1852, 
THE CULTIVATOR 
331 
The State Fair at Utica. 
It is gratifying to observe the continued improvement 
in the value and utility of our State Fairs. Instead of 
forming mere shows for the attraction of idle curiosity, 
they are yearly becoming more useful as disseminators 
of valuable knowledge. Instead of being mere carnivals, 
they are assuming a high rank as schools of rural art. 
In accordance with this improvement, less attention than 
formerly is given to show in preparation, and more to 
convenience and order. When we look back some years, 
and compare our present with former fairs, we cannot 
avoid a strong feeling of gratification at the general ad¬ 
vancement which has been made, both in the general 
plan, and in the details of management. When we re¬ 
member the great and multifarious machinery which 
must be set in motion for conducting the business of a 
single annual exhibition, the many thousands of objects 
to be entered, labelled, and arranged, and the many ten 
thousands of persons admitted to view them, a feeling 
of admiration, rather than of censure, should be the re¬ 
sult. So long as those who visit them regard the aquisi- 
tion of the vast amount Of knowledge they furnish as 
their chief attraction and value, little dissatisfaction will 
be felt when they do not happen to receive premiums; 
and remembering that when many ride the same horse, 
all cannot be foremost, they will derive a high degree of 
pleasure in so easily availing themselves of the superior 
improvements which others have made. 
The grounds at Utica were unusually spacious and 
commodious. About fifty acres of very smooth land 
had been enclosed, and ample room thus afforded for the 
general distribution of the vast crowd. With one ex¬ 
ception, the halls for exhibition were broad tents, which 
answered the purpose of both convenience and economy. 
A free use of the water cart prevented the annoyance of 
dust, and contributed much to the comforts of the spec¬ 
tators. 
The exhibition of Cattle -was large. There were 147 
entries and about 550 animals upon the grounds. A dis¬ 
tinguishing feature was the large display of Devons, 
among which there were so many beautiful animals, that 
it is quite out of the question to point out those which 
pleased us the best. We well remember when but a few 
years since, the only exhibition of this breed consisted 
of the herds of but one or two exhibitors—now, large 
numbers were sent from nearly every portion of the 
state. The Durhams Wore less numerous, but furnished 
some very fine animals. S. P. Chapman’s celebrated 
bull “ Halton,” was a general favorite. Several other 
fine animals were observed in the herds of J. M. Sher¬ 
wood, Wm. A. Brown, W. Bullock, and others. Of 
Herefords, fine animals were exhibited by W. H. Sotham, 
of Geneseo, and Erastus Corning, Jr., of Albany. Avery 
interesting herd of grade Herefords, bred from the stock 
of Wm. H. Sotham, consisting of about fifty head, was 
exhibited by George Clark, of Otsego county. They 
comprised cows, calves, heifers, steers and working oxen, 
and were in ordinary condition, having never been pam¬ 
pered nor highly fed. Of Ayrshires, E. P. Prentice, of 
Albany, J. C. Tiffany, of Coxsackie, and James Bro- 
die, of Ellisburgh, were the principal exhibitors. A 
yearling bull, belonging to the latter gentlemen, attract¬ 
ed a great deal of attention on account of his fine form, 
appearing, as a by-stander remarked, ‘“'as if he had 
been turned in a lathe.” The forty head of Kentucky 
cattle, grade Durhams, from John W. Taylor were also an 
interesting exhibition. A large collection of native work¬ 
ing oxen were on the grounds, among which we observed 
ten very fine yoke from James S. Wadsworth, of Geneseo, 
fifteen yoke from George Sheldon, of Conquest, Cayuga 
county, and about forty yoke from different individuals 
in the town of New-Hartford. The native red three- 
year steers of H P. Potter, exceeded in symmetrical 
form any animals of this kind we had seen. 
There were 239 entries of Horses. The finest thorough¬ 
bred‘stallion was admitted to be J. B. Burnet’s old horse 
11 Consternation”—there was also a beautiful two year 
colt from this horse, about two years old. “ Gen. Gifford,” 
and a colt of his stock owned by Chas. W. Ingersoll of 
Lodi, Seneca county, were among the best Morgan horses. 
The exhibition of Sheep was good. There was a fine 
exhibition of long wools, and some excellent French 
Merinos. A ram of the latter breed, owned by J. D. 
Patterson of Chautauque county, was a monster. We 
had the curiosity to measure him, and although a hand¬ 
some, well-proportioned animal, his head was found to 
be a foot long, his horns each over four inches in breadth, 
and from the tip of his nose to the beginning of his tail, 
full six feet. The wool was observed to be quite fine, 
more so than usual on animals of this class. He is said 
to have sheared about thirty pounds, and to require less 
food fonthe wool yielded, than common sheep. Wheth¬ 
er the strength, and the consequent difficulty of hand¬ 
ling sheep of such size, would be a serious objection to 
their general introduction, farmers can best judge for 
themselves. 
The Swine were not numerous but contained some fine 
animals. 
The Poultry afforded quite an interesting display to 
fowl-amateurs. They were so numerous that their cages 
occupied the four sides of a large barn situated within 
the enclosure, and around which a temporary veranda 
was built for their protection from the weather. The 
largest exhibitor was D. P. Newell, of Rochester, who 
took a large share of the premiums. There were many 
beautiful specimens from other individuals. 
There was a good display of Agricultural Implements. 
A greater number of reapers and mowers were on the 
ground than at any previous fair, and they included most 
of those which were tried last summer at Geneva. J. Ra- 
palje, of Rochester, presented the largest collection of 
plows, harrows, straw-cutters, and other implements. 
Emery Sc Co., of Albany, exhibited an improvement in 
Ilovey’s straw-cutter, which is now probably the best 
straw-cutter with knives on a cylinder. The knives being 
thinner (and stiffened by a twist) are more easily sharp¬ 
ened ; being set without any central cylinder, they are 
within smaller compass; and, diverging considera¬ 
bly, never become clogged; while the same • work is 
done with a less costly machine. This straw-cutter 
was found to work with great ease. It is admirably 
adapted to cutting hay and straw, but not corn-stalks, 
j A portable cider-mill, exhibited by D. F. Phillips of 
