THE CULTIVATOR. 
air between the interior and exterior walls, the air be¬ 
ing a complete non-conductor of heat or moisture. This 
interposed air should be entirely isolated. In addition 
however, it is good economy, on The score tff preserva¬ 
tion of the materials as well as ©f health, to paint the 
house on the exterior, giving it a waterproof coat, and 
to extend the roof some two or three feet beyond the 
side and end walls in order to intercept the rain which 
would otherwise be blown into the waits. G. E. H. 
Erovmsvillc i Pa. 
Cattle Show at Northampton* 
Ms. Tucker —The annual Cattle Show and Fair of 
the Hampshire, Hampden and Franklin Society, was 
held in Northampton on Wednesday and Thursday of 
last week. It gave evidence of increased interest in 
all that relates to the well-being of the Agricultural 
community. The show of cattle was larger and finer 
than usual, and the same may be said of the exhibi¬ 
tion mother departments. Among the bulls we no¬ 
ticed the splendid animal owned by Paoli Lathrop, Esq., 
the President of the Society. This bull whose name is 
Kirkleavisgton, we understand is descended from some 
of the late Mr. Bates’ choicest Duchess stock, and ap¬ 
pears to be worthy of his parentage. A fine bull of 
the Hereford breed attracted much attention. Judging 
from some specimens of working oxen and other stock 
of the same breed, we should think them well worthy 
the attention of breeders in Massachusetts and the 
other New England states. They are large and fine, 
and one would suppose from their general similarity 
might be more easily matched than some other breeds 
for working oxen. 
The first day of the show was devoted to the exhi¬ 
bition of cattle, the drawing match and the plowing 
match. The second was occupied with the show of 
horses, the address before the Society and the dinner. 
The horses were out in good number and quality. Mr. 
Sumner of Heathe, exhibited a fine Morgan stallion. 
He is a well proportioned animal, and is remarkable 
for great strength and ease of movement. His sire 
was the Old Green Mountain Morgan, so we understand. 
Mr. Johnson of your city was expected to deliver the 
address, but was detained by illness at New-Haven. 
He however arrived before the dinner hour had expir¬ 
ed, and entertained the numerous company of ladies 
and gentlemen at the tables for a half hour or more, 
with a most interesting account of some of his doings 
at the World’s Fair in London, interspersed with many 
anecdotes illustrating the ignorance and prejudice of 
some of the English people and the fairness and gene¬ 
rosity of others. 
In the absence of Mr. Johnson, Prof. Nash of Am¬ 
herst, occupied the hour in giving to the farmers some 
of the results of his observations made during his late 
tour in Europe. His subject was British Agriculture 
what in it is to be avoided and what practiced. Like 
most of his productions the address was marked by 
good judgment and sound common sense, while the 
manner of presenting his subject was clear and dis¬ 
criminating. 
In the department'of mechanics the most interesting 
-contribution was made by Fisk Russell of Boston, who 
exhibited his Mowing Machine. The executive com¬ 
mittee were so much interested in it. that they proposed 
to Mr. Russell to make trial of it with Ketchum’s Mow¬ 
er. He consented, and the next day the trial was made 
in the presence of a numerous company. He was com¬ 
pletely successful. His one horse machine with a cut¬ 
ting blade of three feet worked apparently quite as 
easy as Ketehum’s two horse one with a cutting blade 
•of about four and a half feet. It cuts closer, and is 
more simple in construction than Ketchum’s. It will 
start in grass without first giving motion to the knives, 
and running upon two wheels it can be easily trans¬ 
ported without loading into a wagon. Farmers in this 
vicinity are beginning to try mowing by horse power, 
but are almost discouraged by the fact that breakages 
are so common with them. Hitherto it has too often 
been the case that if a man goes out mowing with a 
machine in the morning, it is matter of dread uncer¬ 
tainty with him whether he mows one acre or five be¬ 
fore noon. This is all wrong, and unless manufacturers 
contrive to lessen the strain on the crank machines, or 
make them of much better material, they will sell but 
few in this vicinity. 
The importance of giving a better education to far¬ 
mers as a class, is becoming quite a common topic in 
the addresses delivered at our annual Fairs, and I 
think the good effects of these alone can hardly be 
over estimated. The truth is that hitherto as a class, 
they have had no rallying point. They have almost 
nothing of that esprit de corps which belongs to other 
professions, and as this business naturally confines them 
for the most of the time within the bounds of the farm, 
they miss most of those opportunities of improvement 
which are possessed by those who live in cities or thick¬ 
ly settled towns. They have seldom an opportunity 
of hearing themselves addressed as a distinct body, 
and their duties clearly pointed out. Our agricultural 
papers do this to some extent, but they lack the unction 
of the living voice, and besides they reach but few of 
the mass of the farmers. Hence the value of fairs 
which call the farmers together, not only to exhibit the 
fruits of their labor and skill, but also to listen to 
counsels, warning and reproof. If only heeded, they 
cannot fail, in course of a few years, to elevate the 
standard of the profession, and make it more nearly 
what it ought to be. It is indeed strange enough, that 
while three years at least of special preparation are 
required of the student of theology, medicine or law, 
before he can begin to work, a common school educa¬ 
tion, and that often a very ordinary one, is thought 
amply sufficient for him who is to be but a farmer. 
Rev. Mr. Clift, of Stonnington, Ct., who delivered the 
address before the Hampshire Co. Society a few days 
since, spoke very forcibly on the subject of Scientific 
Agriculture. He looks to this as the grand means of 
renovation in some of our old townships, now in an 
