in my short day, and short it is, though I 
am getting a little in the gray of the evening—even in 
ni}* short day, this city of Rochester w as not even a vil¬ 
lage! When I moved into western New-York, this 
splendid town, which presents now all the arts of ])ol- 
ished life, where the stage proprietor would not even 
deign to change horses here—he only icatercd and went 
on, is now a city which packs more flour than any other 
in the world! I repeat it, than any other in the world. 
I have heard this contradicted, but facts and figures will 
make manifest its truth, and to them I appeal. 
It has been asked, where are the pioneers of western 
New-York? The grave has closed over most of them, 
but there are many still living among us to give to their 
children encouragement and advice—to tell them to “be 
sure they are right, then go ahead.” I have taken by 
the hand many a man to-day, who thought an eminent 
land proprietor mad when he told them that the time 
would come, in their and his day, when the stage would 
go twice a week from Canandaigua to Albany, and yet 
the little train in which I came over to-day, had only 
only eleven hundred! 
Such is western New-York: its progress and history 
have solved the doubt which many entertained, whether 
it was not a problem whether there was sufficient ener¬ 
gy in a republican government to push forward and hold 
up and force forward towns an'd settlements. What Ro¬ 
chester has done, others in our land also have; Cincin¬ 
nati in Ohio is a town larger than that famed Odes¬ 
sa, which the whole power of Russia for fifty years has 
been building up. But I must close. When I arose, I 
only intended to sfieak ten words, but I thought I must 
say one thing in answer to the reference to western 
New-York. 
I will say, if there be a man on earth who, when he 
sinks to the grave, can do so with thoughts of happi¬ 
ness, it must be the pioneer of western New-York—he 
who has lived to see, through those fruitful fields where 
once was the roam of the savage, yonder train pursue 
its arrowy flight. 
Mr. President, I offer you— 
The Pioneers of Weshm Ncic-York —They descended 
from Pisgah to enjoy the i)romised land. 
Mr. Webster now ajjpeared, amidst the cheers of the 
multitude, and made a few remarks on the rapid journey 
he had made for the purpose of meeting on their own 
soil the farmeis of western New-York. Agriculture, he 
saitl, was one of the first steps in the civilization of 
man. He spoke of the advaiilages of western New-York, 
its rich soil, and its future prospects, but his fatigue was 
so great, that he said he must decline at that liour from 
entering upon such extensive subjects, as he should have 
the pleasure of meeting them again to-morrow. 
Mr. Ferguson of Canada, followed Mr. Webster in 
a happy effort, as we should believe from the little it 
was our good fortune to hear; but the immense crowd 
had b}f this time become so perfectly uproarious, that 
speaking was useless and hearing impossible. Mr. Fer¬ 
guson closed with the following;— 
The health of my honorable and distinguished friend, 
the President of the Stale Agricultural Society. 
Mr. Wadsworth made a brief reply; and after a few 
other toasts, among which was one by Mr. Barlow, the 
gentleman alluded lo by Mr. Granger, the company 
broke up in most admired disorder. It was manifest at 
an early hour of the evening, that notwithstanding the 
great efforts of ihe President to i)reserve order, they 
must, from the great space occupied, and the mnltitiuie 
present, be useless. To attempt a full report of the 
si)eeches was useless, and for tb.e sketch given of Mr. 
Granger s, we are indebted to the editor of the Roches¬ 
ter Democrat, whose position for hearing that gentleman 
was more favorable than our own. 
The 21st was to be devoted to the plowing match, and 
to hearing the Annual Address from Dr. Beekman of 
Columbia County, one of the earliest and ablest friends 
of the Slate Society, and to (he reading of the reports 
of the several committees. 
The plowing match was to come off at 10 o'clock, on 
the farm of Mr. Pitkin, near (he eastern limits of the 
city. The g:reat number of entries as competitors—2t) 
in all—rendei ed it necessary to select a larger field, anil 
the trial of skill did not commence until about 11 o’¬ 
clock. Mr. Van Buren, Gov. Bouck, Mr. Webster, 
Ex-Gov. Seward, &c. &c. W'ere on (he ground to wit¬ 
ness the honorable strife. After all, room could be 
found for only 18 plows, but these set about their work 
with a hearty good will, which gave great interest to 
the whole proceeding. One-fourth of an acre W’as al¬ 
lotted to each team, with an hour and ten minutes for 
the performance, reference being had rather to the ex¬ 
cellence of the work than the quickness of the time. 
No drivers w'ere allowed. It was soon evident that the 
teams as well as the holders of the plows were fully' 
versed in their business. Steady, true and strong, •uheir 
progress was w'atched with exciting interest, and so ex¬ 
cellent was the work of all, that scarcely two of the 
thousands of spectators could agree as to the individuals 
to whom the premiums should be awarded. The work 
was all beautifully done up within the allotted time, and 
all agreed that finer specimens of plowing would be 
found with great difficulty. 
As soon as the plowing match bad closed, the tide oi 
human beings began again to flow towards the show 
yards, where preparations had been made for the deli¬ 
very of the Annual Addres.s. There was a brisk breeze 
from the west, but the position of the speakers’ stand 
was so wi 11 selected, that jirobably the speakers were 
better heard than they could have been in any building 
sufficient to contain but a tithe of the immense crowd, 
estimated at 20,000, that thronged around the stand. Mr, 
W.^dswcbth, the President of the Society', in a few per¬ 
tinent remarks, introduced Dr. Beekman to the audi¬ 
ence, when he proceeded to deliver an address which 
was listened to with great interest. As we shall publish 
it at length at the earliest opportunity, we ihall only say 
that it was admirably written, couched in beautiful lan¬ 
guage, and full of important truths. He gave a rapid 
sketch of the origin of the Society, the difficulties it had 
encountered and surmounted, the establishment of (he 
