1858. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
351 
mode of raising the delicious grapes seen a few years 
since at his place. He answered by saying that he first 
dug six feet deep , and filled with bones, rich soil, ma¬ 
nure, &G. 
Corn Culture. 
T. C. Peters of Genesee county, said the best prac¬ 
tice was to manure in the fall, plow late, say May 20, 
not over four inches deep, which is better than eight 
inches. Such treatment has given 50 to 60 bushels of 
shelled 8-rowed corn per acre. 
G. Geodes pointed out the importance of discrimi¬ 
nating between one soil and another, in deciding what 
depth to plow. Some light and deep soils did not need 
deep plowing—others of a heavier character absolute¬ 
ly required it. 
E. Cornell of Tompkins, gave 30 loads of yard 
manure to an extremely poor and exhausted piece of 
land, plowed as deeply as possible, cultivated well, and 
had 80 bushels of shelled corn per acre—he had had 
123 bushels of shelled corn per acre, as the result of 
deep plowing, good manuring, and thorough cultiva¬ 
tion. The corn was weighed early in winter, which 
G Geddes thought would dry 20 per cent, by next 
summer. 
A gentleman of It. I. had manured highly, plowed 
deeply, and planted 3 feet by 18 inches, and was re¬ 
warded with over 100 bushels of shelled corn per acre. 
Several gentlemen found that this mode of planting 
gave a heavier crop than 3 feet each way, but was at¬ 
tended with more expense in cultivation. 
Editorial Correspondence. 
The Exhibition of the Ontario Co. Ag. Society at Can¬ 
andaigua, came to a somewhat abrupt conclusion Thurs¬ 
day afternoon. After a delightful day, which was taken 
advantage of by crowds from all parts of the county, 
there came up between four and five o’clock a most 
sudden and severe storm, which upon any other Fair 
Grounds would have been productive not only of vast 
inconvenience, but also of immense damage both to 
the clothing and to the health of the people in attend¬ 
ance. But under the protection afforded by the large 
and commodious structure, which in the form of an 
Amphitheater adorns the grounds, and proves both the 
enterprise and the good sense of the Society, this con¬ 
course of thousands was almost completely sheltered, 
while the permanence and firmness of the building was 
thoroughly tested by the gale. 
The Co. Gent, has at different times contained allu¬ 
sions to the structures and the energetic management 
which places Ontario County in these respects in the 
van, but the writer was scarcely prepared for the re¬ 
ality. The amphitheater spoken of, is more complete 
throughout than similar erection on the exhibition 
grounds of the west and south-west. It surrounds an 
open circular space of a hundred and fifty feet diame¬ 
ter, which forms the ring in which all the prize horses 
and cattle are adjudged, and in the center of which is 
the judges’ stand and flag-staff. This circle of 150 
feet diameter forms of course the interior side of the 
amphitheater open upon the ring; and the outer wall 
in a concentric circle of 210 feet diameter surrounds 
this, which is boarded closely up from top to bottom, 
containing windows enough for the admission of light, 
but thus excluding the sunshine, wind and rain. A 
span roof covers the whole, it being 22 feet from the 
ground to the plates on which the roof rests. The in¬ 
terior is fitted with 7 tiers of very comfortable seats, 
rising one above another, with a balcony or passage 
behind them 12 feet wide. In this balcony, along the 
outer side of the building, runs a counter three feet 
wide for the exhibition of domestic manufactures, &c., 
&c., while upon the wall above it hang other contri¬ 
butions to the show, such as paintings and light goods. 
Here a great deal can be accommodated in a good 
light, easily seen and accessible. Then below the 
tiers of seats there are extensive apartments fitted up 
for refreshments and the use of ladies, and long halls 
to accommodate all the fruit, flowers, vegetables, dai¬ 
ry and other products and lighter manufactures. 
It will thus be seen that a great deal is well arrang¬ 
ed above and below, for which the shelter is perfect, 
and all under one roof. The extreme circumference of 
the whole is 659 feet. The capacity of the seats above 
must be five or six thousand, while an estimate based 
on actual count has shown that including the passage 
ways which are often fully crowded with those stand¬ 
ing up, 7,500 can look down upon the progress of 
events in the arena. Then there are, beside, the 
rooms already mentioned underneath, so that it is cal¬ 
culated that on the whole at least 12,000 individuals 
can be protected from a storm. Too much can scarce¬ 
ly be said of the advantages of such a building, and I 
think there is no doubt but the amphitheater with the 
fittings up described, is the best form in which the mo¬ 
ney of a Society can be expended. During a rain that 
occurred the first show after its completion here, the 
officers of the Society assured me that enough had 
been saved to the people of the county in the protec¬ 
tion of themselves, their clothing and their goods from 
injury, to pay beyond question for the whole expense 
incurred. 
As to the Stock, I had but a glance at the whole, 
and therefore cannot go into details as much as would 
be desirable. The storm prevented my going around 
with a Note-book the second time, as I expected to 
have done. But as a whole, I can say it was credita¬ 
ble to the county, and exceedingly good in several 
classes. There were not many pure Short-Horns 
shown. There was quite a turnout of Devons , mostly 
I think from one breeder, and first-class animals. 
There were several very good yoke of Working Oxen. 
The exhibition of Sheep was large and good in all the 
departments of fine, middle and long wooled. The 
Downs especially were well represented. The show 
of Swine was quite extensive and very excellent. 
There was a fair show of Poultry. Of Horses I only 
saw the turn-out of mares with foal by the side, and 
that of stallions, both of which were well filled classes, 
and unusually good for a county society. 
Thursday afternoon Major Dickinson of Steuben 
delivered the Address. He was listened to with un¬ 
flagging attention for nearly an hour and a half, when 
the rain coming up he was forced to retire amidst nu¬ 
merous cries of “ Go on,” “ Go on.” It was a discur¬ 
sive speech, delivered with that entire ease that arises 
from an extensive knowledge of farming operations of 
nearly every kind, in ail their details; and no one who 
heard it, could have gone home without some new and 
practical idea leavening the whole lump of his practi¬ 
cal experience. It was quite interesting to see several 
old farmers go up after its conclusion, to shake the 
speaker by the hand, and compare their modes of cul¬ 
tivation and opinions on matters and things, with his. 
