1846. 
THE CULTIVATOR 
289 
esteemed good eating-. But few, I imagine, would be 
willing to exchange forever, beef for Bulfalo meat. It 
is usual, each year, for some of our butchers to fatten a 
few buffaloes and expose their meat for sale in market 
at Christmas, when it is sought by some as a rarity. 
The best pieces, and the hump is the best, sell then for 
25 cts. per pound. 
The Buffalo is chiefly valuable for his skin, which 
dressed, sells for from $1.25 to $5, according to quality. 
He is hunted and killed for the skin alone, in very many 
instances. The number of buffalo robes brought into 
this city from the west is about 60,000 per annum. The 
number has been as high as 100,000 in a single year, but 
the receipts are diminishing. The animal was formerly 
very abundant on the banks of the Mississippi, but at 
present he is not found, in the wild state, within less 
than 200 miles of our western boundary. Great num¬ 
bers of the animal are destroyed every year by Indians 
and hunters, and the species must, before many years, 
be exterminated. Expeditions are every year fitted out 
from this city, to hunt the buffalo for amusement. Two 
young sprigs of the nobility of Scotland, are at this mo¬ 
ment in this city for the purpose of embarking in an ex¬ 
pedition of this kind. A three months expedition of 
this sort, fitted out with five voyageurs, a guide and a 
hunter, with the requisite means of transportation and 
provision, costs not far from $2,000. 
The experiments tried in domesticating the buffalo, 
have led to the conclusion that the animal is not worth 
domesticating-, unless it be for curiosity. 
The Season and Crops.— Our hayingand harvesting 
are over, and we have had excellent crops. My timothy 
crop this year has equalled about 3 tons to the acre. 
The crop of fruit of all kinds is a fair one. The early 
part of the season was as favorable as could be wished. 
Lately, however, we have been suffering from drought 
and extreme heat. The thermometer averaged during 
day time 95 degrees in the shade, for the week before 
last. The corn and potato crops will be seriously in¬ 
jured by drought unless we soon have rain. During the 
last few days, we have experienced one of those sudden 
changes so characteristic of this climate. A cold north 
wind has been blowing, the thermometer down to 60 
degrees, and woolen clothes have been comfortable du¬ 
ring the day and blankets by night. An unusual degree 
of sickness prevails, chiefly intermiftent fevers, and dis¬ 
orders of the bowels. 
Agricultural products are abundant and extremely low. 
The quantity exported from this city this year exceeus 
the amount of any previous year, and is nearly double 
that of 1845—in many articles more than double. This 
valley will be able to supply the world. But to get 
easily to market, we want the Mississippi cleared of 
snags, and a rail road from this city to Lake Erie. 
THO. ALLEN. 
Crystal Springs, St. Louis , Mo., July 20, 1846. 
AGRICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 
N. Y. State Agricultural Society. —Annual ex¬ 
hibition to be held at Auburn, Sept. 16th and 17th. 
American Institute, New-York—Horticultural 
exhibition to open on the 6th of October—Plowing and 
Spading Matches on the 9th—Cattle-show on the 14th 
and 15th of October. 
Onondaga Co.—Fair to be held at Syracuse, Oct. 1st 
and 2d. 
Allegany Co. —We have received the premium list 
of this society, and among the prizes offered, we notice 
thirty vols. of <c The Cultivator.” The time and place 
of holding the Fair is not stated. 
Fairfield Co. (Ct).—Annual exhibition at Bridge¬ 
port, Oct. 14th and 15th. 
Columbia Co. —Fair at Hudson, Oct. 6th. 
Otsego Co. —Fair to be held at Cooperstown Oct. 
1st and 2d. 
Seneca Co. —Annual exhibition to be held at Water¬ 
loo, Oct. 22d and 23d. 
Monroe Co. —At Rochester, Oct. 15 and 16 
Lewis Co. —At Lowville, Sept. 23 and 24. 
ALBANY, SEPTEMBER, 184a 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Communications have been received, since our last, 
from Perkins & Brown, N. Longworth, L. B. E., C. 
N. Bement, Stephen Culver, S. S. Randall, W. Bacon, 
V. W., S. Tillotson, A. J. Moseley, Thos. Allen, J. 
Shillaber, B. M., G. W. Dobbin, F. A. Wier, Z. C. 
Robbins, Frock and Trowsers. 
Books, Pamphlets, &c., have been received as fol¬ 
lows: 
Incentives to the Cultivation of the Science of Geo¬ 
logy, designed for the use of the young. By S. S, 
Randall, Dep. Supt. of Common Schools of the state 
of New-York. Greeley and M-Elrath, New-York, pub¬ 
lishers—190 pp. duodecimo. From the Author, and 
from the publishers. 
The Cultivation of American Grape Vines, and Mak¬ 
ing of Wine. By Alden Spooner, Brooklyn. A. 
Spooner & Co , publishers. From the Author. 
Daily Cayuga Tocsin; from Maj. J. B. Dill. 
Speech of Hon. J. A. Seddon, of Va., on the Tariff, 
delivered in the Ho. of Rep., June 29. From the Au¬ 
thor. 
Remarks on the Culture of the Grape, &c., in the 
Western States. By Melser Flagg, M. D., Cincinnati. 
Premium List of the Ag. and Hort. Department of 
the American Institute, for 1846. 
Constitution, By-Laws, &c., of the Buffalo Hort. 
Society. 
Reports of the officers of the Maine Insane Hospital. 
From Dr. James Bates Superintendant. 
Speech of the Hon. Truman Smith, of Connecticut, in 
opposition to the Warehouse-bill, delivered in Ho. of 
Rep., July, 31, 1846. 
MONTHLY NOTICES. 
State Cattle Show. —Those who intend to ex¬ 
hibit stock at the show at Auburn, would do well to 
notify Ipa Hopkins, of that place, as soon as practica¬ 
ble, stating the number and kind of animals to be sent; 
and on their arrival, Mr. H. will be prepared to inform 
the persons having charge of them, where the animals 
may find suitable accommodations. 
Those wanting provender will notify Chs. Richard¬ 
son, of Auburn, stating the kind, quantity, &c., that is 
wished. 
Fruit. —We have received some very fine specimens 
of the Magnum Bonum plum, from the garden of Prof. 
Hall; also some good samples of the Julienne pear and 
Holland plum, from Mr. E. Dorr. 
American Institute. —The nineteenth Annual Fair 
of this Association will be opened at Niblo’s Garden, 
in the city of New-York, on the sixth day oi October 
next. The Show of cattle and other animals will take 
place at the corner of Twenty-third st. and Fifth Ave¬ 
nue, on the 14th and 15th days of October; and the 
Plowing and Spading matches on the 9th of that month. 
Numerous and liberal premiums are offered in all de¬ 
partments of horticulture and floriculture, and also for 
the most profitable farms and gardens. The list of pre¬ 
miums for stock, embraces Native, Durham, Hereford, 
Devon, Ayrshire, and Alderney cattle, besides fat cattle 
and working oxen ; Saxon, Spanish, Long-wooled, 
and Middle-wooled sheep, and Alpacas; Thorough-bred 
and other horses; Mules and Jacks; Swine, and Poul¬ 
try. No entrance money for stock will be required, 
and feed will be prepared for those who wish to pur¬ 
chase, at the cheapest rate. Entrances of stock must be 
made in writing at the Committee Room by the 12th of 
October, or they may be previously sent to T. B, 
