1849. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
289 
come a source of wealth and prosperity to the land of 
their adoption.” 
Alexander Walsh. —-This distinguished and ardent 
friend of Agriculture and Horticulture, died at his resi¬ 
dence in Larisingburgh, on Saturday last, the 3d Aug., 
Mr. Walsh was one of the earliest members and pro¬ 
moters of this Society, and has ever been among its 
most efficient supporters. The Executive Committee, 
desirous of testifying their respect to one who for many 
years was an officer of the Society, and actively enga¬ 
ged in advancing its interests, have adopted the follow¬ 
ing preamble and resolutions: 
Whereas intelligence has been received of the de¬ 
cease of Alexander Walsh, Esq., of Lansingburgh, one 
of the earliest friends and promoters of this Society, 
and for many years one of its officers, and ever an ac¬ 
tive and efficient friend of Agriculture: Therefore, 
Resolved, That the Executive Committee have heard 
with deep regiet of the decease of their respected 
friend, and that they deeply sympathise with the be¬ 
reaved family in their affliction. 
Resolved, That a copy of the above proceedings be 
enclosed to the family of the deceased, signed by the 
Secretary. 
A draft of a memorial to the Legislature, on the 
subject of establishing an Agricultural College and Ex¬ 
perimental Farm, was presented and adopted, and or¬ 
dered printed for circulation. 
The Executive Committee adjourned, to meet on 
Monday, the 10th of September, at 3 o’clock, P. M., 
at Rust’s Hotel, Syracuse. B. P. Johnson, Sec’y. 
Summer Fallows 
Eds. Cultivator —I have been a reader of the 
Cultivator for years. In that lime I have read several 
pieces discarding summer fallowing for wheat. The 
writers must either labor under a mistake, or the prac¬ 
tical operation of farmers in this vicinity, (than 
which there is no better for wheat,) are altogether 
wrong. I admit that favored fields—favored with the 
application of all the manure of the farm—may produce 
a tolerable crop of wheat succeeding summer cropping; 
but I very mqch doubt the propriety of the wheat- 
grower adopting this method extensively. There are 
numerous objections that might be urged against this 
practice—such as requiring double the number of la¬ 
borers on the farm—the necessity of a large amount of 
work being performed in a given time—together with 
the difficulties attending the vicissitudes of the season. 
Should the fall prove to be very dry the plowing could 
not be well done, and then the uncertainty of a quick 
germination, and a firm root-hold in the earth, which is 
requisite to ensure a good crop. 
The advantages of summer fallows are, the plowing 
and subsequent cultivation of the land can be performed 
at leisure after the bustle and hurry of the spring work 
is over, which affords sufficient opportunity to extirpate 
that pest of the farmer the Canada thistle, which 
threatens, and unless checked, will obtain exclusive 
sway. By judicious cultivation, the fallow retains suf¬ 
ficient moisture when the season of sowing arrives, to 
produce a quick germination, and advance the future 
fall growth of the young plant. 
I have had some experience in raising wheat by both 
methods, and the conclusion to which I have arrived is, 
that raising wheat after summer cropping, under favor¬ 
able circumstances, and with favorable seasons, does 
very ■well,* but the great and chief dependance of the 
farmer is from his fallows. 
I venture the assertion that summer fallowing is 
essential to the successful cultivation of wheat, and 
when I say this, I think I am sustained in the position 
by three-fourths of the practical wheat-growers of the 
land. If any are of a contrary opinion I should be glad 
to hear from them. W. Ansley. Rushville, Yates 
Co,, N. Y. 
Farm Horses. 
Eds. Cultivator —Having read with much interest 
various communications in “ The Cultivatorrespect¬ 
ing some of our most noted breeds of horses, I offer a 
brief description of a useful, and in this region very 
popular stock of agricultural and draught horses, which 
have sprung from a horse called Samson, imported by 
me from the south of England, in 1837. As some of 
them will probably be shown at our next State Fair at 
Syracuse, I thought a few lines by way of introduction 
might be useful. 
Samson was selected from some of the best stock of 
farm horses in the county of Sussex, England, for the 
express purpose of giving more bone, muscle, and con¬ 
stitution, to the agricultural horses of America. How 
far he succeeded, his stock will show. They mostly 
inherit, in a great degree, the shape and disposition of 
the sire,* but being bred from smaller mares, they do 
not equal him in size, though they are large enough for 
all ordinary purposes; being remarkably u compact,” 
strong, and hardy, kind and true in harness, with as 
much spirit and action as is useful and pleasant in a 
work horse. 
Old Samson was a perfect horse of his kind, of im¬ 
mense muscular power, 16 hands high, and weighed 
1660 pounds. He died in the fall of 1845. 
The young ones vary from 14 to 16 hands, and weigh 
from 1200 to 1500 pounds. They may be found from 
central New-York through the western counties, some 
in Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois. Where best known 
they out-sell any other stock of horses for hard service. 
Several have been kept as Stallions, and are generally 
well patronised. Among others in this county, is one 
owned by Nottingham & Allen, of Palmyra, one by 
Wm. Swales, of Sodus, another by Z. Lane, of Lyons. 
In Ontario county, Rushmore, Brown and Bowers, have 
each one. In Monroe county, Jones and Reeves, one 
each. Heston’s of Genesee county, Sybrant’s of Nia¬ 
gara county, and others, would all pass as good horses 
in any farming district, and are particularly adapted to 
cross with the light-boned, high-blood stock of the 
Southern and Western States. John Robinson. Pal¬ 
myra, Wayne Co., August, 1849. 
Show of the Royal Agricultural Society. 
The tenth show of this society took place at Nor¬ 
wich, in July last. The display of live stock was above 
that of an average of the Society’s exhibitions, and that 
of implements considerably greater. The number of 
entries for stock was 624, and for implements 1880. 
The Mark-Lane Express remarks: 
“ As regards the exhibition of stock, taking it as a 
whole, we have difficulty in bringing ourselves to the 
conclusion that it reaches an average in point of quality. 
There were some animals of a very high order or merit, 
such as Mr. Booth’s two short-horn cows, and Mr. 
Wilson’s yearling heifer, an almost perfect animal. 
Mr. Quartly’s Devon bull could scarcely be surpassed. 
The Hereford and Devon classes were more evenly 
good than the short-horns. The yearling classes of all 
were very promising. The show of Southdown sheep 
far exceeded that of former years; Mr. Jonas Webb 
was eminently successful, and deservedly so, having 
won the first and second prizes for shearling rams. It 
is said that the judges selected six rams out of the 
whole number exhibited, as being far superior to any 
others, and that they had some difficulty in deciding to 
which of these splended animals the prizes should be 
awarded. It turned out afterwards, that the whole sis 
