SEPT. 25 
Messrs. Johnson, Gere & Truman, of 
Owego, N. Y., exhibited their Champion grain 
drills with fertiliser, grain-seeder, hoe-shifter 
and corn-planting attachments. There were 
three different sizes, showing off to the best 
advantage the workings of the several impor¬ 
tant and valuable.attachments. General Agent 
Stiles sold all of his goods on the grounds, and 
took a number of large orders. 
Bradley & Co , of Syracuse, N. Y , made 
a handsome exhibit of their American Har¬ 
vesters, Changeable Speed Mowers and Self- 
Duinp Rakes. This company have done a 
fine business during the past season, and are 
several hundred machines behind their orders, 
although they have run their works to their 
fullest capacity. 
The Wash nr un and Morn Manufacturing Co,, 
of Worcester. Mass., had on exhibition a machine 
for making their steel barb fencing, which was a 
center of attraction during the fair. This ma¬ 
chine barbs the wire, twists It and reels It up ready 
for shipping, at the rate of about I5,0n0 feet 
per d ry. In their factory, which has grown from 
a small Industry to the largest of Its kind In the 
world, they are producing J3o tousof wire per day, 
about SO tons of which are manufactured into 
patent steel barb fencing, it Is obvious to the 
mosi ordinary Intelligence that what was needed 
to follow the discovery of a great and universal 
desideratum like barb fencing, was the invention 
of machinery for its rapid and cheap produc¬ 
tion, so aa to place the benefits of the first 
discovery within the reach of nil. Without such 
machinery steel barbed fencing' would certainly 
havoOcen an impossibility us a farm staple, on 
account Of Its cost. It has actually been made 
the cheapest effective fencing in existence, be¬ 
cause automatic mechanism tor its manufacture 
was perfected and put luto use In Washburn & 
Moen'H works, andprotectod by their patents. j u 
the manufacture of steel barb fencing, this com¬ 
pany are associated with I. L. Ellwood & Co., of 
De Kalb, III., as owners of the patents controlling 
the manufacture of steel barb fencing. They also 
have on exhibition the isrlnket boil patent metallic 
fencing, widen Is made from flattened steel wire, 
the barbs of which are of a tapering form or 
wedge-shaped, and are attached to the fencing at, 
right angles with it, the taper running longitudi¬ 
nally with the fencing, so that It Ls Impassible for 
these barbs to hook into or tear the flesh of ani¬ 
mals, If they should come in contact with them, 'the 
average tested strength or this fencing is 3,200 
pounds. Tills great strength Is duo to the fencing 
being made of a fine quality of ldglily carbonized 
steel, it- also has the desirable feature or being 
galvanized after the barbs are attached to it. This 
ls a new and very Important potntln barbed fencing* 
as It prevents It from rusting or corroding. This 
fencing was awarded the certificate of highest 
merit at the New York State fair, Sept, in, tsso. 
S. M. Cm mis & Co., of Utica, N. Y., made a very 
handsome display or agricult ural implements, em¬ 
bracing, liosvever, but, a small portion of the 
goods of which They are general agents and man¬ 
ufacturers. Their exhibition included the Tigov 
Self-Dump Hay Halts, Oliver Chilled Clows, 
Farmer’s Favorite Grain Drills, one and two- 
horse cultivators, Iron Turbine Wind Engines, 
Barbed wire fence, *c. The Tiger Self-Dump Hake 
has been In actual use for the past five seasons, 
and I ms by Its merits attained Its present enviable 
reputation. The oiltvor Chilled Plows are too well 
known to unr readers to need an extended notice. 
They have secured a first-class reputation In this" 
section, as can be attested by the constantly In¬ 
creasing sales. The Farmer’s Favorite Grain 
Drill, manufactured by Bickford & Huffman, was 
also at. this exhibit, represented by Mr. s. N. Gal¬ 
lup, of Mauedon, N. Y. This drill has lmd an Im¬ 
mense sale during the past season, and the makers’ 
factory has been taxed to its fullest capacity, 
and then tuey could not till their orders. The 
Farmer’s Favorite has been long and favorably 
known to our readers, and Its constantly Increas¬ 
ing sales show that its mar ufacturcrs keep it up 
in toe foremost rank, it has a double force-feed 
distributor, adapting it perfectly to sowing and 
planting all kinds of grain perfectly and uniform¬ 
ly. The Bonanza Grass-Seeder attachment posi¬ 
tively distributes all kinds of grass seeds, large, 
small ur mixed, and can be placed either on the 
front or rear of the drill tubes. The fertilizer 
attachment la accurate and complete, and was 
awarded the only premium lu this class at the 
Centennial Exhibition. It was also awarded the 
two first premiums at the recent exhibition of me 
Pennsylvania state Agricultural Society at Phila¬ 
delphia. The Turbine Wind Engine is a very 
popular machine, and Is fast coming into general 
use. Several sales were made on the grounds. 
Messrs. Childs (i. Co. have done a largo and suc¬ 
cessful business during the past, season, and are 
making extensive arrangements to add largely to 
It the coming year. 
G. West in grouse <£ Co., Schenectady. N. Y., 
exhibit their Improved thrashing engine con¬ 
nected with and operating their grain thrashing 
machine. This ls now the fourth season with 
this engine, and It has made many friends In 
different sections of the country by reason of Its 
lightness, capacity and economical use of fuel. 
This thrashing machine is so well known as to 
scarcely need mention, but it Is safe to say that no 
paltiH have been spared to keep it fully up to the 
times in the way of improvement. Messrs. 
Westing house & Co. also exhibited their new 10- 
horse traction engine, and It presents quite a 
number ut features which are novel in this class 
of engines. An Important point In It ls the method 
of communicating the motion to the traction part, 
instead ot rigid gear or chain connections, power 
Is given by a belt from the fly-wheel, and this 
belt is controlled by a tightening pulley. The 
engine can thereby be started alany point, slowly, 
li debited, be stopped instantly, and Is relieved of 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
the effects of contact with obstructions in the 
track of the wheels. There Is also a very simple 
and effective reversing gear, which Is under con¬ 
trol nt the engineer, whereby the engtne may be 
moved either backward or forward. This engine 
seems perfectly adapted to the uses for which 
traction or road engines are in demand. The 
entire weight of this engine, with water, Ls about, 
0,000 pounds, or from 2.000 to 3.000 pounds less 
than the average traction engtne. 
Mr. G. II. P. Cornell, proprietor of the Albany 
Agricultural Works, Albany, N. Y., made a very 
handsome display of tools and implements 
from the factory. The first exhibit was the La 
Dow Reversible Disc-narrow. This harrow has 
many points of excellence which are worthy or 
special notice. The matmer of reversing the discs 
Is very simple, and Is done In a moment’s time, 
thus throwing the earth either In or out, as desired. 
They are made of stent, and In construction are 
simple, easily managed, and perform their work 
to the entire satisfaction of nil who have used 
them. The firm also exhibited a cultivator for 
hoeing and cultivating corn and potatoes, which 
ls made upon the same principles, We also noticed 
the new La Dow Eclipse rake, which was put upon 
the market during llm past seasou. This rake has 
an automatic dump, which is entirely under the 
control of the driver, and Is so easily managed that 
n hoy or girl can use if, as the power necessary to 
dump does not exceed one-half pound, the horse 
completing the operation. The teeth are set In a 
balance head which revolves when In the. act of 
dumping, thus relieving the operator from the 
weight of tho hay and cleaning the rake perfectly, 
The operation of these implements attracted much 
attention, and they worked to the entire satisfac¬ 
tion of all who saw them. 'They also exhibited the 
A. B. C. Thrasher and Cleaner and Emory railway 
horse-power, and also the old and reliable Albany 
corn-planter. 
The Victor Mower Co., of NlvervlUe, Columbia 
Co., N. Y. had on exhibition the Improved Victor 
Mower of fhelr manufacture. This company bave 
the exclusive use of Krum’s Improved Friction 
Rachet that catches and drives at every thirty- 
second of an Inch. The knives start the Instant 
the macUlne moves ahead, so that all clogging, 
no matter how badly the grass maybe lodged. Is 
impossible. This rachet ls so constructed that 
any movement of the drive wheels, no matter how 
slight, will move the knives from center to center, 
thus absolutely preventing any loss of motion. 
The frame of the Victor Is of wood, and the ma¬ 
chine Is well made throughout, and thoroughly 
tested before leaving the factory. Iteau be started 
lu the heaviest grass without backing up, as both 
wheels act together In starting. The rachet ls 
perfectly noiseless In Its operation, a feature not 
possessed by any other machine. These machines 
attracted many visitors during the fair. 
The Gale Chilled Plow, manufactured at 
Albion, Mich., was exhibited by \VLt beck & Cun¬ 
ningham, local agents, of Schenectady, N. Y. 
Their ewhlbl t. consisted of about, at plows of various 
sizes, ranging from a small one-horse plow up to 
large plows for three horses, and embracing two 
styles of wood beam and two styles of iron beam 
plows. The Gale plows aru equipped with their 
peculiar standard jointer and coulter, rendering 
rhern entirely Independent, of any adjustment of 
the beam, and they are proof against all clogging in 
plowing under clover, weeds, coarse manure, etc. 
Prominent In their collection ls the celebrated 
wrought-lron Adjustable Rod Beam Plow, that 
carried off the honors at the Paris Exposition In 
1S7H. They also show a new cast beam plow and 
a new wood-beam plow, No. 27, lately added to 
their list, and an improved wrought-lron jointer 
arm, with adjustable head and other Improve¬ 
ments, keeping pace with the progress of the age. 
Mr. Mina ho Harder, of Coblesklll, N. Y., ex¬ 
hibited his Fearless Horse-power and Thrasher 
and Cleaner, which have become so Justly popular 
nud widely known. Mr. Harder,who has had over 2 fi 
years’ experience In the manufacture of railway 
or tread-power machines, makes this kind or work a 
specialty. The tact or his having received the two 
last, gold medals given by the New York State 
Agricultural society on horse-powers and thrash¬ 
ers, and the further fact, known to the world, that- 
the Fearless was the only machine that received 
an award on both horse power ami i brasher and 
cleaner at the Centennial Exhibition, render any 
description or the excellent work performed by this 
machine, on tho Fair ground unnecessary, ex¬ 
cept to say that on this, as on former occasions, 
the Fearless was the only machine la practical 
operation thrashing grain, its best recommenda¬ 
tion ls to show its work. 
Mr. Williams, St. .Tohnsvllle, N. Y., displayed 
thrashers and horse-powers. On Friday of last 
week this company did not have a machine In 
their shops; they had completely sold out and 
were far behind Ini heir orders; but by Tuesday 
morning tney uod a ot-tnch cylinder noiseless 
thrasher, together with a tvvo-hurso power ready 
and put on the oars for this fair. It reached herein 
time lor a showing. Mr. Williams has met, with 
great success with his eight and twelve-horse 
steam-power thrashers, and also his four-horse 
railway powers, and has Just completed a itve- 
story addition to his works, giving him 10,000 
more feet of flooring. His business has increased 
very rapidly, but with bis greatly tncreased facil¬ 
ities he expects next year to be able to till all 
orders. 
Mb. Rosa, ot the firm of Brown & Rosa, Wells- 
vllle, N. Y., had on exhibition their new standard 
milk can. This can Is simple In construction and 
operation, practical, durable and cheap. The ad¬ 
vantages claimed by the manufacturers for lt are 
numerous. It combines the advantages ot deep 
setting and rapid cooling, which raises the cream 
In 12 to 24 hours, with either ruuulng or tee water, 
and lt economizes water or tee as well as labor. 
I Satisfaction ls guaranteed by the manufacturers. 
The “Niagara” Grape Co , of Lockport, N. Y., 
make a large and really fine show of Niagara 
grapes. Our readers will recollect we were the 
first to Illustrate and give a description ot this 
fine new white grape. The attractive appear¬ 
ance and good quality of the fruit, shown, make 
us hopeful that the white grape for the million 
has In this been found at last. 
Messrs A. W. Grat’s sons. Middletown Springs, 
vr.. had on exhibition tbolr latest improved pat¬ 
ent horse powers, for one, two or three horses. 
These machines have been In use a number of 
years, and for good aud reliable work they rank 
among the foremost. They are manufactured of 
i he best materials aud In the most durable man¬ 
ner. Their convenience ror moving commends 
them to parties who desire to go about from place 
to place thrashing and sawing wood with both 
drag and circular saws. 
Walter A Wood, M. <fc R. M. Co., of Hooslck 
Falls, N. Y., made a fine exhibit of their Automatic 
Binder. Their machines were in full operation, 
and the work done by them was fully up to their 
standard of excellence. 
Mr. riENRv Ives, ot Batavia, X Y. t exhibited a 
new and very useful Implement for hoeing corn, 
and also a combination shovel plow, which at¬ 
tracted considerable attention. 
P. K. Drue rick had a tuU line of hay presses 
In operation; also exhibits of portable engines 
and other implements rrom hts manufactory. 
E. <’. It rc hard son, of Poulttiey, Yt., Interested a 
great many dairymen with his Surprise Churn. 
Belcher & Taylor, Chicopee Falls, Mass., ex¬ 
hibited the 8. K. Rye Improved Rake, and als 0 
their Fodder cutters which are becoming so exten¬ 
sively used. G. B. B. 
1 HE NEW ENGLAND FAIR. 
(Rural Special Report.) 
The Seventeenth Annual Fair of the New 
England Agricultural 8ociety opened on the 
7i.li inst., at Worcester, Mass., and closed on 
the 11th, having beeir continued one day longer 
than at first announced, in order to carry out 
the full programme, which was interrupted by 
a heavy rain and wind storm during nearly 
the whole of the 10th. Financially and other¬ 
wise. the exhibition was a decided success, t he i e- 
ceipts fully equaling those of last year, which 
left a balance of $5,000 in favor of the New 
England and Worcester County Agricultural 
Societies, tinder whose joint auspices both faii s 
were held. 
Fine as were the exhibits in all departments, 
the display of live stock seprned to attract un¬ 
usual attention, and certainly fully deserved 
all the consideration it received. It is very 
doubtful whether so fine an exhibition of 
choice specimens of tho chief breeds of farm 
stock has ever before been witnessed in New 
England; certainly the writer has never seen 
so many fine animals at any of the numerous 
fairs he has there attended. Of cattle there 
were, in all, 741 head, a large majority of 
which were pnre-breds, many of them very 
fine specimens of their respective breeds. 
Tiie Jerseys in number seemed to surpass 
all other classes, and judging from the con¬ 
stant crowds about their stalls, and the fre- 
queut praises of them, they certainly seemed 
to be the favorites. In their appearauee, how¬ 
ever, there was less to attract admiration here 
than at almost any other fair at which I have 
seen them. Little or no attention seemed to have 
been bestowed on ’‘slicking them up” for exhi¬ 
bition, but the adage ’ handsome Is as handsome 
does” expressed the public sentiment in their 
regard. The principal exhibitors in this class 
were, O. B. Lladweu, of Worcester, Mass , with 
17 head; W. II. Hopkins, of Providence, R. I„ 
with 13 head; and S. C. Colt, of Farraingham, 
Conn., with 15 head. 
The Ayrsthbbs, also, made a fine display, 
one exhibitor, B. J. Stone, of Westborougb, 
Mass., showing 37 head. Herbert Merriam, 
of Weston, also had 10 very fine auiraal*, and 
S. M. it L). Wells, of Weathersfield, Conn , 13, 
one ot which had a milk record of 04 pounds 
per day. There were several other exhibitors, 
too, aud the entire class bespoke the high 
opinion entertained of this breed among New 
England farmers. 
nEREFORDS made a finer show here than at 
any Eastern fair at which I have seen them, 
and deservedly attracted a great deal of atten¬ 
tion. Burleigh As Bod well, of Hallowed, Me., 
showed 35 head , and J. B. Hawes, of South 
Vassalboro, 14 head. All the specimens were 
fut. sleek, aud in flue condition in every way, 
and if more care were bestowed on presenting 
the merits of this breed in a proper manner 
at our agricultural fairs, it seems oot improb¬ 
able that they would soon become powerful 
rivals of the Shortehorus, especially in those 
sections in which milk aud its products are of 
slight importance in eomparlsou with beef. 
SnoRT-HORNS were less numerous and in 
poorer condition than they are usually seen at 
such exhibitions. There were only 47 of them, 
none of which would win admiration for its 
beauty as a beef animal, though some were 
highly spoken of as milkers. 1 looked for 
specimens of some of the Vermont deep milk¬ 
ing herds, but saw none. 
Holsteins were well represented by W. A. 
S41 
Russell’s head of 28 from North Andover, 
Mass., and a couple of other exhibits. In 
the Russell herd the imported, tt-year-old 
cow, Lady Clifeden, had a record of uu average 
milk yield of 49 pouuds for 311 days; or 1(5,274 
pounds for 3773 days, the highest yield in one 
day being 7$H pounds. With the nolsteina 
were the Swiss, which in this section have a 
good reputation as dairy cows. They have 
thick necks, broad hips, and the calves and 
heifers were extremely handsome. D. C. Aid- 
rich, of Anbnrn, and J, A. Bancroft, of 
Worcester, were the chief exhibitors. 
The Guernsey’s — two from Herbert, Mer- 
riarn, Weston, and the herd of Col. A. Warren, 
Pomfret, Conn.,—were separated from the Jer¬ 
seys and put in a class by themselves. They 
were considerably larger aud in much better 
condition apparently than their relatives. 
Devons made an unusually large acd fine 
display, the chief exhibitors being Harvey 
Dodge, of Wilkinsonville, with lfi head, and 
W. Eames, of Worcester, with 14 head. The 
steers of this breed make excellent draft ani¬ 
mals, the cows are fair milkers, and both are 
nearly as hardy as AyrBbLres, and, like them, 
they seem well adapted to New England hills 
an 1 ragged pastures. 
Of Grades there was a large exhibit, those 
of Hereford, Devon, Swiss, Holstein, and Ayr¬ 
shire descent being especially fine. The dis¬ 
play of fat cattle was poor. 
Horses were more admired in the speed 
ring, where trotting for purses took place 
daily, than in the show-yard, where the display 
was meagre. 
Of Sheep there were 133 fine animals in 37 
entries, chiefly South-Downs, Oxford Downs, 
Shropshires and Merinos. The Shropshires 
seem to be gaining rapidly in public favor 
here as well as in England, and they certainly 
are a fine breed, judging bv the specimens 
here exhibited by Burleigh & Bodwell, Fair- 
field Centre, Me. I certainly expected a finer 
display in this department, but most of the 
great Vermont breeders put in no appearance. 
Moreover the International Sheep Exhibition, 
to open on the 30th at Philadelphia, must be 
attracting the finest specimens of every promi¬ 
nent herd in the country. 
Swine made a fair show, nine exhibitors 
contributing 01 animals, mostly Berkshires, 
Poland-Chiuas, and Suffqlks. 
Poultry made a fair but noUy show, num¬ 
bering 150 coops, contributed by 33 exhibitors. 
All the chief breeds were represented, Ply¬ 
mouth Rocks, Light Brahmas, Buff Cochins 
and Bantams being the most noticeable. 
Of Agricultural Implements there was a 
large and fine display, chiefly of goods made 
by New England manufacturers. 
Of Flowers, vegetables, fruits, bees, house¬ 
hold utensils and domestic manufactures, 
there were as fine displays as are usually seen 
at such exhibitions, all attracting deserved 
attention from crowds of visitors, l. h. w. 
Miscellaneous. 
STUDIES AT AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES. 
A friend from Louisville, Wisconsin, writes 
us:—l should like to see some articles in tte 
Rural iu regard to the State Agricultural 
Schools. Do they not do more harm to far¬ 
mers than they do benefit to farmers’ sons ? I 
know several young men in this section who 
have attended such an institution, but not 
with the intention of becoming farmers, but in 
order to prepare themselves to hang out 
shingles as lawyers, with a superabundance of 
whom the country is already afflicted. I think 
that u State Agricultural School should confine 
its teachings to subjects which will tend di¬ 
rectly to make Us pupils good farmers. Med¬ 
ical colleges do notinclado in their curriculum 
topics which have nothing on earth to do with 
their specialty, however excellent they may be 
as parts of a liberal education. Theological 
seminaries keep to their specialties, without 
thinking it necessary to teaeh a smattering of 
all knowledge; and why should not agricul¬ 
tural colleges “ tick” to their own special 
business, instead of lurniDg ihe minds of the 
stndents away from the very pursuit their 
iathers would wish them to follow, by t ffering 
them opportunities of pursuing other avoca¬ 
tions more alluriDg mainly because requiring 
less labor ? I would like to see farm boys bet¬ 
ter educated ; bnt I bate to see the '’makings’’ 
of a good farmer become a poor lawyer, the 
transformation having been unwisely encour¬ 
aged or brought about by an agricultural col¬ 
lege. It seems to me that agriculture—not law 
or medicine or any other profession—should 
have the benefit of the. public lands donated 
to agriculture by the geueial government. 
Almost every thing I see published on this sub¬ 
ject is from ihe pens of professors at some of 
these institutions, aDd the half apologetic tone 
of their remarks when referring to the conduct 
