400 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Dec. 
ish them, that would bring them up, as farmers, con¬ 
siderably in the scale of human nature. (Great 
applause.) They would see farmers where they 
ought to be, the leading principal men in the coun¬ 
try. There was no class of society equal to the 
farmer, all depended upon the farmers for their sup¬ 
port—they had not taken that position which they 
ought to have done, and which they deserve; but he 
trusted the natural results of such meetings would 
make them feel their own importance, as they do on 
the other side. There he had uniformly met with 
a great degree of kindness. He could assure their 
friends from the other side, that there existed the 
kindliest feelings here towards their neighbours, who 
go hand and heart with them in the way of improve¬ 
ment; and he would say if they would continue to 
send their notions, they would send them their dollars 
in return, and besides they would give them the 
warm hand of friendship,—happy to meet as good 
friends for the interchange of good feelings and with 
the desire to do each other all the good they could 
—of course every one minding what was for his own 
interest. 
In conclusion, he would take this opportunity of 
thanking his friends for all the kindness and hospi¬ 
tality he had met in attending State fairs, and would 
beg leave to propose—Prosperity to the New 
York State Society, and all its members.” ( Cheers.) 
Characteristics of the Season of 1850. 
Throughout a large portion of the country, the 
distinguishing feature of the past summer has been 
the unusual quantity of rain, and the frequent dis¬ 
plays of lightning. In this respect the season was 
the opposite of 1849. The theories which some have 
entertained, as to the effect of rail-roads and elec¬ 
tric telegraphs, in preventing thunder storms, are, 
we presume, pretty well shattered by the numerous 
severe shocks of the last season. 
The following table shows the quantity of rain 
which fell at Albany, during each month, from May 
to September, inclusive, for the present and last 
year. The average quantity for the whole year is 
41 inches: 
1849. 1850. 
Inches. Inches. 
May,. 5.40 6 01 
June,. 4.45 5.72 
July,. 0.70 S.57 
Aug., .... 4.83 2.50 
Sept.,. 1.06 6.56 
16.44 29.36 
April was cold, and May was cold and wet; from 
which cause, seeding was much delayed. Little 
was done in May; and from the Potomac and Ohio, 
to the St. Lawrence and the lakes, a great portion 
of the Indian corn, oats, barley, and spring wheat, 
was not deposited in the soil till the first week in June. 
Seed-time being thus retarded, the growth of all 
crops was forced into a very small compass. Vege¬ 
tation in general was, however, uncommonly rapid 
and luxuriant, when fairly started. We had no 
drouth in this section,—the grass preserved its fresh¬ 
est and brightest green from May to November. 
The foliage of the trees has been of unusual density 
and richness, and the growth of both forest and fruit 
trees has been remarkably large. 
Hay was abundant through the middle, eastern 
and northern States; but owing to the watery char¬ 
acter of the grass, and to the unfavorable weather 
at the time of making, the quality is inferior to an 
average. In Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, the crop 
was injured by drouth which oecured in June. The 
meadows along many of the principal streams in 
New-York, were overflowed by the great rains of 
July, and the grass so injured by the deposit of 
earthy matter, that it was rendered worthless for 
hay. 
Wheat, taking the whole country together, gave 
a bountiful yield. Probably the whole amount of 
the crop is considerably larger than any before har¬ 
vested in this country. In Ohio, and the west¬ 
ern States, generally, it is represented as very fine. 
The drouth in June checked the growth of straw*., 
but the grain filled in the best manner. In some 
neighborhoods of Western New-York, the grain was 
injured by being sprouted while standing in the 
shock; but we think the damage from this cause was 
of less magnitude than w r as at first represented. 
Spring wheat has not, generally, done as w r ell as 
usual, owing, chiefly, to the weather being too wet 
at the time the grain was forming. The wheat- 
midge has been less prevalent at the eastward, the 
past season, than for several previous years. 
Rye has given, perhaps, an average yield, though 
it was injured by too much wet, except on the driest 
soils. 
Barley, it is said, has not done as well as usual^ 
either in yield or quality. The central counties of 
this State constitute the main district for the culti¬ 
vation of this grain, and for the supply of the large 
breweries along the Hudson river. 
Oats, in many places, were much injured by the 
great storm of the 19th of July. They w r ere beaten 
flat to the ground by the w T ind and rain, and in many 
instances did not sufficiently recover to fill w T ell. 
Comparing the crop of this year, however, w T ith that 
of 1849, for the whole country, we think it probable 
that the balance would be in favor of the present 
year. The crop of the former year, it will be re¬ 
membered, was greatly injured by drouth. 
Indian Corn has generally done well. As before 
remarked, it had but a short time to grow—scarce¬ 
ly more than three months, and the general maturi¬ 
ty of the crop, before the occurrence of frost, is a 
striking example of the rapid progress of vegetation 
under the effect of intense summer heat. The yield 
is represented as satisfactory, except in some in¬ 
stances in the most northern portions of the country, 
the ears have been small in proportion to the stalks. 
This defect was chiefly confined to wettish soils, or 
fields where the planting w T as too thick to admit the 
proper action of the sun. 
Potatoes have been more affected by rot than in 
any year since 1845. The crop, except on very w r et 
and heavy soils, flourished well, and in the earlier 
planted fields, the usual quantity of tubers was 
formed; but the rot has lessened the value of the 
crop to the amount of at least fifty p^r cent. 
Fruits, in this section have hardly given their 
usual yields. The apple crop is light, over most of 
the New-England and Northern States. The fruit 
did not set well. This remark is also applicable to 
plums, and some other fruits. The cause is sup¬ 
posed by some to have been the prevalence of wet 
weather at the time the trees were in blossom. 
This, it is thought, prevented the proper deposition 
of the impregnating pollen. Hoes observation sup¬ 
port this theory? Some kinds of apples, as Spitzen- 
burgsand Newtown Pippins, are more specked with 
black, and less fair than usual. Pears have been 
badly affected by blight. Trees that have hereto¬ 
fore escaped this scourge have this year been seri¬ 
ously attacked, and in many instances ruined. The 
Virgalieu, or White Doyenne, has been cracked and 
spoiled to a great extent in this vicinity. Peaches 
were abundant through New Jersey, Delaware, &c., 
from which they were sent in large quantities, and 
