AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER, 
ter and name, was realized. We never saw a 
meaner lot together. Hope onr lovers of this 
hind of flesh will exhibit civilized animals, with all 
the “modern improvements,” or none. Had they 
been only indifferent, we should have overlooked 
the department entirely, but they noticeably bad— 
awluh 
Jacks and Mules, —A good show, and evidence 
that the “long-eared race” are getting to be appre¬ 
ciated. You lmow they are the conservative class 
and badly needed among onr fast farmers. They 
certainly “spoke” for their masters; spoke well too. 
Dairy Products— Somebody reports a fine show! 
So there was, compared with other exhibitions we 
have seen in the West We could name some men 
who alimy’t have made a good exhibition of butter 
and cheese. The finest cheese on exhibition here, 
were said to come from the East They were fine. 
Our own Stats bore off the prizes for butter, tho’ 
we think they were not well, or rightly distributed. 
We heard an officer remark that “two or three old 
women who knew little, and one or two men who 
knew less, were on that Committee, and a certain 
exhibitor furnished ‘cordial’for their palates.”— 
Do not pretend to say that this is the fact, but cer¬ 
tainly they “ cordial”-ly agreed he was a good fel¬ 
low, and his “oordial”-i(y merited a premium. 
Corn and Squashes. —Enormous was the height 
of the stalks of corn exhibited—too high to speci- 
P. Wheeler, Scarhoro; W. F. McCuliook, Strat¬ 
ford; R. Currie, Niagara; W. Dickson, Blenheim; 
A. Hugo, Guelph; T. Windall, Clark; E. .Tones, 
Stamford; S. Moffatt, Galt; Hoa. A. Fkrgusson, 
Woodhill; C. Place, Beachville ; W. & R. Arm¬ 
strong, Markham ; W. Miller, Pickering, and 
many others whose names were not obtained. 
A very fine-show of Devons was made by Messrs. 
Ferris of London, Choatk and Wade of Port 
Hope, with many creditable additions in smaller 
herds. 
A marked and interesting feature among the 
cattle was a herd of Galloways, numbering some 
thirty bead, imported from the highlands of Scot¬ 
land Borne years since by Mr. W. Roddick, who has 
bred them with care and is now offering for sale. 
They are black, with long heavy hair, somewhat 
curly, and without horns. Their great value is 
SENECA COUNTS' FAIR 
A New' Variety of Indian Corn was exhibited 
at the recent, Show of our Horticultural Society, 
It i3 white, eight-rowed; tho kernel large, hut tho 
ear below medium size of the ordinary eight- 
rowed yellow vuriety. This corn was exhibited 
by Amos Dann, Esq., of Livingston county, who 
thus speaks of it in a note to Mr. Shelve, Secre- 
tary of the Society:—“1 rend you for exhibition, a 
half dozen ears of the Early Arctic Pearl Com, 
introduced into Western Nbw York by me a few 
yearR since* I procured it at the head of Lake 
Superior, of a traveling Missionary who had 
brought it from near Bed Lake. It is said to 
be grown as far north as Hudson’s Bay. It is two 
weeks earlier than any corn I have known—will he 
fully ripe the first day of Auguet Jt is very deli¬ 
cate, and first-rate for the table, green or ground. 
It should he planted in rich, warm soil—if in hills, 
about two and-a-half feet apart, and will not rot in 
the grown!, should the weather, after planting, 
prove cold and Inclement. 1 _ hav e a few bushels, 
which l ; uuk of oominiuu^Bkie -endsmen of 4 
The entries on the first day were more than were 
entered at the last Fair, but owing to the continu¬ 
ed rain of the second day much of the atock was 
kept hack, although there was a lair show on ex¬ 
hibition of fiue improved bovines of every sor‘— 
sheep, pigs, poultry, Ac. M .uy fiue horses were 
here on the tirBt day, b it owing to the rain the 
trial of speed, the riding matohes, and plowing, 
were postponed to the 16th and 16th ioBt, and ad¬ 
ditional premiums to the amount of $200 were 
voted for the same, to create additional competi¬ 
tion. There was a good show of meohunical arti¬ 
cles, including elegant carriages and buggies of 
Waterloo manufacture. 
Flora and Pomona were well represented in 
Floral HalL W. L. & E, Smith, of Geneva, con¬ 
tributed fine pears, and splendid roses, dahlias and 
verbenas, 
Orleans County Fair.— The Orleans A So¬ 
ciety had a fine exhibition at its Annual Fair, 
on the.lst inst. Though the weather was most tin- 
propitious, the attendance waa unusually large, 
aud the show highly creditable to the Society and 
the Countv. 
The officers and members of the 
Society seemed almost unconscious of the con¬ 
stant rain, and made a better display in most de¬ 
partments than we ever before witnessed during 
such inauspicious weather. The show of Stock 
was especially noteworthy, and comprised the 
largest and best exhibition of Devons we ever saw 
at any County Fair. The show of Horses, Sheep 
and Swine was also superior to what we antici¬ 
pated. There was a tine display of Implements, 
&c.,—Messrs. Curtis of Albion, and Anthony of 
Medina, being the principal exhibitors. The ex¬ 
hibit of Domestic Manufactures, and Fruits, Veg¬ 
etables, Ac., was also creditable. Indeed, the 
whole Fair was, considering the weather, a success 
—always excepting the address, which was deliv¬ 
ered by a friend of ours whose voice and lungs 
were inadequate to the occasion, and who, we are 
confident, will not soon attempt to he heard by so 
large an audience. 
— The Fair was held on the Society’s Grounds, 
in the suburbs of Albion — a beautiful and finely 
located tract of twelve acres. These grounds have 
been purchased, inclosed, &c., since the recent re¬ 
organization of the Society. We were glad to 
learn that the Society was both prosperous and 
popular, aDd we trust its prosperity and usefulness 
may be annually augmented. Indeed, with such 
efficient officers as Mr. Bailey, the President, and 
Messrs. Goff, Thomas, Bates, Barber, Hall, 
Kirby and others, and scores of working friends, 
it cannot fail of accomplishing much in behalf of 
Rural Improvement. 
Asa Messer, of same place, ten varie> 
ties of foreign grapes, including cluster* of two 
pounds weight, and Dine varieties of peat s. Ele¬ 
gant boquets were exhibited by your indefatigable 
agent H. E. Smith; and a floral design by Mary 
F airuhild, in wbu h the riohest and tiniest flowers 
were blended and variegated with exquisite taste. 
Waterloo shawls of more than 8ootch beauty of 
texture and design, and splendid Cassimeres from 
Phanix mills, Seneca Falls, Ac., Ac. 
Bat that which drew crowds of farmers through 
mud ana rain on (he second day, was ih e prestige 
of the name of Greeley. After he had delivered 
his sensible aud truly practical address, w’hicli 
spoke to the life of every turner, the rush to take 
him by the hand waa tremendous. Although the 
rain continues to the close of this third and last 
day, more than $800 were taken at the gates, 
which, with the village contribution, makes $1,100. 
The premiums sre not yet made public. 
Waterloo, Oct. 2d, 1857. S. W. 
DEVON CATTLE 
Eds. Rural: —If you please I will give you, and 
the numerous readers of your truly useful paper, 
a little of my experience with the Devon cattle. 
After reading and inquiring to obtain informa¬ 
tion concerning the different breeds of cattle, and 
having an opportunity also to observe them—es¬ 
pecially the Dnrhams aud Devons—I came to the 
conclusion that while living in this part, of the 
country, the Devons would fnit me the best, os I 
became satisfied that they were the most hardy 
and would be better for both oxen and cows, and 
I believed that a thousand pounds of beef could 
be made with them as easy and as cheap as with 
any other breed, and equally as good. I therefore, 
in August, 1853, purchased, of Mr. H. N. Washbon, 
a pair of yearling Devons, bred from the herd of 
Mr. Patterson, of Baltimore. After beeping them 
a few wee&s, and learning more about, the fancy 
marks of the Devon cattle, I found that the heifer 
was right, yet the bull did not suit as well in all 
particulars, though I had no reason to doubt his 
purity, as I had the pedigree of both through to 
their original herdB in England; but I wanted one 
that was right, so I sold him in April, 1854, and 
bought one that was bred by Mr. R, (1. Van Rens¬ 
selaer, of Otsego Co., N. Y., which suited me. I 
a3so bought two half-blood Devon heifers. For 
two years my Dc-vtiu a»r**r-wlsv’e aovrr run together, 
aud I found that the Devons kept in the best con¬ 
dition, especially in winter, all having the same 
The Prairie Farmer has passed into new 
hands. Jobn $. Wright, Esq., who has been pro¬ 
prietor from it* commencement as a monthly, aud 
expended large amounts to sustain the paper, has 
disposed of his entire interest. He is entitled to 
more than the thanks of Western farmers for his 
long-continued efforts and expenditures in their 
behalf. Our friend C. D. Bkagdon, the genial and 
efficient editor of the Farmer for some time past, 
retires with best wishes, we are sure, of all its 
readers and contemporaries. We wish him emi¬ 
nent success in bis new business—announced in 
onr advertising department under head of Chicago 
Purchasing Agency. The new editor is James C. 
Mbdill, formerly, we believe, editor of a daily 
paper, in Cleveland,—to whom we extend a cordial 
welcome, and wish merited success. The enthu¬ 
siastic “Old Doctor,” John A. Kennicott, will 
continue to grace the position of Corresponding 
Editor. The Farmer is published weekly, in quarto 
form, at $2 a year. 
Domestication of Ostriches. —A French 
paper states that, after numerous unsuccessful 
trials, the natural incubation of ostrich eggs haB 
just been accomplished at the government estab¬ 
lishment at Algers, and no doubt now exists that 
these birds may be reared in a domestic state.— 
This is the only successful experiment yet made. 
An Old Team. — At the great Horse Show at 
Springfield, Mass., a septuagenarian made his ap¬ 
pearance on the coarse with a quartette of horses 
whose united age was 91 years. 
plows, corn-huskers, corn-planters, mowers, hedge 
trimmers,rakes, cider-mills, “LittleGiants”(Judge 
Douglas ions on the ground,) wind-mills, cultiva¬ 
tors, Ac., Ac., in great pro and con-fusion. There 
was nothing to he ashamed of, but we think a 
much larger exhibition will yet be seen In Illinois. 
Fine Arts .—There are a half dozen galleries in 
onr city where a better and more interesting exhi¬ 
bition is daily given. There were, however, Borne 
meritorious paintings—fine Ambrotypes and Pho¬ 
tographs—specimens of penmanship, Ac.—but the 
writer cannot speak the truth and say this depart¬ 
ment, as whole, was remarkable. 
Was the Fair a Success?— We answer, Yes.— 
We think it will prove so pecuniarily. We never 
SAW more fa-mum together — working mrm. TUe 
proportion of farmers in such gatherings is not 
always as large sa it should be. Here they were 
out in round numbers — being the only class not 
“ hard up,” or that could afford to be present.— 
The interchau, e which resulted wiR have its effect 
in securing the attendance of these classes again. 
The spirit of inquiry exhibited waa particularly 
satisfactory. The members of the State Horticul¬ 
tural Society held evening sessions. The Hedge 
Growers of the State discussed, in an informal 
meeting on the ground, their interests. On the 
evening of the 24th was to he held a joint meet¬ 
ing of the two State Societies to listen to a com¬ 
munication from John Jones, V. P., of the U. S. 
Ag. Society from Delaware, relative to the estab¬ 
lishment of an Agricultural Department by our 
Government, and the founding and endowment of 
Practical and Scientific Schools in each State in 
the Union, or that may hereafter be admitted. A 
good feeling existed relative to this movement_ 
Your corespondent was obliged to leave previous 
to the and at this writing has not learned 
the relfi^Riere is perhaps no State more anx- 
LETTERS FROM YOUNG FABMERS. 
Among the letters we have lately received from 
onr young friends, is the one from a young read¬ 
ing, working and experimenting farmer. This is 
what we like, 
Fatrs Next Week. —The Annual Fair of the 
Fulton and Hamilton Agricultural Society is to be 
held iu the village of Johnstown, on Thursday, 
Oct. 15. The Fair of the Uniou Ag. Society (Yates 
county) is to be held at Dundee, Oct 15. The Pal¬ 
myra Union Ag. Society's Exhibition takes place 
Oct. 14, 15 and 16—for which ample arrangements 
are being made, and an excellent show is antici¬ 
pated. 
— The State Fairs to be held next week, are, the 
Connecticut, at Bridgeport, Oct. 13th to 16th— 
Kentucky, at Henderson, Oct. 12th to 16tb, and 
Tennessee, at Nashville, same days. 
Read to gain knowledge, experi¬ 
ment to test the troth and practicability of what 
is read. Think, too—always think. If you read, 
or hear a statement made, think whether it is rea¬ 
sonable or not. If you see one crop fall and an¬ 
other sneoeed, or the same succeed in one place 
and fail in another, think out the cause, and after 
yon have decided it in your own mind, then try 
experiments to see if yon are correct or not.— 
This is the way to gala knowledge and strengthen 
the mind. But, we give the letter, and hope it will 
prompt many to do likewise: 
Messrs. Ens.: — Among other treasures, my 
small but choice library, rejoices in the profession 
of three bound volumes of the Rural, bound by 
my own hands, and hence, with more stability than 
beauty, and better prepared for long service than 
for show; therefore their outward appearance iB 
not quite correspondent with their contents, which 
combines stability with beauty. There ate also 
lying upon my studio table, several bookB having 
the figure of a fruit tree, or a leaf of grain upon 
the binding, and the walls are adorned with speoi- 
me: s of the various grains and grapes. This in¬ 
dicates that I am studying the profession of a 
farmer, and holding the plow as I have this day, 
is evidence that 1 am engaged in its practice. I 
am yet a boy, farm labor has not shaken my love 
for its varied, pleasant scenes. 1 think the mark 
sufficiently high, it “Young Rurallsts” aim to be¬ 
come the most successful, scientific and practical 
farmers. 
1 am engaged in experiments this summer, on 
somo crops which are almost entirely new l’or this 
section, viz: — Barley and Tobacco, and have a 
small, fine plantation of the latter, nearly ready to 
cut; perhaps I may report on my success, at some 
future time. I do not wish to prolong my letter 
now, lest its insertion should crowd from the col¬ 
umn of the “Young Roralist,” a communication 
from some fair reader of the Rural, which I would 
not have done on any condition. Byron S. P. 
J. P., of Orleans county, has “patch of white 
beans which he is afraid will not get ripe, os the 
summer Las been so cold and wet.” 
Sales of Vermont Horses.— We learn thatMr. 
Nearing, of Orwell, recently sold his Black Hawk 
stallion, “AddisoD,” to Messrs. Pierce A Paine, 
of Belleville, 111., for $5,000. He is a noble horse, 
16 hands high, and weighs 1,200 lbs.—Mr. D. Ed¬ 
gar Hill, of Gridport, has sold hiB beautiful horse 
“ Black Hawk Chief” (a son of “ Vt, Black Hawk,”) 
to Dr. Ashe, and other gentlemen of Alabama.— 
The same parties also purchased a number of su¬ 
perior Black Hawk mares.—Mr. F. C. Gilman, of 
Montpelier, has sold a flue Btalllon for $1,500, to 
parties who wiff take him to Cuba. 
A Devon Item. — We observe that Mr. J. N. 
Blakkslek, of Watertown, Conn., offers u premium 
of $100 to any man who can beat him in showing 
Devon cattle, at the Conn. State Fair, Bridgeport, 
next week. Tie proposes to exhibit six pairs of 
Devon oxeD, one cow, one heifer, and a ball calf, 
(all from his own farm,) and adds:—“It is not my 
intention to offer this as a sort of challenge; I 
wish to show the public what tbe original Devons 
were in their purity.” Mr. B’s offer will be likely 
to call our other Devon breeders, thus securing a 
very tine and interesting exhibition. 
OSWEGO COUNTY FAIR 
Selection and Cars of Sked-corn.—Ib it not 
strange that ft tusk of so great importance, and yet 
requiring so little time, should he so generally neg¬ 
lected, or at best per formed in a careless, slap-dash 
manner? Every few years we hear of extensive 
failures and successive replanting?, consequent on 
tbe use of defective seed-corn. I doubt not that 
many a township in onr corn-growing sections 
has, in this manner, lost hundreds of dollars in a 
single Beason. Even the present year I know of 
severe Iobbcs resulting from this cause. And yet 
a few hours, rightly spent, may insure any farmer 
against the slightest risk of a failure. 
My practice has usually been to traverse the 
cornfield with a basket or bag, booh alter the crop 
commences ripeniup, and select the best looking 
ears I can find, which are sufficiently matured, and 
tying them together by the husks, two and two, hang 
them across a pole in the chamber. The wurmth 
and dryness of the air gradually deprives of rnois- 
tnie these golden pledges of future cornfields, thna 
rendering them proof ugainBt the assaults of Jack 
Frost, even in the bitten st of his midwinter 
moods. To prevent the petty larcenies of rats and 
mice I suspend the poles from the roof by means 
of wires. “ A word to the wise is sufficient” 
Barr Oak, Mich., Sept. 24,1867. Frank Fielding. 
The Secretary of the Oswego County Agricul¬ 
tural Sooiety, Mr. D. W. C. Peck, gives us a 
favorable report of the recent exhibition, held 
Sept. 15th to 18tlL Though the weather was un¬ 
favorable—tbe second day especially being cold 
and rainy—the Fair was very successful. “The 
number of entries was 887, being two more than 
last year. The exhibition of frnlt and vegetables 
surpassed anything of the kind ever beiore made 
In the county. Tbe display ol household manu¬ 
factures, embroideries, fancy work, paintiugs, Ac, 
was unusually large and interesting. The show 
of cattle and horses being necessarily made in the 
open air, was more affected by the unfavorable 
weather, but notwithstanding was very creditable 
The Society have this year erected a good, sub¬ 
stantial frame building, 84 ft. by 34, for a Floral 
Hall, an Eating House, 65 by 20, and have brought 
a never-failing supply of water n/ion the grounds 
in lead pipe, fiom a spring 130 rods distant. Our 
receipts will enable qs to meet all these expenses, 
in addition to the payment of the award of pre¬ 
miums end contingent expenses of the Fair. The 
address, by Cua8. B. Sedgwick, of Syracuse, was 
well adapted to the occasion—an able, practical 
production—and was listened to with marked at¬ 
tention. Oor Society has been iu existence under 
its new organization but two years. Its lairs have 
been permanently located at Mexico. Its receipts 
for the last three years have been as follows:—In 
1855, $575 43; in 1856,$1,287 38; in 1857,$1,721 94 
Increase in 1857 over any former year, $434 56— 
showing conclusively, as wo think, the advantages 
of a permanent location.” 
The Ri shville Union Ag. Society— compris¬ 
ing three towns in Yates, and one (Gorham) in 
Ontario Co., snd organized over two years ago, 
when an Investment of $1,200 was made for a 
beautiful incloeure of five acres of land and the 
erection of a building—held its third AnutialFuir 
Sept. 25th and 26th, under veryfavorable auspices. 
The exhibition is said to have been been very fine, 
such as would have reflected credit upon a County 
Society. The President, 0. W. Stearns, Esq., de¬ 
livered an appropriate and practical address. 
The beans 
on low, cold or damp soil will require, at least, all 
tbe fiue weather they will he likely to get this sea¬ 
son. On dry, sandy soil, they are ripening much 
better; and where tho soil is rather poor, although 
the crop is less than on a good soil, they ripen 
quicker. Tho samo thing is particularly true of 
tomatoes. We always plant onr earliest tomatoes 
on the poorest, sandiest soil wo have. On such a 
soil, wc can ripen them a month earlier than if 
they were planted on a rich soil. The fruit, how¬ 
ever, is much smaller and inferior iu every way.— 
it is necessary to secure beans before frost, and aB 
we cannot expect exemption from severe frost 
much longer, they Bhould be pulled up by the roots 
at once, and thrown into small heaps. After they 
have become somewhat, dry, they may be put into 
large heaps around a stake, with the roots iu the 
centre. As you have only a few, yon could dry 
them nicely on the barn floor, perhaps. T. M., is 
“afraid his pears will never get ripe,” us after 
keeping them "for two weeks, they are as hard as 
ever.” We don’t know their name, and conse¬ 
quently we can’t say anything about their habit, 
but we think time will soften them. Have patience; 
keep them shut up in a drawer, and when the 
peaches are all gone, we think yon will find some 
ripe pears. 
The Livingston County Fair— held in Gene- 
#eo, Sept. 24th and 25th—is said to have fully rea¬ 
lized tho highest expectations of the managers.— 
The Geueweo Democrat says:—“The weather on 
both days was of tho most favorable character, 
the attendance large, and the number and quality 
of articles presented such as to make an enter¬ 
taining and creditable exhibition. The list of 
entries at this Fair, amounted to 997, while that 
of last year, which was considered large, was 541.” 
THE PROVINCIAL EXHIBITION. 
The Annual Fair of the Agricultural Associa¬ 
tion of Canada West, held at Brantford, Sept 29th 
to Oot 2d, was, as a whole, highly creditable to 
tbe Association rb well as to Canada. 
The grounds were located upon an elevated 
plateau overlooking the village, as well as the 
valley for some miles above and below,— a valley 
rendered memorable as the home and hunting 
grounds of the Mohawks and Delawares; and the 
home and we believe burial place of the celebrat¬ 
ed Brant, for whom the district as well as village 
is named. The arrangements were all that was 
needed except the limited space devoted to the 
contributions of the ladies and the fine art gallery. 
Cattle were one of the distinguishing features of 
the show. DurhamB were exhibited by Messrs. J. 
The Cattle Muhuain. —The Limerick (freland) 
Chronicle states that this dreadful disease has 
made its appearance with fatal effect in that dis¬ 
trict. A gentleman who holds a farm within a 
few miles of the city of Limerick had lost within 
the last month 28 head of line cattle, valued at 
£600. Tbe Chronicle adds that private accounts 
mention that several agriculturists in the counties 
of Limerick, Tipperary and Clare have also sus¬ 
tained serious losses by the malady. 
Hog Cholera—Remedies. — The Indianapolis 
Journal Bays the feeding of new corn has stopped 
numerous oases of Hog Cholera in that vicinity, 
and prevented its spread. A farmer of Perry Co., 
Ind., giveB another remedy, which he sayB is ef¬ 
fectual. He throws the suffering pig upon his 
back, opens his mouth, and applies a small quan¬ 
tity of tar to the roots of the animal’s tongue. 
