THE CULTIVATOR. 
Albany County Agricultural Society. 
I 
The annual Meeting of the Albany County Agricul¬ 
tural Society was held in the State Agricultural Rooms, 
in this city Wednesday, Jan. 4. A respectable num¬ 
ber of the farmers of the county were in attendance, 
and every town but two was represented. The follow¬ 
ing is an abstract of the Secretary’s report:— 
The officers have endeavored, in the discharge of their 
duties, to carry out the purposes for which the Society 
was organized, and in such a manner as to place it on a 
permanent basis, by securing the confidence and good 
will of the farmers of the county. The success which 
attended the first fair is a matter of congratulation, 
and a cause of just pride to every one interested in the 
progress of agriculture and the development of the 
industrial resources of the county. Those who regard¬ 
ed the Society as an experiment of rather a doubtful 
character, have been fully convinced that Albany coun¬ 
ty is capable of maintaining an Agricultural Society 
which will be a credit to herself, and compare favorably 
with kindred organizations in her sister counties. 
As the award of premiums was publicly announced at 
the time of the Fair, (Oct. 6, 1853,) a brief statement 
of the general results of the first exhibition will be all 
that is necessary at the present time. In the Stock- 
Department there were 122 entries. The whole num¬ 
ber of Horses on exhibition was 96; of Cattle 107; of 
Swine 29; of Sheep 48; of Poultry 108. The amount 
of premiums awarded in this department was $285. 
The show of Native Cattle, and especially of Dairy 
Cows, was small, as also that of Sheep and Swine; and 
it is hoped that in future exhibitions this deficiency 
will be remedied. 
In the department of Fruit, Vegetables, Flowers, 
Plants, and Dairy products, there were 81 entries. 
The show of Fruit and Vegetables was large, and in 
every respect creditable to the Society. There was 
little competion for the premiums offered on the pro¬ 
ducts of the Dairy, and the statements accompanying 
the samples were not made with that accuracy which 
is desirable. The amount of premiums awarded in this 
department was $43. 
In the Ladies’, Manufacturers’ and Miscellaneous de¬ 
partments, there were 110 entries, and the amount of 
premiums awarded was $129. Notwithstanding the de¬ 
rangement of the articles occasioned by the tearing of 
the tent, the show in this department was one of the 
most interesting features of the Fair, and should by all 
means be encouraged. 
The whole number of Exhibitors at the first Annual 
Fair was 313, and the whole amount of premiums award¬ 
ed was $457. The receipts of the Society from all 
sources for the current year were $1,252 85, and the 
disbursements $1,064'; leaving a balance in the trea¬ 
sury of $.188 85. 
The reports of the Secretary and Treasurer having 
been accepted, the following gentlemen were appointed 
a committee to nominate officers for the ensuing year; 
B. P. Johnson, Albany; A. E. Willis, Coeymans; 
George Cary, Bethlehem; C. Batterman, Guilderland; 
Col. Levi Shaw, Rensselaerville; Z. M. Sanders, Wa¬ 
ters liet; P. V. W. Brooks, New Scotland; D. Crary, 
Knox. After deliberation, they reported the following 
officers for 1854:— 
President. — James W. Jolly, Coeymans: Vice 
President —B. P. Johnson, Albany; Secretary — 
Joseph Wakren, Albany; Treasurer —E. E. Platt, 
Albany. 
Managers — Joseph Cary, Albany; L. Lobdell, 
Berne; Elias Milbank, Bethlehem; A. E. Willis, Coey¬ 
mans; C. Batterman, Guilderland; Dennison Crary, 
Knox; Joseph Hilton, New Scotland; Levi Shaw, 
Rensselaerville; A. Osborn, Waterveliet; H. E. Rob¬ 
bins, Westerlo; who were unanimously elected. 
A considerable number of gentlemen immediately 
made themselves members of the Socieiy; and the unan¬ 
imity of feeling and the interest manifested in the suc- 
ces of the Society, argue well for its future prosperity 
and usefulness. Joseph Warren, Sec’y. 
Roofing for Buildings. 
Eds. Country Gent. — I notice some remarks in 
your paper of the 28th inst. in reference to cheap roofs, 
and the cost of some, as reported in the Prairie Farm¬ 
er, as being from five to six dollars per 100 feet. Now, 
speaking from experience, I think-1 can tell of a cov¬ 
ering for roofs cheaper than any of that kind, and at 
the same time not liable to any of the objections al¬ 
lowed to exist in those of which you speak, while it is 
of a material certainly less destructible from expo¬ 
sures incident to all roofs, than that spoken of there. 
The roofing planks or boards should be of hemlock, 
laid close together, and at least three nails driven in 
the width of the planks or boards wherever nailed, to 
prevent warping from the heat of the sun. Over these 
may be applied a coat of coal tar for the purpose of 
furnishing throughout the whole a fastening to the 
covering to be spoken of, as the sun as it beats on the 
roof while the tar is not yet thoroughly dried in, ren¬ 
ders it sufficiently liquid to cause an adhesion to be 
effected between it and the covering. 
The best material to cover with is twilled cotton 
cloth, costing here generally not to exceed eight cents 
per yard, and possessed of sufficient body to retain, 
without allowing to pass through it, coal tar mixed 
with cement, (Rosendale,) or fine brick dust, laid on 
with a white-wash brush. Over the whole while yet 
new, sand can be sifted; this serves to keep the cover¬ 
ing in its place and to prevent the wind, from crevices 
below the roof, from raising the roof covering, and 
when thoroughly dry, cracking the coating on it. 
This kind of roof, unlike those referred to in the be¬ 
ginning of this communication, will be good and per¬ 
manent where those are nearly worthless, viz. on steep 
roofs, and certainly here more than on flat or shed 
roofs, costing less than one-third of those. The cloth 
may be laid crosswise the length of the boards or not 
as the maker wishes—should be laid on the surface of 
the roof boards, without any raise, and lapped at least 
one and a half or two inches, using tacks of the size 
of those used commonly in fastening down carpets, 
driven pretty close together; the hemlock being pos¬ 
sessed of great retentive power, no fear of their draw¬ 
ing out need be entertained, and as for rusting, the tar 
renders that impossible. I covered a roof of upwards 
of 400 square feet in this way at a cost of about $7,50, 
which has now been in use three years and upwards, 
showing slight defects occasionally, but which are 
wholly attributable to my want of experience in laying 
it down—I never having heard,, of any thing before 
like it, and being, as I believe, the first of the kind in 
this region of country. 
Hoping that the information communicated may be 
of use to many on whom, like myself, Mammon has not 
smiled benignly, I will farther say, that in answer to 
any inquiries through your paper, I will communicate, 
if agreeable to you, any information which my experi¬ 
ence, since acquired, will allow. L. V. W. Bethle¬ 
hem , Dec., 1853. 
