1850. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
339 
tersj shown by Messrs. Geo. & Wm. Miller, of 
Markham, C. W., were the principal attractions in 
this department. Some of the ewes shown by Wm. 
Miller, were in form almost perfect models of what 
a mutton sheep should be; and it is to be hoped that 
our breeders of this class of sheep, have derived 
some useful hints from the fine specimens which 
have been thus brought before them. 
The South Downs made a very good show. They 
were chiefly from the flocks of Messrs. Sherwood, 
Rotch, McIntyre and Wakeman. There were good 
animals in each of these lots. The fat wethers of 
Col. Sherwood, and several cross-bred South Down 
and Cotswold wethers shown by Mr. McIntyre, 
were capital specimens, and did not fail to attract 
the attention of those who know good mutton. 
Swine. -—This department was not well filled. 
In numbers, it was less extensive than at any former 
show for several years, and we saw no animals of 
remarkable appearance. Some good pigs were 
shown by Wm. Hurst, of this city, and by Winant 
Younghans, and Wm. Webb, of Darien. 
Poultry.— -There was a much better display of 
poultry than at Syracuse, though it was hardly 
equal to the show at Buffalo. Much of the good ap¬ 
pearance of this department, was due to R. L. 
Colt, Esq., of Paterson, N. J., who exhibited 
specimens of four kinds of geese, and several varie¬ 
ties of fowls. E. E. Platt, of this city, showed a 
collection of fowls, embracing several valuable 
breeds. Mr. P. had also a fine specimen of the cur- 
rassow. Fine specimens of the Dorkings were 
shown by F. M. Rotch, Butternuts, and very hand¬ 
some specimens of the Spangled Hamburgh or Bolton 
Grey fowl, by John Chadwick, New-Hartford. 
Some beautiful rabbits, very large, with pendent 
ears, were shown by R. H. Van Rensselaer, and F. 
M. Rotch. 
Dairy Products.— There was a respectable show 
of these; but we were unable to take particular 
notes in this department, on account of the derange¬ 
ment occasioned by the tent in which the articles 
were placed having been blown down. 
The show of Farm Implements was large and 
attractive ; but we think there was less competition, 
and for this reason less variety, than at Syracuse. 
Emery & Co., of Albany, filled a building of their 
own, 100 by 40 feet, besides occupying a much 
larger area in the open field. In front of their build¬ 
ing was a fountain, which constantly sported its beau¬ 
tiful jets of water, and added much to the ornament 
and interest of the general exhibition. There were 
other extensive exhibitors of implements, as Messrs. 
Starbuck & Co., and Bosworth, Rich & Co., Troy, 
Wheeler & Co., Albany, and Eddy & Co., Union 
Village. But we must reserve our notices of particu¬ 
lar articles in this department till our next number. 
The 11 Mechanics’ Hall” contained a great 
number of useful articles, under the head of machine¬ 
ry, of various kinds, stoves and other contrivances 
for housewarming and culinary purposes. Consid¬ 
erable of the machinery was kept in operation, the 
power being derived from a steam engine put up for 
the purpose by Messrs. Low &. Co., of Albany. A 
power printing press was worked during the exhi¬ 
bition, which explained the art of printing to thou¬ 
sands, by whom it was before a mystery. The pro¬ 
cess of printing on stone, (lithography) was also 
here exemplified. 
The * £ Manufacturers’ and Domestic Hall,” 
presented a display which in variety, richness and 
beauty, exceeded anything of the kind we have be¬ 
fore seen ; but for want of room, we must defer par¬ 
ticular notices till a future occasion. 
The Fruit and Floral Department was well 
filled. In regard to fruits, we believe the display 
was, with the exception of peaches, equal to that 
of any previous year. It was the general expres¬ 
sion that this department was better filled than at 
any exhibition since that at Poughkeepsie in 1844. 
Among the principal exhibitors were Henry Yail, 
Troy; Elwanger & Barry, Rochester; R. L. Colt, 
Paterson, N. J.; Jonathan Baltey, Keeseville; E. 
P. Prentice; Dr. H. Wendell; Isaac Denniston; 
Elisha Dorr; James Wilson; Dr. March of Albany; 
L. Menand, Watervliet, and Norman Briggs, 
Schaghticoke. Among the most attractive objects, 
was a basket of fruits from Mr. Yail, tastefully orna¬ 
mented and placed in a conspicuous position, contain¬ 
ing 34 varieties of apples, 31 of pears. 10 of plums, 8 
of peaches, 9 of grapes, and one Christiana melon. 
Mr. Y. had also a box containing a grape vine, on 
which were eight well ripened and handsome bunch¬ 
es of grapes. Tne splendid bunches of black Ham¬ 
burgh and other foreign grapes from Mr. Colt re¬ 
ceived much praise. The show of plums from Mr. 
Denniston and others was very fine. 
Of Vegetables there was about the usual dis¬ 
play. C. F. Crossman, Rochester, made a large 
contribution to this department. Specimens of 
blood beets showed by him, were unusually fine. 
The Address by Prof. Amos Dean, was receiv¬ 
ed with well deserved approbation. His main sub¬ 
ject was * 1 Agricultural Education, the training 
up of the young mind with special reference to the 
pursuits of Agriculture.” This subject was ably 
and thoroughly discussed, and was shown to lie at 
the very foundation of improvement in this branch of 
industry. In our next, we shall endeavor to give a 
more comprehensive view of Prof. D.’s highly valu¬ 
able remarks. 
Several distinguished gentlemen visited the show 
grounds, among which were Ex-President Van Bu- 
ren, Gov. Fish, Gen. Wool, Com. Thos. Ap C. 
Jones, Hon. Mr. Ferguson of Canada, G. P. R. 
James, Esq., (the celebrated English literary wri¬ 
ter,) and a grandson of Gen. La Fayette, from 
France. Delegates were in attendance from the 
Massachusetts Horticultural Society, the Agri¬ 
cultural Societies of Ohio, New Hampshire, Penn¬ 
sylvania and various county societies in other states. 
Steeping Seeds. 
My father brought me up strong in the faith that 
it was essential to success in raising Indian corn, 
that the seed should be steeped before planting. 
He was an extensive, carefully observant and suc¬ 
cessful cultivator, and the first person who made 
use of plaster of Paris as a fertilizer in that part of 
our country. An anecdote connected with its first 
use will illustrate its effects, and show his reputa¬ 
tion as a cultivator as well as the sly humour of one 
of his parishioners. 
A neighbor cultivated one of my fa ther’s fields in 
corn on shares, but declined to put on plaster al¬ 
though proffered to him without charge. A divis¬ 
ion of the corn was therefore made in alternate two 
rows. On his part (that is, on every other two 
rows,) thus set out to him, my father had a spoon¬ 
ful of plaster put to the hill. 
The effect was truly wonderful. A party of gen¬ 
tlemen in passing, being struck with the luxuriance 
of the rows thus plastered, inquired of a parishion¬ 
er the cause of the difference. 11 Oh,” said he, 
“ there is nothing strange about it; the large rows 
belong to our priest, and the small ones to one of 
his people.” 
